In Cuba, this dish is traditionally served on New Year's Day. In this tradition, as in the Hawaiian luau, the pig is usually covered with banana leaves and cooked over a coal fire in a pit that's dug in the backyard. Because this method is not easy to do at home, the recipe below uses a small suckling pig that will fit in the oven, yet deliver the same delicious flavor. Ask your butcher to split the pig for you. Don't be afraid to give this recipe a try — cooking a whole small pig is like cooking a whole turkey.
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
Marinade
Step 1
Combine the juice, garlic, oregano, and salt in a mixing bowl. Transfer to a large, deep roasting pan and place the pig, belly down, into the pan. Thoroughly coat the pig with the marinade, massaging it in. Let sit in the marinade overnight. Baste the pig occasionally.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Step 3
Remove the pig from the marinade and place it on a large baking sheet. Cover the pig’s ears, snout, and tail with aluminum foil. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 4 to 4 1/2 hours (20 minutes per pound).
Step 4
Remove the foil when you take the pig out of the oven. Let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Serve with the mojo, and someblack beansandrice.
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Reviews (15)
Back to TopI found this at the last minute for New Years dinner and since he didn't have a chance to hunt this year, we had no fresh pig or boar to use. However, we chose to substitute the suckling pig with a fresh pork shoulder and it was absolutely wonderful! The boys 9,13,and 15 loved it so much they ate sandwhiches the next day and again for dinner. We love trying new dishes and will surely try this one again!
Capricious_Foodie
South Carolina
1/5/2012
thx, chef!!! your the awesomeness!!!
thehawaiianslasher
Wahiwa, Hawaii
2/22/2010
I found a company that will get you anything you could ever dream of if it is related to food and they do it fast and at really good prices. Search Venison America on the web - they do far more than just venison. They got me a 15# suckling pig and it was yummy - we confited it after seeing it done on Man VS Food.
Anonymous
Kohler, WI
4/27/2009
Excellent recipe. As far as getting a suckling pig 10-17 lbs go to Mc Reynolds Farms,Phoenix, Arizona (800) 961-1854. or visit www.mcreynoldsfarms.com
silebrak
California
12/29/2008
Excellent recipe, agree with Houston on the imperative and the garlic, however. In CO I tried to buy suckling pig to smoke for our wedding in the Sardinian tradition. They don't sell suckling pig here and stated that there are diseases associated with them. So, as Indiana noted, we didn't get suckling pigs. Instead, we smoked a 30lb pig that wasn't that large, really. The butcher said that's a small pig anyway. Suppose he was right. Well ok, I'm not a butcher. After the crowd got past the pig being whole, having a face and being blackened, they consumed every bite. So, PIG IS GOOD--the cheek is supposed to be the best, most tender part. Although my new husband and I didn't get any!
Anonymous
Boulder, Co
11/2/2008
元旦吗?错误的节日。这是传统ly served on Christmas Eve, aka Noche Buena. Just go to Miami on Christmas Eve, the sky is filled with smoke from cooking pigs. Anyway, I have made this "Lechon Asado" any number of times, and it is truly one of the great pork dishes of all times. A pork butt works fine, but a whole picnic ham, skin on, is best for the oven, as the skin really adds a lot to this dish. Instead of juicing the Seville oranges, look for bottled Sour Orange Juice (naranja agria) in a Latin market. For the mojo recipe that goes with this, it is IMPERATIVE!! But I like to heat mine--olive oil in a pan, add lots of garlic and simmer, don't brown. Then add the sour orange juice and oregano, along with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for a while, let cool and it will keep for several days in the fridge. Serve it at room temperature.
Anonymous
Houston, TX
10/31/2008
I called around our area to try to find a suckling pig and even the meat markets acted like it was a horrible request! They said a 12-lb pig is "practically an abortion." Guess we need more Cubans in Indiana.
Anonymous
Brownsburg, IN
11/1/2007
I made this with ham instead of whole pig for a large birthday party and it was a hit! Juicing was a pain but well worth it! Great with the mojo but it was not needed. We ended up using the mojo on the rice more than the pork!
Anonymous
Tacoma, wa
8/8/2007
My sister made this for dinner and marinated a pork butt for about 8 hours. To die for. It is addictive and I demand she make this again.
minidonut
Los Angeles, CA
1/16/2006
Chunks of the left over meat make the most wonderful cuban sandwiches! I used my panini grill as a sandwich press and it worked very well.....brought back great memories of this little Cuban restaurant we frequented in Tampa years ago.
rooboy
12/20/2005
We used a fresh ham (butt) because a pig small enough to fit into the oven was not available (also the pig would have been more than 5x the cost of the ham). The pig was brined for 24 hours (kosher salt and brown sugar) then marinated as directed with a mix of orange, lemon and lime juices (sour oranges not available). Meat was roasted in a paella pan for about 4 hours and basted once. The meat was moist, tender and very flavorful and received raves from friends and family on Christmas Eve.
GH Dersham
Albany NY
1/7/2004
I am lucky that I live in South Florida and I am able to the get the pig at the cuban markets here. I had it before from a commercial bakery, but we try it last week for a party we gave. every one love it (North American and South American friends.
Anonymous
Fort Lauderdale
12/19/2003
Great! The idiot that posted "horrible" obviously knows next to nothing about cooking. Millions of people all over the Latin community make pork in this fashion, and it always is a hit.
Richard Periut
Little Ferry, NJ
12/12/2003
I used a shoulder roast and grilled instead of using the oven it was excellent! Our dinner guest couldn't stop eating.
Anonymous
Silver Spring, MD
4/20/2003
I tried this recipe using Boston butt instead of a suckling pig. I followed the recipe word for word and it was Horrible. I will never try this again
Anonymous
Falls Church, VA
1/8/2003
