Reading · England
Christmas Hog Roast in Shinfield
Plenty of choice: roast pork in rolls with stuffing and apple sauce, lamb or chicken, and halloumi and vegetable skewers, plus salads, coleslaw and potatoes. Christmas hog roast in Shinfield.
- Year-end thank-yous
- Festive family get-togethers
- Lights switch-on evenings
Book a hog roast in Shinfield
For planners, venues and organisers
Marquee hire companies often have rules about cooking near their tents, so let them know about the roaster. We will keep the roaster well clear of the marquee.
If you’re planning an event on someone’s behalf, whether you are a planner, a PA or on a committee, tell us who our contact on the day will be. We’ll keep everyone in the loop.
About our Christmas hog roast in Shinfield
Family gatherings at Christmas can be big, and a hog roast means nobody spends the day cooking. Whether it’s society Christmas socials and christmas lights switch-ons, we will put together a menu of roast potatoes, rotisserie chicken and apple sauce for your guests.
Around Shinfield, Christmas parties are often at home, the village hall or a club. We need firm ground and some light. We plan the timings around your day, working back from when you want to eat.
Shinfield: your questions answered
Can you do a hog roast in Pearman's Copse?
Only with permission from the park’s owner, normally the council, and many parks don’t allow cooking. Ask them first.
Is Shinfield close to London?
About 37 miles from central London.
What happens after service?
Our staff clear the serving area, so you are not left with the mess.
What’s included?
Pork, stuffing, apple sauce and crackling in a soft roll. Sides and extra meats are listed in your quote.
Do you provide china?
We supply plates as standard. China is available at an extra cost.
What about coeliacs?
Gluten-free rolls are available on request. Stuffing normally contains gluten, so check the allergen information.
Is lighting needed?
After dark, the serving area and the path to it need lighting. Let us know what lighting the venue has.
Is it too cold for a hog roast?
Winter is a great time for a hog roast, as long as guests have shelter.
Catered or do it yourself?
Buying in a cold buffet is another option, but hot, freshly carved roast pork is a different experience, especially outdoors.
Some hosts try a barbecue instead, but someone has to stand at the grill all day. With a hog roast, one roast feeds everyone at once.
Diets, allergies and alternatives
We give full allergen information for every dish. To help:
- Give us vegetarian and vegan numbers
- Request gluten-free rolls
- Keep vegetarian food labelled
- Count who doesn’t eat pork
We pack up whatever the weather.
Add roast potatoes for a festive plate.
More for events in Shinfield
The menu, dish by dish
Vegan burger or sausage (Ve)
Let us know numbers for the vegan option, and we will bring enough vegan burgers or sausages.
Roast pork
The hog roasts slowly for hours, so the meat is tender and juicy, and it is carved fresh as people come up.
Festive bookings around Shinfield
Shinfield is about 3 miles south of Reading, in Reading. We bring a hog roast for your Christmas party to Christmas parties anywhere in Shinfield, given a suitable outdoor cooking area. Shinfield is one of 34 towns and villages in Reading where we cater.
Carol services and Christmas fairs at churches such as Church of St Mary the Virgin draw people who are glad of hot food afterwards. If you’re organising a Christmas fair for a school like Shinfield Infant and Nursery School, hot rolls go down well.
This part of Reading takes in RG2, and we can cater your Christmas party anywhere in it. From Teal Grove, Songbird Close and Skylark Way or a nearby road, we’ll bring the roaster to you. If your venue is just outside Shinfield, we also cover Ryeish Green (1 mile south-west), Whitley Wood (1 mile north-west), Three Mile Cross (1 mile west), Great Lea Common (1 mile west) and Arborfield (2 miles east). Further out, we also cater in Caversham (5 miles north), Norcot (5 miles north-west), West Reading (4 miles north-west), Tilehurst Within (5 miles north-west), Arborfield Garrison (3 miles south-east) and Caversham Heights (5 miles north). Shinfield is among the bigger towns we cover in Reading, with plenty of venues for Christmas parties.
Well-known places in the area include Berkshire Library & Museum of Freemasonry (2.9 miles north-east) and Royal Berkshire Hospital (3.1 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Longwater and Sonning Hill.
- Nearby schools include Oakbank (0.7 miles west) and Ryeish Green School (0.7 miles west)
- Pubs nearby include Bell & Bottle pub (within half a mile south-east)
Why a carved hog roast beats a buffet
Next to a winter barbecue, a hog roast copes much better with the cold. Extras such as lamb, chicken, more sides or china crockery add to the cost, so each one is itemised. A simple menu keeps the cost down.
Why book with us
- Slow-roasted at your venue, not reheated
- Carved by our chef in front of your guests
- Staff to serve, so you don’t have to
- Salads, potatoes and coleslaw to go with it
Read how we price and the cost guide.
Prices and what affects them
Here’s what affects the price:
- Access to the cooking area
- Crockery choices
- Menu choices and extras
- The serving time and how long we’re on site
What you pay covers the meat, the chef and staff, and hours of roasting. A long, slow roast means an early start, which is built into the price.
Getting an accurate quote
To check availability and the cooking area, we will need:
- The date and when you’d like to eat
- Rules from the venue or landowner
- Rough numbers
- Which meats and sides you’d like
Every Christmas party is quoted on its own, based on numbers, menu, timings and distance. Ask us for a quote for your Christmas party: send us your details through our quote form.
Occasions we serve in Shinfield
It’s different from the usual Christmas set menu.
Here’s what people in Shinfield most frequently book a hog roast for:
- Boxing Day and New Year gatherings
- End-of-year team celebrations
- Society Christmas socials
- Winter open days
If people are coming by rail, Reading Green Park station, about 2.6 miles north-west, is the nearest station.
Before you book anyone
- What crockery is supplied
- How many staff will carve and serve
- Which meats, sides and extras are included
- Any travel or access charges
The process
Expect a calm, organised set-up. We agree arrival and serving times in advance, set up where we have agreed, and get on with roasting and serving. In December, it’s dark in Shinfield by about 3:55pm, so even a late-afternoon Christmas party needs lighting by the roaster and the serving table. We start in daylight and cook into the dark.
- Ask early for a December date.
- You get a quote with the menu.
- We set up under cover in daylight.
- We serve hot rolls and turkey if you’ve chosen it.
- We tidy up and leave.
How to prepare
- Gather dietary requirements early
- Keep the spot clear of buildings, marquee walls and overhanging branches
- Make sure we can wheel the roaster to the spot
Getting a price
Numbers not final yet? A rough figure is fine for a first quote, then confirm closer to the date. Send us your details through our quote form.
Read more
- Slow-roasted on site for hours, outdoors at your event
- Freshly carved pork with crackling, stuffing and apple sauce
- Not just pork: spit-roast lamb, chicken and vegetarian choices
- Served when you’re ready, and we tidy the serving area afterwards