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Cochinillo asado

Name: Cochinillo asado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 3 kg half suckling pig; 1 tbsp coarse salt; 50 g lard; 4 cloves garlic; 3 bay leaves; 300 ml water; 1 crisp lettuce

Cochinillo asado: Segovia's roast suckling pig with crackling-thin skin

Features:

High protein Dairy free

Cuisine:

Spanish

In Segovia, in the shadow of the Roman aqueduct, restaurants bring out the roast suckling pig whole and carve it with the edge of a plate to show how tender it is, then smash the plate for luck. It is the great Castilian Sunday and celebration lunch, served with a plain lettuce salad and nothing else. This contains pork (suckling pig and lard). At home, half a pig fits in most ovens; ask your butcher to split it. Chef's tip: roast it skin-side down in water first, then flip it, so the meat steams tender before the skin turns to glass.

Total time: 170 min
Difficulty: hard
Serves: 6

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Ingredients

Serves6

6 ⅝ lb half suckling pigsplit lengthways by the butcher
1 tbsp coarse salt
1 ¾ oz lardsoft, or olive oil
4 cloves garliclightly crushed
3 bay leaves
1 ¼ cups water

To serve

1 crisp lettuce (optional)dressed with oil, vinegar and salt

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What you'll need

Spices & pantry

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Method

0/6 done

Step 1: Heat the oven to 350°F. Dry 6 ⅝ lb half suckling pig very well with kitchen paper and rub the inside with half of ½ tbsp coarse salt.
Step 2: Place it skin-side down on wooden spoons or a rack set in a large roasting tin, so the skin doesn't touch the base. Add 1 ¼ cups water, 4 cloves garlic and 3 bay leaves to the tin.
5 min
Step 3: Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, basting the inside once or twice with the juices, until the meat is pale and tender.
75 min
Step 4: Turn it skin-side up, prick the skin all over with a fine skewer, rub with 1 ¾ oz lard and sprinkle with the rest of ½ tbsp coarse salt. A common mistake is pricking deep into the meat: the juices run out and the skin bubbles unevenly.
Step 5: Raise the oven to 400°F and roast for 50–60 minutes more, until the skin is deep amber, hard and glassy, and sounds crisp when tapped with a knife. The thickest part of the leg should read at least 145°F; at about 167°F the meat falls from the bone, as it should.
55 min
Step 6: Rest for 10 minutes, then cut into portions through the joints, using the edge of a plate if you want to show off. Spoon a little of the tin juices on the plates, not on the skin, and serve with the lettuce if using.
10 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 720 kcal
Protein: 52 g
Carbs: 0 g
Fat: 56 g
Fibre: 0 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does cochinillo asado take?: About 170 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?: 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?: Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of garlic?: ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
What can I use instead of bay leaves?: Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).

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