Portuguese Suckling Pig (Leitão)


Ingredients
1 whole suckling pig (10-15 lbs), washed and cleaned4 ounces salted butterOregano, to tasteSea salt, to taste6 garlic cloves, crushedGround black pepper, to taste1 laurel leaf1 cup white wine
Preparation
  • Melt butter.
  • Mix in oregano, salt, crushed garlic and pepper. Rub butter mixture over and inside the suckling pig. Wrap marinated suckling pig in triple-bagged plastic bag and refrigerate. Let marinate for at least 5 hours.
  • Bring marinated pig to room temperature. Heat oven to 250°F. Remove pig from plastic bag, place stomach-down in oven pan on a rack.
  • Place laurel leaf inside pig. Drizzle with white wine. Roast until pig reaches 130°F (test with cooking thermometer – likely to be a couple of hours depending on the size of your pig).
  • Make sure you flip the pig onto its backside about halfway through. Baste every 20-25 minutes.
  • When the pig reaches 130°F, turn up the heat to 400°F to get a crispy exterior, making sure you turn the pig once to distribute the crispiness.
  • Tip: If the pig is browning too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil to protect against burning.
  • Internal temp should reach 160°F. Remove from oven and let cool on cutting board.
  • Serve with a bottle of your favorite wine or a bottle of (dry) sparkling wine.
Recipe & Photo Credit: catavino.net
Preparation timen/a
Cooking Timen/a
Ready In2 h 55 min
Level of DifficultyEasy
Servings8