We raised, butchered, and roasted a whole pig for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve this year. It was a learning experience and one we enjoyed and will do again.

My daughter is three and loved the piggies.(We make every effort to educate our children on which animals are raised for food and which are pets. We also treat all the livestock with utmost care, regardless if it's for food or not) I was worried she might become attached, but she proudly pointed out to everyone that it was her piggy in the roaster, not the least bit upset.

If you'd like to butcher your own, here's How to butcher a whole pig for a roast-Part 1, otherwise you can buy whole pigs ready to go from your local butcher.

We used a dry rub on our pig and also injected for extra flavor. After research we purchased a La Caja China roaster to roast our pigs in. We can use it at home and also take it with us to other locations, unlike a custom pit made at home.