Recipe: Barbecued Suckling Pig

the appetizer:

Pork and Sons by Stéphane Reynaud is the new authority on all things pig, with recipes like Bayonne Ham with Toasted Nuts and Piquillo Peppers, Barbecued Suckling Pig, and Wild Boar Chops with Tart Red Fruits.

Cookbook

Barbecued Suckling Pig

Preparation Time: 45 Minutes
Cooking Time: 3 Hours
Serves 12

1 suckling pig, 5 to 6 weeks old
10 shallots, chopped
10 garlic doves, chopped
2-1/3 cups chopped smoked bacon
7 ounces country-style white bread,
soaked in heavy cream
generous 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
3 eggs
1 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
20 fresh sage leaves, chopped
scant 1 cup olive oil

For the Basting Liquid

4 cups white wine
2-1/4 cups olive oil
scant 1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Ask your butcher to prepare the pig and save the liver and heart for you.

Place all the remaining ingredients with the liver and heart in a bowl, and mix together well. Spoon this stuffing into the pig and sew up the cavity with trussing thread. Tie the feet underneath the pig with wire and cover the ears with foil to prevent them from burning.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the basting liquid in a bowl. Place the pig on a spit over the barbecue and cook, basting frequently, for 3 hours.