Summer fun in Northeast Ohio includes backyard gatherings, grilling, and pig roasts. Slow cooking an entire pig outdoors is a tradition for families in Akron, Ohio and Barberton, Ohio that some in Copley, Ohio and Wadsworth, Ohio have yet to experience. Seasoned roasters will say that anyone who hasn’t tried pig roasting is missing out. And Sherman Provision in Norton, Ohio can help everyone get a taste. The family-owned provider of fresh meats, spices, and international groceries can tell you how to roast a pig and get you fresh pork for your first and future roasts!

Pig roasting is one of the oldest cooking methods we know of. History reveals accounts of cavemen cooking pigs or boars over wood fires. And the practice continues to this day with private cooks and catering companies roasting pigs on a regular basis. Some say the fatty meat of pigs allows slow cooking to produce intense flavor. Others are drawn to the experience because seeing an entire pig gradually go from faint pink to deep, golden brown is as amazing as the succulent smell that fills the air.

For first-timers, the task can seem overwhelming. But it’s easier than you think. Especially with tips that the team at Sherman Provision in Norton has collected from their pig roasting customers, and the fresh pork they get from Amish country. Size, seasoning, time, temperature, and method are key points for successful pig roasts. Like cooks and chefs of all types, pig roasters have preferences too. Their input indicates fixed specifics and room for personal touches that simplify the process.

First off, size definitely matters and seasoning gets personal. A rule of thumb consistent among experienced roasters is one pound of meat per person with a max pig size of 150 to 200 pounds. Most gravitate to 150 pound pigs, and all allow the meat to reach room temperature before seasoning and roasting. Sherman Provision’s meat specialists cover these steps for their customers. They provide fresh pork from 20 pounds to 200 pounds for pig roasts. They also apply a special seasoning blend made fresh from the spices among their international groceries at no additional charge.

When asked to explain how to roast a pig, the pro’s who shop at Sherman Provision shared multiple methods. Each has its own cooking time that ends when the internal temperature of a thicker part of the pig – like the shoulder or ham – reaches 170 degrees. Cooking a 150 pound pig caveman style over an open pit of burning coals takes 18 to 20 hours. Burying one four feet underground with hot coals as they do in Hawaii requires 24 hours cooking time. And pig roasts that employ man-made roasters have individual timelines, some as short as six hours.

Once your seasoned pig is skewered on a rotisserie spit and placed over your fire pit, in a roaster, or buried with coals, your work is pretty much done. Some roasters suggest basting with beer or wine as it cooks. But basting is optional as the fatty meat will be moistened by its own juices as the fat cooks away. So you are free to enjoy your family in Akron or Barberton or mingle with your guests in Copley or Wadsworth. Just check your pig every hour and a half, and use a temperature gauge to be sure the meat is 170 degrees before serving. When your pig’s internal temperature makes the mark, slice, serve, and savor the sweet taste of success!

Pig roasts are popular for a reason – they produce delicious results! And with fresh pork from Amish country seasoned by Sherman Provision, the stage is set for magic! Deciding how to roast a pig for your family in Akron, Ohio, your neighbors in Barberton, Ohio, your colleagues in Copley, Ohio or your workers in Wadsworth, Ohio is up to you. Just be sure to apply tips from the pro’s you may meet at Sherman Provision. Visit www.shermanprovision.com to learn about the international groceries and other fresh meats they provide. When you’re ready to order a fresh pig for your roast, call Sherman Provision at 330.825.2711. Be sure to give them seven days notice and expect seasoned excellence straight from the farm!

Sherman Provision
3998 Johnson Road
Norton, Ohio 44203
330.825.2711