✅ LECHÓN AL HORNO JUGOSO y CROCANTE 🐷🔥 | Ideal para Año Nuevo 2026

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil offers healthy fats while canola is more budget-friendly.

white wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: apple cider vinegar

Non-alcoholic wine retains flavor, while vinegar adds acidity.

Boil water in a pot and add garlic, black peppercorns, fresh rosemary, and fresh mint; let it simmer for 2 minutes.

Prepare the suckling pig, approximately 9 kg, and place it in a brine overnight.

After 2 minutes, remove the infusion and pour it into a larger pot without straining.

Add 1 kg of salt to create a 10% brine solution (100 g of salt per 1 L of water).

Use 10 L of water to ensure the pig is fully submerged in the brine.

Dissolve all the salt in the water to allow it to penetrate the pig properly.

Juice two lemons, including the zest, without seeds, into the brine.

Submerge the pig in the brine and weigh it down with a smaller lid and a stone to keep it submerged; cover and let it sit overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Prepare the marinade in a bowl with lemon juice, chopped fresh rosemary, chopped fresh mint, garlic paste, a drizzle of oil, ground black pepper, ground cumin, and salt to taste; mix well and adjust seasoning.

Dry the pig thoroughly with a cloth to remove all moisture before marinating.

Inject ½ cup of white wine (30 ml per side) into the pig between the legs and arms using a kitchen syringe.

Make small incisions in the pig's skin to allow the marinade to penetrate faster.

Rub the marinade all over the inside of the pig, massaging it in evenly.

Make small incisions all over the skin of the pig, including the head, to help it cook faster and become crispy.

Season the pig with the marinade and a bit more salt to help dehydrate the skin.

Remove excess salt before cooking to avoid a salty result.

Turn the pig over and distribute the marinade evenly inside.

Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 2 hours to absorb the flavors.

After resting, clean the skin of the pig to remove excess salt and marinade to prevent burning during cooking.

Transfer the pig to a large roasting pan on a rack to avoid contact with the bottom.

Pour a mixture of beef broth and ½ L of white wine into the pan to keep it moist during roasting.

Place the pig in the pan with the skin side down and stuff an apple in its mouth for tradition.

Cover the pig with aluminum foil to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (392°F) for at least 15 minutes before baking.

Bake the pig for 2 hours covered with aluminum foil.

In a saucepan, heat oil and sauté chopped onion until translucent, then add garlic paste and continue cooking until golden.

Add ½ cup of white wine to deglaze the pan and let the alcohol evaporate while cooking the marinade on low heat.

Once the marinade is golden and jam-like, add chicken broth and salt to taste; bring to a boil.

Add corn kernels and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat.

Incorporate washed rice, mixing gently to distribute evenly, and let the liquid reduce.

When the rice liquid is almost gone, add diced red and green bell peppers and stir carefully to avoid breaking the rice grains.

Before covering the pot, add sprigs of rosemary and let the rice cook for about 15 minutes on low heat.

After 15 minutes, fluff the rice gently and remove the rosemary; let it rest until serving.

Prepare the classic ají by heating oil in a pan, then adding rocoto, aji amarillo, chopped onion, and garlic; sauté until slightly golden.

Transfer the sautéed mixture to a blender, adding a pinch of pepper, dried oregano, vinegar, milk, soaked crackers, salt to taste, and mustard; blend at high speed while drizzling in oil until desired texture is achieved.

Add four sprigs of avocado and blend for an additional 5 seconds to avoid over-blending the avocado.

Transfer the ají to a container and set aside.

After 2.5 hours of baking, remove the pig from the oven and take off the aluminum foil.

Collect the cooking juices from the roasting pan.

Make small incisions in the pig's skin with a sharp knife.

Brush the pig with lard (or vegetable lard) and transfer it to a new pan lined with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Place the pig skin side up and make more incisions in the skin.

As you make incisions, liquid trapped between the skin and meat will begin to escape.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: