![Suckling pig](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Suckling_pig.jpg)
A suckling pig is a
piglet fed on its
mother's milk (i.e., a piglet which is still a "
suckling"). In
culinary contexts, a suckling pig is
slaughtered between the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked whole, often
roasted
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelizatio ...
, in various cuisines. It is usually prepared for special occasions and gatherings. The most popular preparation can be found in Spain and Portugal under the name ''lechón'' (Spanish) or ''leitão'' (Portuguese).
The meat from suckling pig is pale and tender and the cooked skin is crisp and can be used for
pork rinds
Pork rind is the culinary term for the skin of a pig. It can be used in many different ways.
It can be rendered, fried in fat, baked, or roasted to produce a kind of pork cracklings (US) or scratchings (UK); these are served in small piece ...
. The texture of the meat can be somewhat gelatinous due to the amount of
collagen
Collagen () is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole ...
in a young pig.
History
There are many ancient recipes for suckling pig from
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
and
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine encompasses the numerous cuisines originating from China, as well as overseas cuisines created by the Chinese diaspora. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has influenced many ot ...
. Since the pig is one of the first
animals domesticated by human beings for slaughter, many references to pigs are found in human culture. The suckling pig, specifically, appears in early texts such as the sixth-century
Salic law
The Salic law ( or ; la, Lex salica), also called the was the ancient Frankish civil law code compiled around AD 500 by the first Frankish King, Clovis. The written text is in Latin and contains some of the earliest known instances of Old Du ...
. As an example of a law governing the punishment for theft, Title 2, article 1, is, in Latin, . "If someone has stolen a suckling pig and this is proven against him, the guilty party will be sentenced to 120
denarii
The denarius (, dēnāriī ) was the standard Roman silver coin from its introduction in the Second Punic War to the reign of Gordian III (AD 238–244), when it was gradually replaced by the antoninianus. It continued to be minted in very ...
which adds up to three
solidi
The ''solidus'' (Latin 'solid'; ''solidi'') or nomisma ( grc-gre, νόμισμα, ''nómisma'', 'coin') was a highly pure gold coin issued in the Late Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire. Constantine introduced the coin, and its weig ...
(Latin coins)." The words are written in Frankish; (or in other manuscripts) is the
gloss for "suckling pig"; . These glosses in Frankish, the so-called ''
Malbergse Glossen'', are considered the earliest attested words in
Old Dutch
In linguistics, Old Dutch (Dutch: Oudnederlands) or Old Low Franconian (Dutch: Oudnederfrankisch) is the set of Franconian dialects (i.e. dialects that evolved from Frankish) spoken in the Low Countries during the Early Middle Ages, from aroun ...
.
Controversy
![Whole Roasted Suckling Pig](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Whole_Roasted_Suckling_Pig.jpg)
It has been argued that the use of pigs for human consumption is unethical,
especially in the case of young animals removed from their mothers earlier than weaning would happen in nature: natural weaning takes place at around 12 weeks of age, whereas suckling pigs are slaughtered at 2 to 6 weeks of age. Further, investigations by media and animal rights groups have uncovered animal cruelty and inhumane conditions related to the farming of suckling pigs. The sows, mother pigs, are in many countries kept in gestation crates or farrowing crates, which render them nearly immobile and unable to interact with their newborn offspring.
Regional dishes
There are various preparations for suckling pig in Western and Asian cuisines.
Latin countries
![Porcetto sardo 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Porcetto_sardo_3.jpg)
''Lechón'' (
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
, ; from ''leche'' "milk" + -ón) or ''leitão'' (
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
; from ''leite'' "milk" + -ão) is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
(in particular
Segovia
Segovia ( , , ) is a city in the autonomous community of Castile and León, Spain. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Segovia.
Segovia is in the Inner Plateau (''Meseta central''), near the northern slopes of th ...
),
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
(in particular
Bairrada
Bairrada is a Portuguese wine region located in the Beira Litoral Province. The region has Portugal's highest wine classification as a '' Denominação de Origem Controlada'' (DOC), and its popularity has surged over the last years. It is small and ...
