The whole roast pig is a sight to behold and tastes heavenly, making it a real highlight of New Year's Eve feasts. It's not a meal that can be prepared in half an hour, but it's worth the effort and it's also an ideal way to celebrate with a great group of friends. One pig is enough for a party of 12-16 people.
Ingredients:
- 8-12 kg whole piglet
- 2 heads of garlic
- 2 heads of onion
- spices: salt, whole pepper, marjoram, whole cumin, Roman cumin, coriander seeds
- 200 dkg mangalica fat
- 1 l beer
Making a pickle:
Bring 20 litres of water to the boil, add 14 dkg salt, the halved garlic cloves, the diced red onion, a tablespoon of cumin, half a tablespoon of whole pepper, a tablespoon of Roman cumin, a tablespoon of coriander seeds, a tablespoon of mustard seeds and a tablespoon of marjoram.
I let the marinade cool, then pour it all over the pig. I put the piglet in the fridge for 24 hours, or in a place at 2-5 degrees Celsius.
After marinating, I remove the pig from the marinade, wipe dry with paper towels, place it in a large tray with good air circulation and dry it in a cool, dry place for at least 12 hours without covering. Before skewering, I salt the inside of the pig.
Baking:
I put the pig on a spit and brush it with melted mangalica fat and beer before roasting.
I place it on top of the charcoal coals, 30 cm away, and cook it for 4-4.5 hours in a closed charcoal oven with 3 sides turned frequently, and 6-6.5 hours in an open grill. During this time, take care to keep the skin of the pig light. Baste with melted lard and beer every 30-40 minutes during cooking. Care must be taken not to allow the skin to blister at this time. When this process starts, reduce the heat of the coals underneath and baste quickly with melted fat and beer.
After 4 to 4.5 or 6 to 6.5 hours, I lower the height of the spit by 10 cm and bake the pig for another 50-60 minutes. I baste the piglet with beer and melted fat at least 2 times in the hour before the baking is finished.#
