The first time I tasted a real Portuguese suckling pig (the famous leitão assado), two things struck me: the pungent aroma of garlic and bay leaf, and above all, the skin that sings in your mouth, incredibly crispy, almost like a thin tile. It's a festive, convivial dish, placed in the center of the table for everyone to help themselves to.
At home, I keep the traditional spirit: a simple seasoning paste (garlic, bay leaf, paprika, chili, salt), a well-dried suckling pig to help the skin crisp up, and a quick cook with basting.
To stay within a family timeframe, I'm going with a suckling pig already prepared by the butcher (small, gutted, ready to roast). That's the key to staying under the hour.
Seasonally, I love to serve it with roasted new potatoes, which are quicker and more tender, along with small spring onions that caramelize in the process. And just before serving, a squeeze of lemon really brings it all together: it cuts through the richness and enhances the spices.
You can adjust the piri-piri to your tolerance, but don't skip the bay leaf: it's what gives it that highly recognizable "Portugal" feel.
And if you want really crispy skin, the simplest thing is to dry it thoroughly before baking (paper towel + a little air).
Portuguese suckling pig
4
people17
minutes38
minutes887
kcal55
minutesThe recipe for Portuguese-style roast suckling pig : thin, crispy skin, juicy meat, flavored with garlic, bay leaf, and paprika. Served with roasted new potatoes and a squeeze of lemon.
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Ingredients
1 Suckling pig ready for roasting, weighing 2 to 2.5 kg (gutted and cleaned)
900g of new potatoes
6 small spring onions
6 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of sweet paprika
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (optional but very close to the rotisserie spirit)
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder (piri-piri type, adjust as needed)
2 teaspoons of fine salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
80 ml of dry white wine
40 ml of olive oil
1 lemon
250 ml of hot water (for the drip tray)
Preparation steps
- Take the suckling pig out of the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Dry it thoroughly, especially the skin, with absorbent paper (this is the beginning of the crispiness).
- Preheat the oven to 230°C (fan oven if possible). Place a baking tray on the bottom of the oven.
- Prepare the seasoning paste: mash the garlic into a paste with the salt, pepper, sweet paprika, smoked paprika (if using), chili pepper, and finely chopped bay leaves. Thin with olive oil and white wine to obtain a thick but spreadable paste.
- Season the inside of the suckling pig with half of this paste. Massage it in well. Leave the skin clean (avoid putting any on it: the spices burn quickly).
- Place the suckling pig on a rack, skin side up. Pour hot water into the roasting pan (this reduces smoke and collects the juices). Roast for 10 minutes at 230°C (450°F) to crisp the skin.
- Meanwhile, wash the new potatoes (no need to peel them). Cut the larger ones in half. Peel the spring onions and leave them whole.
- Lower the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F). Quickly remove the rack: brush the meat (not the skin) with the remaining seasoning paste. Arrange the potatoes and spring onions in a dish, season lightly with salt, drizzle with olive oil, then place the dish in the oven under the roasting rack.
- Continue cooking for 22 minutes at 200°C. Halfway through cooking, baste the suckling pig with a little juice from the roasting pan (always basting the sides/meat rather than the skin). Quickly stir the potatoes.
- Return to 230°C for a final 6 minutes to tighten and crisp the skin. Keep a close eye on it: it can brown very quickly depending on the oven.
- Remove the suckling pig from the refrigerator and let it rest on the rack for 5 minutes (important: this keeps the skin crispy). Squeeze the lemon. Serve in pieces, with the new potatoes and onions, and a squeeze of lemon at the last minute.
📊 Nutritional Information
1 portion (approx. 450g, with topping)
| Nutrient | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 887 kcal |
| Proteins | 47g |
| Carbohydrates | 44g |
| including sugars | 4g |
| Lipids | 56g |
| including saturated fatty acids | 19g |
| Fibers | 5g |
| Sodium | 980mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin B3 | 65% AJR |
| Vitamin B6 | 40% AJR |
| Vitamin C | 35% AJR |
| Minerals | |
| Phosphorus | 55% AJR |
| Potassium | 30% AJR |
| Zinc | 35% AJR |
* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance
📝 Notes
Ask the butcher for a small, "ready-to-roast" suckling pig (2–2.5 kg): it makes all the difference when it comes to timing. And for carving, a good serrated knife really helps to cut through the crispy skin without crushing it!
💡 Chef's Tips
For a really crispy Portuguese-style skin, the most important thing is not to add ingredients: it is to dry it (with absorbent paper) and avoid brushing it with the spiced paste.
If your oven has a grill function, you can use it for 1 to 2 minutes at the end, but stay close by: it browns in the blink of an eye.
🔄 Variations
- More traditional roast-style suckling pig: replace the smoked paprika with only sweet paprika, and slightly increase the bay leaf (3 leaves).
- Less spicy suckling pig: remove the chili and add a little more black pepper, the dish will still be very flavorful.