) and regions worldwide previously colonized by the
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire ( pt, Império Português), also known as the Portuguese Overseas (''Ultramar Português'') or the Portuguese Colonial Empire (''Império Colonial Português''), was composed of the overseas colonies, factories, and the l ...
or
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...
. ''Lechón/Leitão'' is a word referring to a
roasted
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides with temperatures of at least from an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelizatio ...
baby pig (piglet) which was still fed by
suckling its mother's milk (a suckling pig). Lechón/Leitão is a popular item in the cuisine in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
(in the United States), Spain, Cuba,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, Honduras, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Ecuador,
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and other
Spanish-speaking nations in Latin America, as well as in
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
,
Cape Verde
, national_anthem = ()
, official_languages = Portuguese
, national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole
, capital = Praia
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, demonym ...
,
Angola
, national_anthem = " Angola Avante"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capital = Luanda
, religion =
, religion_year = 2020
, religion_ref =
, coordina ...
,
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...
and other Portuguese-speaking nations. It is also present as ''cochon de lait'' in the French-Swiss and
French cuisines (in particular in
Metz
Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand E ...
), in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
(in particular in
Sardinian cuisine
The cuisine of Sardinia is the traditional cuisine of the island of Sardinia, and the expression of its culinary art. It is characterised by its own variety, and by the fact of having been enriched through a number of interactions with the other ...
as ''su porcheddu'') and
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
. The dish features a whole roasted suckling
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...
cooked over
charcoal
Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, cal ...
. It has been described as a national dish of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Spain, Portugal, as well as the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
whose pig-roasting traditions (similar to other
Austronesian regions) have native pre-colonial origins. In the latter case, the meaning of the designation diverted in these regions from the original Spanish term
to become a general term for "roasted pig", and is nowadays used in reference to adult roasted pigs more often than to lechones (milk suckling pigs), with
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
being asserted by American chef
Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Michael Bourdain (; June 25, 1956 – June 8, 2018) was an American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition. Bourdai ...
as having the best pigs.
In most of these regions, lechón/leitão is prepared throughout the year for special occasions, during festivals. It is the centerpiece of the tradition Cuban
Christmas feast ''La Noche Buena''. After seasoning, the piglet is cooked by skewering the entire animal, entrails removed, on a large stick and cooking it in a pit filled with charcoal. The piglet is placed over the charcoal, and the stick or rod it is attached to is turned in a
rotisserie
Rotisserie, also known as spit-roasting, is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit – a long solid rod used to hold food while it is being cooked over a fire in a fireplace or over a campfire, or roasted in an oven. This metho ...
action.
Puerto Rico
The dish has been described as a national dish of Puerto Rico. The name of the dish in Puerto Rico is ''lechón asado''. It is a traditional dish served at festivals and holidays.
Colombia
Lechona, also known as ''lechón asado'', is a popular
Colombian dish.
It is similar in style to many preparations made in other
South American
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
countries, consisting of a roasted
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...
stuffed with
yellow peas,
green onion
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, ...
, yellow
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
and spices, cooked in an outdoor brick
oven
upA double oven
A ceramic oven
An oven is a tool which is used to expose materials to a hot environment. Ovens contain a hollow chamber and provide a means of heating the chamber in a controlled way. In use since antiquity, they have been us ...
for several hours.
It is mostly traditional to the
Tolima Department in central Colombia and is usually accompanied by
arepa
''Arepa'' () is a type of food made of ground maize dough stuffed with a filling, eaten in the northern region of South America since pre-Columbian times, and notable primarily in the cuisine of Colombia and Venezuela, but also present in the cuis ...
s, a corn-based dough.
