Last weekend was pretty special, as Dan and I embarked on a pig-tastic adventure in Aldie Virginia at the Quattro Goomba's Winery. Being a place to gather for our friends Adam, Jessica and their families, the winery served as the venue for their third annual pig roast. It was amazing to see so many people come out for this very meaty occasion, and while it was a celebration of all things delicious, it was mainly a good reason to get together with good friends and family and enjoy each other's company.
The Setting:
Hosted at the beautiful Quattro Goomba's winery, we enjoyed its laid back vibe and communal atmosphere. While the actual pig roast took place in the main house on the property, where the DeCianno family hosts private tastings and events, we also had the opportunity to hang out in their spacious tasting room. Enjoying all the amazing wine, it truly elevated the already yummy experience. The winery specializes in old world style wines, some aged in whiskey barrels such as the Tradizione.
Pig Prep:
Since we were dealing with a large beast, our team of hogmasters (Adam, Tom, Chris, Chad and Dan) got ready the evening before. It was a lot of fun to observe the guys handling the pig and trying to get it up on the spit. And since the pig was about 115 pounds, it was no easy task, and something that had to be done 3 times until they got it right.
After that, the guys took turns tending to the pig by making sure it was nicely basted and that it stayed in its place. In fact, they toiled late into the night, checking on poor Wilbur, only to report in the morning that it was beautifully golden brown and ready to go. All in all, it took about 12 hours to get it in this condition.
Head Hogmaster:
Even though roasting this piggie took a whole village so to speak, most of the credit goes to our head hogmaster, Adam. Not only does Adam organize this shin-dig by inviting everyone, he takes care of securing and buying the pig from a local farmer. Respecting the way with which he handles the pig, Adam is also knowledgeable in the whole breakdown process, making sure that we used the animal in its entirety.
Our Feast:
After all the guests arrived at about 2 p.m. on a Saturday, we were ready to eat. I'll be honest in that we all had a few snacks here and there, including the pork shoulder, but the real feasting started that afternoon.
The pig was of course the centerpiece, and the best part of this celebration. I enjoyed several different cuts including the shoulder, the ribs, the crispy skin and of course the belly. The latter was the most delectable snack, as Tom cut it up into cubes and deep fried it in a coating of flour and brown sugar. A few of us remarked at how amazing it was, and we even nicknamed it the "pig dessert."
Other components including the shoulder and the ribs were deliciously tender and juicy. My favorite part was the smokiness you got from each bite and the crunchiness from the well done crust. While I put a little bit of homemade BBQ sauce on top of the shoulder, the meat was so moist that it didn't even need it.
A HUGE thank you goes out to the Meyers and DeCianno's for hosting us last weekend. We had a truly amazing time, and were honored to be a part of this delicious, and long lasting, tradition.
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