Cochinillo Asado

Name: Cochinillo Asado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 1 whole suckling pig (8-10 lbs), cleaned; 1/2 cup lard or olive oil; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 cup white wine; Coarse salt; Bay leaves

8 servings20 min prep150 min cookMedium Spain

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Cochinillo Asado

Story updated September 17, 2026

Cochinillo Asado, roast suckling pig with famously crackling skin, is closely associated with Castile and especially the city of Segovia, where old wood-fired ovens and restaurants like the centuries-old Mesón de Cándido helped cement the region's reputation for the dish.

Ingredients

Scale:· 8 servings

1 whole suckling pig (8-10 lbs), cleaned
1/2 cup lard or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup white wine
Coarse salt
Bay leaves

Instructions

1Rub the suckling pig inside and out with garlic, salt, and lard.
2Place skin side up on a roasting rack with bay leaves underneath.
3Roast at 325°F, basting occasionally with white wine, for about 2 hours.
4Increase oven temperature to 425°F for the final 20-30 minutes to crisp the skin.
5Check that the skin is deeply golden and audibly crackles when tapped.
6Rest 15 minutes, then carve, traditionally by pressing a plate through the crackling skin.

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