Roast Suckling Pig
I started stonedsoup.net back in March of 2019. 2 1/2 years later, we’ve reached recipe #1000. I wanted to do something extravagant for this milestone. What’s more extravagant then a suckling pig? Just about nothing. Suckling pigs are typically slaughtered between 2-6 weeks old. The high amount of collagen in a suckling pig makes the meat rich and tender while it’s encased in it’s crispy skin.Suckling pigs in Chinese culture is a prized delicacy. It is served at weddings, large parties, as well as the celebration of a baby’s first month of life. The pig gets roasted until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Then the entire pig is cut with a cleaver into 2” pieces with the skin attached. It is served with the same type of pancakes you eat with Peking duck, plus hoisin sauce and green onions. While still being on the bone, the meat is so tender that it just slides right off.
Equipment
- Spice grinder
- foil
- roasting pan with rack
- cleaver
Ingredients
- 1 suckling pig 8-10lbs
- 2 tbsp coarse ground salt
- 1 tbsp 5 spice powder
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
Accompaniments
- Peking duck pancakes
- green onions
- hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Dry toast the fennel seeds and Sichuan peppercorns in a small skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Grind the fennel and peppercorns in a spice grinder. Mix together with the 5 spice powder and salt.
- Rub the entire inside cavity of the suckling pig.
- Place the pig on a rack upright. Set in the refrigerator overnight to allow the skin to dry out.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the pig on a rack on a baking sheet lined in foil. Wrap the pig’s ears and nose in foil so they don’t burn during the roasting process.
- Toast the pig for 30 minutes. Turn the oven temp down to 350 degrees and roast for 90 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Carving the Suckling Pig
- Cut off the pig’s head and feet with a cleaver. The pig will be tender enough to almost pull the feet off.
- Cut off the pig’s thighs. Using the cleaver, split the pork down the center of the spine. Chop each side of the body horizontally, then cross cut to get 2” pieces of the suckling pig.
