Roast Suckling Pig
Serves: 4
Irwin Berge
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
61
Spice
51
Sweetness
40
Sourness
42
mins
Prep time (avg)
4.2
Difficulty
Ingredients:
1.5 cups
Orange Juice3 cup
Lime Juice (fresh)3 cup
Grapefruit Juice (fresh)2 tbsps
Coarse Sea Salt1 large
Onion (quartered)1
Bay LeafDirections:
1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
2
In a bowl, combine the orange, lime, and grapefruit juice and whisk together
3
Wash and pat the pig dry with paper towels
4
Sprinkle inside and out with the salt and pepper and place it in a large roasting pan, belly side up
5
Place the grapefruit, oranges, limes, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme inside the cavity and skewer it closed
6
Turn belly side down and place a ball of wood or a rolled up piece of aluminum foil about the size of a lemon in the pigs mouth
7
Skewer the legs into position by pulling the forelegs forward and bending the hind legs into a crouching position (this will help a large pig fit in a home oven, if it fits already, this is not necessary)
8
Cover the tail and ears with small pieces of foil to prevent them from burning
9
Place the pig in the oven and baste with the citrus juice mixture
10
After the pig has roasted for 15 minutes, baste it again with the citrus juice mixture and reduce the heat to 325 degrees
11
Roast for 20 minutes per pound longer, basting generously every 15 or 20 minutes with the juice mixture and then the pan juices
12
To test for doneness, prick the thigh with the tip of a sharp knife to see if the juices run clear
13
The internal temperature should read 165 degrees on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg
14
Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes, loosely tented with a large piece of aluminum foil
15
Distribute the parsley and watercress sprigs loosely around the edges of a large warmed oval platter
16
Halve the trimmed blood oranges and place them around the edges of the platter, nestled in the greens
17
Remove the foil from the tail and ears and replace the wood or foil from the mouth with a lemon, lime, or apple
18
Carve at the table, with confidence
19
Note: Most good butchers will be able to obtain a small suckling pig, given 1 or 2 weeks notice
20
Ask them to dress the pig and remove the eyeballs and lower lids