Philippines
In most regions of the Philippines, lechón (spelled ''lechon'' without
diacritic
A diacritic (also diacritical mark, diacritical point, diacritical sign, or accent) is a glyph added to a letter or to a basic glyph. The term derives from the Ancient Greek (, "distinguishing"), from (, "to distinguish"). The word ''diacriti ...
but also ''litson'' or ''lichon'') is traditionally prepared throughout the year for special occasions, festivals, and the holidays. Although it acquired the Spanish name, Philippine lechon has pre-Hispanic origins as pigs are one of the
native domesticated animals of all
Austronesian cultures and were carried throughout the
Austronesian Expansion
The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar that speak Austron ...
all the way to
Polynesia
Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
.
In the former Spanish
colony
In modern parlance, a colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by the foreign colonizers, colonies remain separate from the administration of the original country of the colonizers, the ''metropole, metropolit ...
of the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
, ( fil, litsón) is considered a
national dish
A national dish is a culinary dish that is strongly associated with a particular country. A dish can be considered a national dish for a variety of reasons:
* It is a staple food, made from a selection of locally available foodstuffs that can be ...
. As the usage of the term has evolved over the years, has now come to refer to roasted pig in general (including suckling pigs). Suckling pigs in the country are referred to as , which corresponds to the term in Spain.
The native name of lechón is ''
inihaw
Inihaw ( ), also known as sinugba or inasal, are various types of grilled or pit-roasted barbecue dishes from the Philippines. They are usually made from pork or chicken and are served on bamboo skewers or in small cubes with a soy sauce and ...
a baboy' in
Tagalog, a general term meaning "charcoal-roasted/barbecued
ig. Native names were also preserved in other regions until recently, like in
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
where it was previously more commonly known as ''
inasal
Chicken inasal, commonly known simply as inasal, is a variant of the Filipino chicken dish known as ''lechon manok''. It is chicken marinated in a mixture of calamansi, pepper, coconut vinegar and annatto, then grilled over hot coals while basted ...
'' until Tagalog influence changed it to ''lechon'' in the 2000s.
As the usage of the Spanish
loanword
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because th ...
evolved over the years in the
languages of the Philippines
There are some 120 to 187 languages spoken in the Philippines, depending on the method of classification. Almost all are Malayo-Polynesian languages native to the archipelago. A number of Spanish-influenced creole varieties generally called C ...
, "lechon" has come to refer to roasted pig in general (including suckling pigs).
[ Roasted suckling pigs are now referred to in the Philippines as "lechon de leche" (which in Spanish would be a linguistic redundancy, though corresponding to the term cochinillo in Spain).
It is a national dish of the Philippines.]
There are two major methods of preparing lechon in the Philippines, the "Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
lechon" (or "Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
lechon"), and the "Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
lechon" (or "Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao ...
lechon").
Visayan lechon is prepared stuffed with herbs which usually include scallion
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, ch ...
s, bay leaves
The bay leaf is an aromatic leaf commonly used in cooking. It can be used whole, either dried or fresh, in which case it is removed from the dish before consumption, or less commonly used in ground form. It may come from several species of tr ...
, black peppercorn, garlic, salt, and distinctively ''tanglad'' (lemongrass
''Cymbopogon'', also known as lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, oily heads, citronella grass or fever grass, is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family.
Some ...
) or leaves from native ''Citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...
'' trees or tamarind
Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a Legume, leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic taxon, monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs ...
trees, among other spices. A variant among Hiligaynon people
The Hiligaynon people (''mga Hiligaynon''), often referred to as Ilonggo people (''mga Ilonggo'') or Panayan people (''mga Panayanon''), are a Visayan ethnic group whose primary language is Hiligaynon, an Austronesian language of the Visayan b ...
also stuffs the pig with the sour fruits of ''batuan'' or ''binukaw'' (''Garcinia binucao
''Garcinia binucao'' is a species of flowering plant in the Clusiaceae family. It is commonly known as binukaw or batuan, is a species of ''Garcinia'' endemic to the Philippines. It is not cultivated, though its edible fruits are harvested from ...
''). It is usually cooked over charcoal made from coconut husks. Since it is already flavored with spices, it is served with minimal dipping sauces, like salt and vinegar or silimansi
Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''As ...
