Roasted Pig On A Spit Recipes

COCHINILLO ASADO: SPANISH ROAST SUCKLING PIG

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F. Season piglet inside and out with salt and pepper to taste.
• Wrap pig's ears with aluminum foil to stop them from burning.
• Place piglet in a large, open roasting pan. Coat with olive oil and place dabs of butter all over.
• Place pig in the oven and roast, basting often with pan drippings, for about 2 1/2 hours.
• Peel carrots and onion. Slice carrots into 4 pieces each and coarsely chop onion. Reserve.
• About 10 minutes before removing piglet from the oven, place carrots and onions in the pan with piglet.
• When a safe temperature of 145 F, minimum, is reached at the thickest part of the piglet's meat, away from bone or fat, remove piglet from the oven. Remove the aluminum foil from ears and place piglet on a serving dish, letting it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Keep warm in a warming drawer or in the oven on the lowest setting if not serving right away. Be mindful that meat can dry out if left in a warming drawer for too long.
• While meat rests, pour juices from roasting pan into a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add cooked carrots and onion.
• When juices start to sizzle, skim fat off top.
• Add water and increase heat to high. Boil mixture to thicken.
• Strain gravy through a strainer or cheesecloth .
• Serve piglet on a large platter with warm gravy on the side, along with patatas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes) and a simple green salad.

ROTISSERIE PIG ROAST

Steps:

• If your pig is frozen, you must give it enough time to fully defrost. An average-sized pig will require about 48 hours to completely defrost.
• Whether your pig was frozen or fresh, you will need to let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before you start cooking.
• Your meat will always cook better when it is at room temperature as opposed to being cold. Allow extra time if you intend to brine or marinate your pig. This must be done prior to your pig roast.
• You will also need to protect the more delicate areas of your pig. One of the most popular and delicious parts is the ears. If you do not protect them, they will burn.
• The best way to protect both the ears and the snout is to use a nonstick oil or spray on a piece of parchment paper. Use this to cover the delicate areas.
• You can keep the parchment in place by covering it with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. This will ensure your entire pig is tender, crispy and juicy without any burned areas.
• Brine the pig. For this method, you will use a solution of water and salt.
• This will not only tenderize your meat but moisture will be retained in the muscle fibers. If you intend to brine your pig, you will need to place your pig in a large tub, cover it with your brine solution and let it sit overnight.
• To make certain your brining solution completely penetrates your whole pig, inject your solution into the thickest areas of your meat.
• We also recommend basting your pig. This will ensure your meat has a dark, thick, caramelized coating on the surface of your pig. This will also prevent the superficial meat and skin from becoming dry.
• There are a lot of options for your basting mixture and the ingredients you use to add flavor. We recommend olive oil, fruit juices, lemon juice, wine and herbs. You can further enhance your flavor and improve your caramelization by using sugar or honey.
• Using a rotisserie is critical for cooking your whole pig. If you use a rack to support your pig over the fire, your pig will be stationary.
• The only way to make certain your pig is evenly cooked all the way through is by using a rotisserie. There is no way you will be able to turn over your pig while it is cooking.
• It is practically impossible to manually turn an entire pig by hand over a hot fire. Even attempting to do so will lead to a disaster.
• One of the most critical aspects of cooking your whole pig is making certain your pig is properly trussed to your rotisserie.
• Tightly and aggressively truss your pig to the spit.
• You also need to tightly truss the legs, thighs and hips so they are held securely against each other and your spit. Do the same with the head and shoulders of your pig. You need to prevent your pig from wiggling while roasting. Your pig must move along with your spit.
• Cook your pig slowly at about 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on your temperature and the weight of your pig, your cooking time can be anywhere from four to 24 hours.
• When you think your pig is done, check the internal temperature using your meat thermometer. Check the shoulders and hams since these will finish cooking last. The ideal internal temperature is 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

ROASTED STUFFED PIG

Steps:

• Salt and pepper inside and outside of the pig. Combine stuffing ingredients and fill cavity of the pig. Roast pig over charcoal and hickory wood, slowly for about 10 to 11 hours at 275 degrees. *Pig roaster available from Bob Moyer ? (215) 257-2710;

ROASTED PIG ON A SPIT

Steps:

• To make brine, combine salt, sugar and 1 gallon of water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Stir until salt and sugar have dissolved. Let cool. Place spices in a zip-top plastic bag and smash them with a heavy object. Combine all brine ingredients, plus another 4¼ gallons of cold water. Remove any stray hairs (a disposable razor works well); wash the pig and place in large container. Pour enough cold brine over pig to cover. Leave for 24 to 48 hours, adding ice to keep cold. The day of your roast, remove pig from brine 90 minutes before you plan to start cooking. Dry the pig inside and out with clean paper towels. Season pig cavity aggressively with salt and pepper, rubbing in as you go. Add a few good handfuls of herbs and the garlic to the cavity. Thread the spit through the pig's mouth and out the other end, and fasten securely per manufacturer's instructions. Close the belly cavity using wooden skewers that have been soaked in water. Using pliers and stainless steel wire, tie the rear legs snugly under the body, and then secure the forelegs forward, near the snout. Pull wire as tight as possible. Prepare your fire adding charcoal slowly as you go. You should be able to hold your hand at spit level for ten seconds-any hotter and the skin will char before the meat's cooked. Poke pig all over, just deep enough to penetrate the skin, using a sharp paring knife. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap aluminum foil around ears, tail and feet. Place spit over the fire. Baste the pig every 30 minutes or so with olive oil and manage the coals. If it's a manual spit, turn pig every three to five minutes to cook evenly. Remove the foil after a couple hours. Your pig should take between four and eight hours, depending on heat of your coals and wind. Test for doneness by sticking an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of a rear haunch. 140 degrees is ideal if you like your pork medium-well and juicy. Let rest for 30 minutes.