Suckling Pig from Segovia

The suckling pigs whose quality and authenticity are guaranteed by the label “Cochinilla de Segovia” are raised on specific farms dedicated entirely to this animal alone.

What makes dishes of suckling pig different are the diet fed to the pig’s mother, the suckling’s weight (between 4.5 and 6.5 kilograms) and its age, which cannot exceed three weeks. The animals are commercialized intact. They’re white in appearance but inside they’re pink and must carry the seal of guarantee on one ear.

They’re for sale uncooked or traditionally oven-roasted. The key to preparing them is to roast them in a wood-fired oven, with the animal on its back in a clay pot. You add water and butter to the pot then set the pig to roast in the oven for three hours. Serve by “cutting” the pig with a plate rather than a traditional knife, checking to ensure the right tenderness.