(soy sauce, calamansi
Calamansi (''Citrus'' × ''microcarpa''), also known as calamondin, Philippine lime, or Philippine lemon, is an economically important citrus hybrid predominantly cultivated in the Philippines. It is native to the Philippines, Borneo, Sumatra, ...
, and labuyo chili
''Siling labuyo'' is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange. It belongs to the species ''Capsicum frutescens'' and is characterized by triangular fruits which grow pointing upwards. The frui ...
).
Luzon lechon on the other hand, is typically not stuffed with herbs. When it is, it is usually just salt and pepper. Instead, the distinctiveness of Manila lechon comes from the liver-based sauce, known as the "lechon sauce". Lechon sauce is made from vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, mashed liver (or liver spread
Liver spread is a Filipino canned spread product made from pureed pork, beef, or chicken liver mixed with cereal and/or offal similar to the French pâté and German liverwurst. Liver spread is usually eaten as a filling for sandwich bread and ...
), breadcrumbs, garlic and onion. Manila lechon is also typically cooked over woodfire.
Most lechon can either be cooked based on the two main versions, or mix techniques from both. Both variants also rub salt or spices unto the skin to make it crispier, as well as continually baste the lechon as it cooks. Sometimes carbonated drink
A soft drink (see § Terminology for other names) is a drink that usually contains water (often carbonated), a sweetener, and a natural and/or artificial flavoring. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sug ...
s may also be used. They are cooked on a bamboo spit over charcoal for a few hours with constant (traditionally manual) turning. The pig is roasted on all sides for several hours until done. The process of cooking and basting usually results in making the pork skin crisp and is a distinctive feature of the dish.
Leftover parts from the lechon, such as the head and feet, are usually cooked into another popular dish, ''lechon paksiw
''Paksiw'' () is a Filipino style of cooking, whose name means "to cook and simmer in vinegar". Common dishes bearing the term, however, can vary substantially depending on what is being cooked.
'' Pinangat na isda'' may sometimes also be re ...
''. Like lechon itself, ''lechon paksiw'' also differs based on whether it is prepared Luzon-style or Visayas-style, with the former using liver sauce as an essential ingredient, while the latter does not. In some cases, these parts or stale lechon can be repurposed into another dish, such as Sisig
''Sisig'' ( ) is a Filipino cuisine, Filipino dish made from parts of a Pork, pig's face and belly, and chicken liver which is usually seasoned with ''calamansi'', onions, and chili peppers. It originates from the Pampanga region in Luzon.
''Si ...
.
Remainder of Asia (other than the Philippines)
There is also variant of suckling pig among the Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n non-Muslim ethnic groups, such as the Balinese, Batak
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, ...
, and Minahasa
The Minahasans (alternative spelling: Minahassa) are an ethnic group native to the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, formerly known as North Celebes. The Minahasa people sometimes refer to themselves as Manado people. Although the Minahasan p ...
. Some pork dishes (e.g. in Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
) are also influenced by ethnic Chinese. In Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
, roast suckling pig is eaten in Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants for important parties.[
] It is also a popular dish at wedding dinners or a party for a baby's completion of its first month of life.[
][
]
Non-Latin Europe
The European cuisine
European cuisine comprises the cuisines of Europe[ "European Cuisine."Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...](_blank)
and Sweden favor the dish highly as well. It accompanies goose
A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (the black geese). Some other birds, mostly related to the ...
as the traditional Christmas feast of families in Russia and Serbia, while the Russian Navy maintains a tradition of presenting a roast piglet (or several) to the crew of a ship returning from deployment.
Suckling pig is known in German, Austrian and German-Swiss cuisines as ''Spanferkel'' and in the Dutch cuisine as ''speenvarken''. It can be roasted in the oven or grilled, and is often served at festive occasions such as Oktoberfest
The Oktoberfest (; bar, Wiesn, Oktobafest) is the world's largest Volksfest, featuring a beer festival and a travelling carnival. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid- or ...
.
