Roast Suckling Pig

The Roast Suckling Pig for Christmas is a very typical preparation in Spain, where it is called Cochinillo asado. This delicious delicacy consists of a small suckling pig marinated in orange juice, cooked in the oven with lard and herbs such as bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary, flavored with a touch of garlic and onion. This tender meat remains totally juicy and crispy at the same time. The most typical way to carve the pig is with a plate.
Ingredients
10
Servings
  • 1 sucking pig, 3-4 kilos (cleaned, opened from the bottom and without entrails
  • 1/2 kilos lard, for spreading on the pig
  • 3 cups orange juice, for marinating the pig
  • 3 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cups bay
  • 1/4 cups thyme
  • 1/4 cups rosemary
  • 1/4 cups olive oil
  • 2 oranges, sliced, for cooking and for decoration
  • 1/4 cups honey
  • arugula, for decoration
Preparation
50 mins
2h 10 mins
Low
  • Preheat the oven to 150° C.
  • Place the pig on a board, with the help of a knife, make some holes between the skin and the meat, spread with the lard until completely covered, set aside.
  • Place the suckling pig in a somewhat deep tray, cover the pig with orange juice, coarse salt, insert the garlic and onion into the holes you previously made with the knife, add the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, a little olive oil, and the orange slices.
  • Bake for an hour and a half, remove from the oven, brush with a little more olive oil, coarse salt, and honey.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 200° C, bake the pig for another 30 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve and decorate with fresh arugula.

Nutritional Information

* * Information per 100g serving, percentage of daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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