Roast Suckling Pig

Roast Suckling Pig

　　The suckling pig is a specialty of townships such as Sanfang, Wangdong, Gandong, and Gunbei. This type of pig is small in stature, with glossy black skin and four or five wrinkles on its forehead. Each pig typically weighs only thirty to forty pounds. Because they are raised in semi-cold mountainous areas, they are kept indoors under wooden floors year-round, never allowed to roam freely, and bred in a closed environment, resulting in a pure and stable breed. The meat of the suckling pig is commonly prepared in two ways: one is to boil it in plain water and serve it as white sliced meat, dipped in a seasoned saltwater sauce; the other is to roast the entire pig after removing the hair, known as "roast suckling pig." Roasting a young pig is called "roast suckling piglet," which tastes sweet and fragrant without being greasy, making it a festive main dish during local holidays and an excellent gift for family and friends.

　　Preparation Method:

　　General steps: slaughtering and processing of raw materials → marinating → scalding the skin and caramelizing → roasting → finished product.

　　1. Slaughtering and Processing of Raw Materials: Slaughter the pig and drain the blood. Soak it in hot water at around 65°C, turning it frequently. Remove and quickly scrape off all the hair, paying attention to scraping off the black skin on the coarse hide. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Make a vertical incision along the midline of the belly to open the chest, abdomen, and neck, then remove all internal organs and leaf fat. Remove all bones from inside the body without damaging the skin. You may also split the skull and spine to remove the spinal cord and brain, and extract the second to third ribs and shoulder blades. Make cuts between the ribs and score thicker muscle areas to help the seasonings penetrate.

　　2. Marinating: Except for rice vinegar and maltose, mix all other seasonings and evenly apply them inside the body cavity. Place the pig in a marinating room kept at 2–5°C. Marinating time is 5–8 hours in summer and can be extended to 12–24 hours in winter.

　　3. Scalding the Skin and Caramelizing: Hang the marinated pig using a special long iron fork inserted from the hind legs through the front legs to the snout, then suspend it to drain. Pour 90°C hot water over the pig’s skin until it contracts, helping to set the shape. Adding an appropriate amount of rice vinegar to the scalding water can make the roast suckling pig’s skin crispier. Once dried, brush the skin with a maltose solution (1 part maltose to 6 parts water). Apply only once and ensure even coverage to avoid uneven coloring. Finally, let the skin dry in a ventilated area.

　　4. Roasting: Use a hanging oven for roasting. Heat sources include electricity or charcoal. Traditional methods use charcoal ovens, while factory production generally uses electric ovens. Hang the scalded and maltose-coated pig in a preheated oven. Maintain a stable oven temperature and control the heat—normal roasting temperatures should be kept between 160–200°C. After about 40 minutes of roasting, when the skin begins to change color, remove the pig and prick it all over with bamboo or steel skewers to prevent the skin from separating from the meat. Then brush on a layer of oil (preferably raw tea oil) to help crisp the skin. Return the pig to the oven and roast for another 40–60 minutes until the skin is crispy and turns a date-red color. During roasting, frequently adjust the pig’s position to ensure even cooking.