Hog Roast at the Conley's Hacienda

Saturday September 4th - begins the first annual (or last annual) hog roast at Rusty and Peggy's hacienda in Ramsey.

The idea for the hog roast began on New Year's Day as Rich, Rusty and I watched college football and talked about our bucket lists.  After lots of great ideas, eating wonderful food and drinking way too much caffeinated pop, we threw out the idea of a hog roast.  Rich has experience with cooking whole hogs and pork brisket while Rusty knows how to grill pork shoulders and other pork dishes. Both these guys know and love cooking!  It's a challenge for me to cook hot dogs. 

We wanted to do it right and raise our own hog, slaughter it and cook it.  Instead we pupped out and decided to buy a butchered hog and save the complains of those who'd disapprove of us slaughtering our eventual pet pig.  Enough blah, blah, blah....................fast forward to June - July.  We finally got in gear and made the decision to "go for it!" Thanks for the added push Steve!

Tables and Chairs

Chevy full of tables

As good Baptist's we needed to move tables and chairs.  Thanks Sandy and 1st B and Steve Johnson for helping me haul them to D&P's.  Mr. Birkman, Jenkins and Joe Johnson also lended a hand.

Ford full of chairs

Friday September 3rd. 

We drove to Albertville and picked up our 86 lb beauty.  In fact, the pig was so clean and nice we decided to put it in the pickup cab instead of a dirty pickup box.  At Rusty's, Rich injected his special Kansas City style liquid concoction and then applied a secret dry rub.  Then, we packed the hog with ice and went home.  Dalton's 20th birthday today. Happy Birthday Dalton!!

Rich injects goodies into Porky

The roast is financed by nine shrewd investors who saw the brilliance in the hog roast and the ROI of fun and fellowship and quickly invested their money.   It will be a sleepless night as we thought of what we could have missed. More tomorrow after the roast.  Suuuuuuueeeeeeeeee!!

86 Lbs of good eating

The Big Day -Sept 4th

Rich, Rusty, Steve and I pounded down coffee and donuts at 6 am while we lived the dream!  Then we basted the hog and put him on the rotisserie.  Soon the grill was up to 500ºF (little too hot) with Rich's special type of charcoal - the good stuff that doesn't leave any hydrocarbon smell on the hog.  R & R know all the tricks that make the food taste great.  At 7:30 Porky was rotating and cooking.  Wow! 

Smoking hot and ready for Porky

We sat back and drank Rich's home made Ginger Ale and Sweet Tea. Both these homemade beverages are excellent.  I especially loved the sweet tea.  Tastes just as good as the sweet tea in Birmingham or Greensboro.

Keeping watch

Rusty made his special corn dish while I sat like a log and downed the tea and ginger ale.  Sure is nice being a large mammal!  Rusty had us setup the horseshoe pit and we tossed a few shoes while the hog cooked.  Next Steve, Mike and I setup the tables, threw the football and drank more tea and ginger ale.  Rats! - off to Coborn's for a few more items.  Soon it's noon and the hog is closer to being done that we expected.  The investors were informed that Porky would be done soon and served at 2:30.

Pork on!

Cheri J made a special trip for Aqua Net and unwanted potatoes - essential items for the potato cannon.  Thanks Cheri!!!  Annette become very proficient at the cannon and could probably drop a gray squirrel  from an oak at 50 yds. David wanted to recruit her for the US Army!

Loading the potato cannon

Eventually the meal was completed.  The ladies stared playing games and the men took off in fear of being included................and being beaten.  We ran to the horse shoe pit to pitch shoes and yackety yacked. A few of the intellectuals sat by the hog roaster and contemplated a wide range of topics.  Coveted those mutton chops!

Gals playing Pig Mania

Grazing continued into the afternoon, Rusty made a nice bonfire where the men sat around and continued to yackety yack.  The party started to wind down about 10:30.

As far as I could tell, a good time was had by all.  Thanks Conley's for letting us invade your place.  Have a good week and enjoy your potato crop!  Lumpy