Stuffed Suckling Pig

 

Cochinito con Picadillo de Frutas

Stuffed Roast Suckling Pig

 

One of my proudest moments as a cook was taking a picture-perfect

roast suckling pig out of the oven the first time I attempted to make this gorgeous dish as I’d seen it done in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.  My teachers there were Venancia Toledo Hernández and her son Luis Armando, both superb cooks.  Venancia has a stand at the market in the town of Ixtepec, and amazing enterprise that sells embroidered blouses, huipiles (sleeveless tunics), and skirts along with fresh cuts of meat butchered in the rough and ready Oaxacan manner and — on Sundays — an assortment of local dishes.  One of the best is this succulent roast pig stuffed with a fruit and vegetable mixture.  The intense sweet-and-sour seasonings (including Worcestershire sauce and pickled olives) typify the bold Isthmian approach to flavoring.

Since the original dish as Venancia  prepared it may not be an option for everyone, I have experimented with some variations.  The picadillo (chopped fruit mixture) in her version contained the innards of the pig such as spleen, lungs, and heart, finely chopped and sautéed with the other ingredients. Without these, the stuffing is different but still delicious.  I also tried the recipe with and without the fresh orange juice that Venancia adds to the baking pan.  It’s good both ways — a matter of rich citrus flavored roasting juices versus the wonderful crisp skin you get by leaving out the liquid.

Venancia and Luis also make this dish with roast loin of pork instead of suckling pig.  I have included this version (using boned pork together with the reserved bones)  for those who cannot manage a suckling pig.  Measure your oven and roasting pan and consult local butchers before deciding which version to use. A 12 to-15 pound suckling pig will probably be 18 to 20 inches long, and you need to figure in at least 2 or 3 more inches to clear the sides of the oven.  I do not recommend trying to roast a pig larger than 16 pounds.

Venancia used a deep oval clay pot just large enough to hold the pig — the snugger and deeper the roasting pan, the better.  The most time-consuming part of the preparation is dicing the ingredients for the picadillo.  It is worth taking the trouble to cut everything into neat 1/4 to 1/3-inch dice that will keep both their shape and texture in cooking.

 

4 cups Adobo para Cochinito (recipe follows)

1 suckling pig, about 12-15 pounds

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 medium-sized onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 medium-sized pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 2 – 3 cups)

3 firm, tart green apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/3-inch dice

6 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

6 large Red Bliss or other waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 cup dark raisins

3/4 cup small pimiento-stuffed green olives

3 canned pickled jalapeño chiles, plus 1/3 cup of the pickling juice

1 1/2 tablespoons dried Oaxacan oregano or 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, crumbled (see page 000)

1 tablespoon freshly ground canela (see page 000), about 1 1/2-inch piece

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning the pig

12 bay leaves

12 sprigs thyme or 2 teaspoons dried

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt to taste

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (optional)

 

Slather the adobo thickly over the pig, inside and out, and marinate, refrigerated, overnight or for at  least 4 hours.  Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before roasting and let it come to room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients to make the stuffing.

Dice or mince the stuffing ingredients as directed above.

In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the oil to rippling over medium-high heat. (It may be necessary to divide the work between two skillets or work in 2 batches.)  Ad the onions and garlic and cook, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes, until slightly translucent.  Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes to evaporate the juices slightly.  Stir in the remaining ingredients,  except for the orange juice; reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often.  Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Season the pig generously with salt and pepper, inside and out.  Stuff it with the cooled fruit and vegetable mixture and close the opening with skewers.

If not using the optional orange juice, arrange the pig in a large roasting pan so that it is lying on all fours and roast for approximately 3 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 160°F.  Reduce the heat to 200°F and let the pig rest at this temperature for 15 minutes or until ready to serve (but no longer than 40 minutes).  Otherwise lay the pig on one side and pour the orange juice over it.  Roast as directed but baste occasionally with the juice and turn the pig onto the other side halfway through cooking.  If the liquid seems to be evaporating too fast, add small amounts of water (not more than 1/4 cup at a time) to the pan juices.

Carve the pig.  Arrange the stuffing on a serving platter with the carved meat on top.  If enough orange juice is left to serve as gravy, strain it and skim off the fat; pass separately in a gravy bowl.

Yield: 8 – 10 servings.

 

Adobo para Cochinito

Chile Marinade for Suckling Pig

 

8 ounces guajillo chiles (see page 000; about 30 chiles)

One 2-inch piece canela (see page 000)

12 black peppercorns

10 bay leaves

4 tablespoons dried Oaxacan oregano or 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, crumbled (see page 000)

4 large dried avocado leaves (see page 000)

10 large sprigs fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried

8 large garlic cloves

4 tablespoons cider vinegar

 

Wash and griddle dry the chiles by the directions on page 000.  As they are done, place them in a large deep bowl.  Cover generously with boiling water and let soak for at least 20 minutes.  Drain.

For a very fine-textured adobo, grind the canela, peppercorns, bay leaves, avocado leaves, and dried thyme (if using) to a powder in an electric coffee or spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, then process in a blender (working in batches as necessary) with the remaining ingredients.  Otherwise, simply process all ingredients (in batches as necessary) in the blender until puréed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.  If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to facilitate blending, but the mixture should remain thick and pasty.

Yield: About 4 cups.