Roast Suckling Kid Recipes

WHOLE ROAST SUCKLING PIG

Steps:

• THE DAY BEFORE COOKING, WASH pig inside and out; soak it in very cold water with vinegar for a few hours. This freshens and whitens the meat. If you pig is frozen, it can also defrost during this soaking. Over a medium heat cook the carrots, celery and onions in the oil for a good 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions should become somewhat translucent, the carrots slightly caramelized. Add salt and thyme. Dry the pig thoroughly inside and out.
• You may stuff the pig with the vegetables at this time; however, if you use a conventional stuffing, such as one for a turkey, wait until just before cooking and make certain that the pig and stuffing are at room temperature. The easiest way to close the opening is to use an ice pick or an upholstery needle to punch rows of holes about an inch apart on both sides of the stomach flaps. Then lace it up with thick string just as you would a shoe. You may also use skewers and string as you would for a turkey. Because protein firms as it cooks, the pig will stay in whatever position you place it. It should resemble a dog resting on its haunches.
• Place the pig in the roasting pan; it may have to be placed diagonally. Tuck the hind legs close to the stomach on either side; tie them together with string under the stomach if needed. The forelegs should be pointing straight ahead (also tied together so they won't spread out) and the head resting between them. Place a small piece of wood (like a child's block) or a piece of bunched-up foil in the mouth, opening it as wide as you can. Twist the tail into a curl and secure it with string or tape. Place crumpled aluminum foil in the eye sockets (some people place marbles). At this point you may cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Before cooking the pig, let it come to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 450°F With the oil, thoroughly baste every inch of the pig, including the head, legs and tail. Out of aluminum foil make little covers for the ears and tail. If your pig hangs over the pan, use heavy-duty foil to extend the pan so that any juices will be collected. Place the pig in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the pig quickly, shutting the oven door, baste with oil again and return to the oven. Then reduce the temperature to 350°F Continue basting with oil every 20 minutes 4 to 5 more times (for a total of 2 hours). If the ears and tail haven't browned, remove the aluminum covers for the last 20 minutes. The total cooking time will be between 2 and 2 1/2 hours.
• The cooking time is less because it is not fully stuffed; if it were, it would take an hour longer. (Approximately 10 minutes per pound lightly stuffed or unstuffed; 15 minutes per pound fully stuffed.) The pig is done when the temperature of the thigh reaches 165F (trichinae are killed when the internal temperature reaches 139F for a period of 10 minutes). When done, it may easily rest for an hour under foil or in a turned-off oven. To serve, make a garland for the pig's neck by stringing together sprigs of watercress. Make certain your apple is nicely polished. Enlist some help and very carefully slide the pig onto the platter or carving board it will be presented on. It is rather fragile at this point and can even break in half. Make a sauce by skimming the fat off the juices in the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan over 2 burners, add the stock and the wine and bring to the simmer. Stir to dissolve all the roasting juices coagulated on the bottom and continue cooking about 10 minutes. If you wish to thicken the sauce, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour that have been blended with 2 tablespoons of butter, bring the sauce back to the boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring. Remove any remaining foil, string or skewers. Place the apple in the pig's mouth. Place the watercress garland around its neck and bring it to the table.

ROAST SUCKLING PIG (SILVER PALATE)

Steps:

• Rub lime halves all over the body of the pig, squeezing lime juice liberally, rub cavity with limes, too.
• With a sharp knife tip, cut slits 3/4 inch deep all over the body of the pig. (Do not prick the head.) Cut 5 garlic cloves into 8 pieces each and stuff the pieces into the slits in the pig.
• In medium bowl mix together the remaining 13 garlic cloves, finely minced, the oregano, caperswith brine, olive oil, salt, pepper and curry powder. Stuff half of this mixture into the cavity and rub the remainder all over the outside.
• Let the pig rest, covered, in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400* F.
• Place pig on rack in larger roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes. Turn heat down to 350* and roast for 3 1/2 hours, or until juices run clear when pig is pricked with a knife.
• Place a small apple in the pig's mouth, serve on a large platter decorated with watercress and kumquats.

ROAST SUCKLING PIG

Steps:

• Rinse the cavity well with water and dry; set meat to the side.
• Mix together and cook the liquid ingredients for 5 minutes.
• Mix the bread cubes, celery and seasonings together.
• Stuff the abdominal cavity firmly with the stuffing and sew up the opening or use skewers to seal.
• Fit aluminum foil caps over the ears and tail to avoid burning.
• These caps should be removed about l/2 hour before the barbecue is completed to obtain a uniform baking color.
• Leave a wooden block in the pig's mauth, so that a red apple can be inserted when the barbecue is completed.
• Briquettes are placed only on the sides of the charcoal grill and are separated from the suckling pig by the walls of a foil drip pan. (To make this drip pan, use 3 sheets of heavy aluminum foil molded slightly larger than the pig to collect the rich drippings.).
• Place the cooking grill over the foil drip pan. (This will allow you to add more briquettes as needed, and to collect the basting fluids.).
• Liberal usage of marinade on partially cooked suckling pig enhances the finished entree.

ROAST SUCKLING PIG

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the orange, lime, and grapefruit juice and whisk together. Wash and pat the pig dry with paper towels. Sprinkle inside and out with the salt and pepper and place it in a large roasting pan, belly side up. Place the grapefruit, oranges, limes, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme inside the cavity and skewer it closed. 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. 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). Cover the tail and ears with small pieces of foil to prevent them from burning. Place the pig in the oven and baste with the citrus juice mixture. After the pig has roasted for 15 minutes, baste it again with the citrus juice mixture and reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Roast for 20 minutes per pound longer, basting generously every 15 or 20 minutes with the juice mixture and then the pan juices. To test for doneness, prick the thigh with the tip of a sharp knife to see if the juices run clear. The internal temperature should read 165 degrees on a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes, loosely tented with a large piece of aluminum foil. Distribute the parsley and watercress sprigs loosely around the edges of a large warmed oval platter. Halve the trimmed blood oranges and place them around the edges of the platter, nestled in the greens. Remove the foil from the tail and ears and replace the wood or foil from the mouth with a lemon, lime, or apple. Carve at the table, with confidence.

ROAST SUCKLING PIG

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Heat the oil in a very large roasting pan set over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, celery, ginger, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are softened but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, chile with seeds, wine, and chicken stock.
• Season the pig on all sides with salt and pepper. Set it in the roasting pan skin side up on top of the spices. Roast until the meat is fork-tender, especially checking the legs, 2 to 3 hours. When cool, remove all the bones by hand and lay the pig on a tray, pressing to flatten it.
• In a spice grinder, finely grind the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon. Mix in the paprika.
• Heat a 2 quart pot over medium heat. Add the canola oil and onions and cook until the onions are transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, the ground spices, and the vinegar and cook, stirring constantly, for 8 minutes. Add the stock, wine, tequila, and sugar and bring up to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste.
• This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.