Sucking Pig

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy roasting pan, about 20 by 14 inches (51 by 36 cm), sized to both pig and oven
• •Low roasting rack
• •Instant-read meat thermometer
• •Heatproof basting brush
• •Large carving board with a juice channel
• •Heavy carving knife and sturdy kitchen shears
• •Fat separator or heatproof bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the pig

   Remove the pig from the refrigerator 45 minutes before roasting and set it on a clean rimmed tray. Check that the cavity is completely empty and pluck any stray bristles, but do not rinse the pig. Pat the cavity dry, then work methodically over the ears, shoulders, back, belly, legs, and every crease until the skin feels dry and slightly tacky. Rub the salt inside and over the skin, wait 20 minutes, then blot away any moisture the salt has drawn out.

2. 2

   Arrange for roasting

   Set an oven rack in the lower third and heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place a low roasting rack inside a heavy pan. Arrange the pig belly-down, with the forelegs pointing forward and the hindlegs tucked beneath it; use firmly crumpled foil beneath the body if it needs support. The skin should be exposed to the heat rather than pressed against the pan. Brush it with a very thin, even coat of oil, reaching behind the ears and into every crease.

3. 3

   Start with high heat

   Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the skin tightens and begins to color. Turn the pan once if the back of the oven runs hotter. If the ears, snout, or tail are already deep gold, cover only those small areas with foil; wrapping the whole pig traps moisture and defeats the crust.

4. 4

   Baste and roast

   Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C). Carefully pour the water into the pan beneath the rack, never over the pig. Continue roasting for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, depending on size, rotating the pan and brushing the skin quickly with a fresh, thin film of oil every 20 minutes. Frequent basting means a sheen, not a bath. Keep a little liquid beneath the rack so the drippings brown without burning, adding small splashes of water only when necessary.

5. 5

   Match skin to meat

   After 1 hour 45 minutes at the lower heat, begin checking both the thickest part of a rear ham and the shoulder, inserting the thermometer from the cavity side so the skin remains intact. When the meat reaches 145°F (63°C), judge the skin. If it is still pale or flexible, raise the oven to 500°F (260°C), stop basting, and roast for 5 to 12 minutes, rotating every few minutes. If one patch darkens first, shield that patch with foil. Ça se rattrape. Remove the pig when the skin is crisp and evenly golden and both shoulder and ham register about 155°F (68°C); the temperature will continue rising as it rests.

6. 6

   Rest it uncovered

   Transfer the pig to a large carving board or platter with a channel for juices and rest it uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not tent it with foil. The rest settles the meat juices, while open air protects the skin you worked for. Pour any juices from the carving board into a bowl and reserve them for the gravy.

7. 7

   Reduce the gravy

   Pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a heatproof bowl, let the fat rise, and skim it well. Set the roasting pan across two burners, or scrape its contents into a saucepan if the pan is not stovetop-safe. Add the stock and scrape up every browned trace of fond. Boil steadily until reduced to about 1¼ cups (300 ml) and lightly coating a spoon, then add the reserved resting juices. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time. If the gravy looks greasy, skim it again; if the butter separates, whisk in a spoonful of cold stock before adding the remaining butter more slowly. Taste before adding any salt.

8. 8

   Carve and serve

   Present the pig whole, then remove the forelegs and hindlegs through their joints. Slice the hams, lift the loin meat away from either side of the backbone, and divide the ribs and shoulders. Cut the crisp skin into portions and make certain every plate receives some. Serve the gravy from a sauceboat alongside, never poured over the skin, or the glory of the dish goes soft before the first bite. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Order the pig from a butcher and bring the measurements of your oven and roasting pan. Ask for it fully dressed, cleanly singed, and no longer than your pan can hold diagonally; a magnificent pig wedged against the oven walls is merely poor planning.
• •Use refined oil with a high tolerance for heat. Butter belongs in the gravy, where it gives gloss and body; on the pig it burns before the skin finishes. Oil, not butter. That distinction is the dish.
• •Never test through the skin. Insert the thermometer from inside the cavity toward the thickest parts of the ham and shoulder, avoiding bone, so the juices stay beneath the crust rather than leaking through it.
• •Keep the finished pig uncovered and the gravy in its sauceboat. Moisture is the enemy of crisp skin, whether it comes from foil, a ladle of gravy, or a crowded storage container.
• •A light, lively red such as Beaujolais has enough freshness for the sweet young pork and the richness of the gravy. Serve it cool rather than warm.

Advance Preparation

• •Order the pig well ahead. If it arrives frozen, thaw it on a rimmed tray in the refrigerator for two to three days, allowing extra time for a pig at the upper end of the weight range.
• •For drier skin, unwrap the thawed pig, pat it thoroughly dry, and refrigerate it uncovered on a rack for 12 to 24 hours. Do not apply the oil until just before roasting.
• •The stock can be prepared or thawed a day ahead. Chill it so any surface fat can be lifted away before the gravy is reduced.
• •Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of carving. Keep meat and skin separately for up to three days; reheat the meat gently with a little gravy and crisp the skin on a rack in a 425°F (220°C) oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 500g)