Smoked Lechón
Lechón is a festive dish popular throughout the Spanish-speaking world made from a whole or half suckling pig. The combination of aromatic Caribbean spices and slow smoking results in a crispy crust while keeping the meat juicy and tender. This recipe adapts the Cuban and Philippine tradition of lechón for the smoker.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Mix spice paste and prepare meat
30 minutes + 24 hours restMix all dry ingredients with bitter orange juice and olive oil into a paste. Thoroughly wash the suckling pig, pat dry, and score the skin in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife. Generously rub the paste inside and out, working it especially into the cuts. Rest uncovered in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Low temperature smoking
10-14 hoursPreheat the smoker to 120-135 °C. Add citrus wood chips and hickory chunks. Place the suckling pig on the grate and smoke until a core temperature of 75 °C is reached at the thickest part of the leg. Regularly baste with the drippings.
High temperature phase for the skin
30-45 minutesOnce a core temperature of 75 °C is reached, raise the smoker temperature to 165-175 °C. Brush the skin with salt water and continue smoking until the core temperature reaches 88-92 °C and the skin is golden brown and crispy.
Resting and carving
30 minutesRemove the lechón from the smoker and let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes so the juices redistribute. Then carve with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Break the skin into pieces and serve separately.
Pro Tip
For maximum skin crispiness, brush the skin with salt water in the last 30 minutes and raise the smoker temperature to 160-170 °C. Do not cover with foil so the crust becomes nicely crispy.
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