In Sweden suckling pig is called ''spädgris'', it is usually cooked in the oven, or sometimes roasted directly over the fire. It is often stuffed with various fruits such as apples and plums, together with butter and breadcrumbs.
United States
The suckling pig is used in Cajun cuisine
Cajun cuisine (french: cuisine cadienne , es, cocina acadiense) is a style of cooking developed by the Cajun–Acadians who were deported from Acadia to Louisiana during the 18th century and who incorporated West African, French and Spanish co ...
in the southern U.S., where the ''Cochon de Lait'' Festival is held annually in the small town of Mansura, Louisiana
Mansura is a town in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,419 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Mansura is home to the Cochon de Lait Festival, and claims to be the Cochon de La ...
. During this festival, as its name implies, suckling pigs are roasted. Other uses for the suckling pig in the U.S. include slow roasting in an oven or (as in a Hawaiian-style pig roast
A pig roast or hog roast is an event or gathering which involves the barbecuing of a whole pig.
Pig roasts, under a variety of names, are a common traditional celebration event in many places including the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Cuba. ...
) in a pit. The latter remains popular in the cuisine of the Southern United States
The cuisine of the Southern United States encompasses diverse food traditions of several regions, including Tidewater, Appalachian, Lowcountry, Cajun, Creole, and Floribbean cuisine. In recent history, elements of Southern cuisine have sprea ...
.
See also
* Asado
* Eisbein
Eisbein (literally: 'ice leg') is a German culinary dish of corned ham hock, usually cured and slightly boiled. Despite the name, no ice is actually used in its preparation. The word probably comes from High German via the Latin term used in m ...
*
* Roasted pig
* Kalua
* List of barbecue dishes
* List of spit-roasted foods
* Lechon kawali
''Lechon kawali'', also known as ''lechon de carajay'' or ''litsong kawali'' in Tagalog, is a Filipino recipe consisting of pork belly slabs deep-fried in a pan or wok (''kawali''). It is seasoned beforehand, cooked then served in cubes. It i ...
* Lechon manok
Lechon manok is a Filipino cuisine, Filipino Rotisserie, spit-roasted chicken dish made with chicken marinated in a mixture of garlic, Indian bay leaf, bay leaf, onion, black pepper, soy sauce, and ''patis (sauce), patis'' (fish sauce). The mari ...
* Inihaw
Inihaw ( ), also known as sinugba or inasal, are various types of grilled or pit-roasted barbecue dishes from the Philippines. They are usually made from pork or chicken and are served on bamboo skewers or in small cubes with a soy sauce and ...
* Pavochon
Pavochon is a popular Puerto Rican food. It is popular during Thanksgiving season. Pavochon is turkey seasoned like a roasted pig and stuffed with mofongo.
The word is a portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of word ...
* Pig pickin'
A pig pickin' (also known as rolling a pig, pig pull, hog roast, pig roast or, among the Cajun, "cochon de lait") is a type of party or gathering held primarily in the American South which involves the barbecuing of a whole hog (the castrate ...
* Siu yuk
Siu yuk () is a variety of ''siu mei'', or roasted meat dishes, in Cantonese cuisine. It is made by roasting an entire pig with seasonings, such as salt and vinegar in a charcoal furnace at high temperature.
Roasted pigs of high quality have cri ...
Footnotes
External links
The Historical Lechón
Philippines Swine Meat Domestic Consumption by Year
Livestock: Inventory
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Suckling Pig
Pig farming
Pork
Food and drink festivals
Louisiana cuisine
Spit-cooked foods
German cuisine
Pork dishes
Barbecue
Colombian cuisine
Cuban cuisine
Ecuadorian cuisine
Philippine cuisine
Puerto Rican cuisine
Dominican Republic cuisine
Spanish cuisine
Cantonese cuisine
Hong Kong cuisine
Holiday foods
Christmas food
Balinese cuisine
Polynesian cuisine
Malagasy cuisine
Stuffed dishes
Baked goods
National dishes
Spanish pork dishes
Latin American pork dishes