Roast Suckling Pig
Drogo
6 - 8
15 minutes
A roast suckling pig makes a spectacular centrepiece for Christmas, celebrations and special family gatherings. Slowly roasted until the meat becomes beautifully tender, then finished at a high temperature for golden, crisp crackling, this impressive dish is made for sharing.
Despite its dramatic appearance, preparing a whole suckling pig is relatively straightforward. Garlic and rosemary are placed inside the belly to gently flavour the meat as it cooks, while oil and plenty of sea salt help create the all-important crispy skin.
The traditional presentation of a pig with apple in mouth makes this an especially memorable festive centrepiece. A potato is used during roasting to hold the mouth in position before being replaced with a fresh red apple when the pig is ready to serve.
If you're searching for a suckling pig recipe for a special occasion, this simple slow-roasting method allows the quality of the pork to remain the focus while delivering succulent meat and crisp crackling.
Ingredients
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1 suckling pig
- 2 heads garlic
- Few sprigs rosemary
- 1 medium potato
- 1 red apple
- Oil, for cooking
- Sea salt
Directions
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Step 1, Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Step 2, Wash and thoroughly dry the suckling pig. Place the rosemary sprigs and whole garlic bulbs inside the belly, distributing them so their flavour can gently infuse the meat as the pig roasts.
Step 3, Place the whole suckling pig on a baking tray with the legs facing forwards. Gently press down on the spine to secure the pig in position for roasting.
Step 4, Rub the skin generously with oil and sea salt, making sure the surface is evenly coated. This will help the skin develop into crisp, golden crackling during the final stage of roasting.
Step 5, Place the potato inside the pig's mouth to hold it open and maintain its shape during cooking. Once the pig is roasted, the potato can be removed and replaced with the red apple for the traditional pig with apple in mouthpresentation.
Step 6, Roast slowly at 150°C for 15 minutes per 450g of pig, cooking until the internal temperature reaches 71°C.
Step 7, Increase the oven temperature to 230°C and continue roasting for another 30 minutes to crisp the crackling. Cover the ears and snout with foil during this stage to prevent them from burning.
Step 8, Check the roast pig before removing it from the oven. The skin should be deep golden and crisp and should sound hollow when tapped.
Step 9, Remove the suckling pig from the oven and leave it to rest for 30 minutes before carving. Replace the potato in the mouth with the red apple before presenting the pig at the table.
