Suckling Pig

I am planning a menu for a summer party and was considering the idea of whole roasted suckling pig...never done it before.

Situation is ~12 guys - we'll be out all day then back for dinner - I was thinking of brining the pig for a couple of days then putting in a low oven (225? F) in the morning for a slow 8-10 hour roast then increase to 450/500 for crisping of the skin for 30 mins or so/then rest/eat. I'm a bit worried about smoking the place up...

Needs to be a pretty simple plan for service and hands off during the day...anyone have ideas/experience with this approach? Good or bad idea?

I assume the Chefsteps guys will be doing a recipe on this sooner or later!

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anthony_34093

I slow roasted a 22 pound suckling last year using a method very close to the one you have described. My best tip would be to make sure to check your oven size before ordering/picking up your pig. Ours ended up being just barely too big to fit sitting up and so we had to turn it just a bit to fit and it definitely effected the cooking time and the final product. The underside was slightly undercooked and the skin wasnt nearly as crispy obviously. I had no problems at all with smoke.

Tim_Sutherland_52834

I've done a few. You need access to a full sized oven. If the oven can't hold a full size sheet pan (18"x26") with room to spare you will not fit the whole pig in. Ideally you want the pig belly down, back up and a ball of tin foil to keep the mouth open (replace with an apple after it is cooked).

The size of the pig can vary. Have a plan if the pig is too large for the oven. The last one I did, I ordered a small one (~15lbs) and I got a 30lber - frozen solid.

I would not leave the pig in the oven unattended. Your oven will have hot spots and you can easily burn part of the pig, while other parts will be raw. Do not use convection mode as the fan will blast one area of the pig.

If I was you I would rent a spit, get a keg or three, and spend the day and night making/eating rotisserie hog.