Argentinian roast pork
Suckling pig is a Christmas tradition in Argentina, where it is often roasted for a festive meal. This dish, also called "lechón asado" , is prepared with a young suckling pig, which offers tender and juicy meat. Naturally gluten-free, this Argentinian dish is cooked slowly to obtain crispy skin and tasty flesh. So, it is obvious that I neither looked for, nor found, nor cooked a suckling pig, but I simply revisited the traditional recipe by cooking a simple roast pork marinated in the same way as the Argentinian lechón asado.
- 1 roast pork of around 2 kg
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp of salt
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 50 ml of water
- Bay leaves (optional, for flavoring)
- Prepare the marinade: In a bowl, combine the chopped garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, lemon juice or vinegar, and olive oil. Mix well to obtain a fragrant marinade.
Season the roast pork: Rub it generously with the marinade on all sides. Massage the meat well so that the flavors penetrate. Leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
Prepare for cooking: Preheat your oven to 160°C.
Place the roast in a baking dish, skin side up, with a little water in the bottom to prevent it from drying out. Cover with aluminum foil to start cooking slowly and evenly.
Let the roast cook for about 2 hours, basting regularly with the cooking juices and a little water to keep the meat juicy. 30 minutes before the end of cooking, raise the oven temperature to 220 and remove the aluminum foil to crisp the skin. The roast is ready when the skin is golden brown and crispy, and the meat releases easily.
Resting and carving: Let the roast rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve the juicy, crunchy pieces on a large serving platter.
This roast pork is delicious accompanied by roasted potatoes, tomato salad, or chimichurri sauce. It’s a perfect dish for an Argentinian-style meal.