This Little Pig...

[C6Bill]

Well the headless pig I posted was 15 pounds in a 32BB so you could probably do a 25 with the head easily in a 42 ?

[johnnymnemonic]

found one in this thread 

 a 45 pounder on the 42".  Looks like I can even go higher!  Not much higher but anyway.  Rad.

[Troble]

@johnnymnemonic mine was 25lbs in my 32. That’s all I got for you. Hope it helps 

[David Chang]

@tekobo next week, i'm planing to do a little segovian cochinillo, probably a third of the size of what you made. but roasted the ALFA with wood embers. kind of like how they make it in El Sobrino de Botín, but it's hard to find any solid recipes, but we will try anyway..aiming for glass skin that can cut with a dinner plate.

http://www.signaturetastes.com/recipes/botin-suckling-pig

this is the only method i found, and it's still kind of just winging it..

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by David Chang

[tekobo]

First off I am jealous @David Chang.  I would love to cook another suckling pig but a good one is pretty expensive to buy in the UK and I can't quite justify it.

The method in your recipe calls for turning the pig over towards the end.  I am struggling to see how that will help to crisp up the skin.  In any case, I would be a little scared of doing this in a WFO without some kind of shield for the majority of the cook time.  I would be worried about the skin burning prematurely otherwise.  @Troble and @C6Bill's methods in the KK may be of help as long as you can figure out how to get that elusive crispy skin.  Looking forward to seeing your results.

 

[David Chang]

56 minutes ago, tekobo said:

First off I am jealous @David Chang.  I would love to cook another suckling pig but a good one is pretty expensive to buy in the UK and I can't quite justify it.

The method in your recipe calls for turning the pig over towards the end.  I am struggling to see how that will help to crisp up the skin.  In any case, I would be a little scared of doing this in a WFO without some kind of shield for the majority of the cook time.  I would be worried about the skin burning prematurely otherwise.  @Troble and @C6Bill's methods in the KK may be of help as long as you can figure out how to get that elusive crispy skin.  Looking forward to seeing your results.

 

so from observation of videos on youtube, the spanish way, as opposed to philippino lechon, or any other way i've seen, is roasted skin side down with aromatics in the cavity. the piglet is lifted on a rack in a casserole dish so not to braise the skin, but water added inside the bottom of the casserole dish. half way through, its flipped and finished skin side up. i've seen some pricking of the skin, but not so much that its completely perforated. and the skin is painted with lard. 

the wfo is running on embers (so no live flame), and its cooked with no door on, so the temp is not so blazing hot. i tried the phillipino way on a small leg, and it didn't turn out the way i liked, so i'm gonna try the spanish way this time. i think if the heat is too much, i can use one of my spare floor bricks as a heat shield but we will see what happens..

ever since ate at el sorbrino, i've always wanted to get that glass skin, but it constantly eludes me..

Edited December 16, 2022 by David Chang

[tekobo]

Makes sense, skin side up at the end.  Will be keen to see how you get on with the skin.  I looked through my photos and found these pictures of piggies in progress at Sabor, a Spanish restaurant in London.  I have not eaten their suckling pig so I cannot say if they achieved that glass "crack" skin.  The last pic is of a larger suckling pig leg that I cooked on the KK.  That skin was very good!

 

[David Chang]

that looks a lot better than mine. i made this on the anova apo. i took it too far and didn't get that skin i want..

 

 

[tony b]

Might be time to try a Searzall.

https://www.amazon.com/SEARZALL-Stainless-Steel-Culinary-Restaurants/dp/B00L2P0KNO

[tekobo]

Or this...

[David Chang]

starting the preparations...

i cut off the feets (can't eat them and will burn anyway)

washed it in beer, rinse and dry. 

split the bottom of the mouth and split the spine so it opens up flat.

sprinkled a bit of salt in the cavity and back in the fridge to dry. roasting it thursday night. 

further video research, i think i will just do a gentle prick of the skin on the second half of the cook skin side up.

[tekobo]

Looking good so far...

[tony b]

Woo, hoo! 

[David Chang]

made it a day early, it was pretty good, not the glass skin i was looking for but crispy. some patches of the skin did not brown and keeping it roasting longer may have burned it so it got pulled..

i basically sat in front of the oven for 3 hours tending to fire and rotating the roasting pan😓

Edited December 21, 2022 by David Chang

[C6Bill]

Well done David !!!!!

[tekobo]

On 12/21/2022 at 11:35 AM, David Chang said:

i basically sat in front of the oven for 3 hours tending to fire and rotating the roasting pan😓

Good go David.  I hope it tasted good.  3 hours sat in front of a pizza oven does sound too much like hard work though!  I think this would work well in a KK with the skin jabbed lightly all over to help release the fat and crisp the skin.