Sardinian Roast Piglet Recipe - Porceddu

Light your fire. In terms of wood kinds, Sardinians tend to use aromatic woods along the lines of juniper or olive, though one could make do with hardwood if one had to. I would not use brickettes.

While coals are accumulating, wash the piglet well, pat it dry, and salt it well inside and out. Spit the piglet -- Sardinians say a wooden stick is best, but a steel spit will also work -- and set it about 3 feet (a meter) in front of the fire.

Set the spit to turning very slowly, and cook the piglet for an hour. Baste the meat occasionally with liquid fat obtained by heating the lard over the flames, and when the piglet begins to drip bring it closer to the fire, -- about 20 inches (50 cm) from the heat. Continue roasting and basting for another two and a half hours; the meat will be done when a knife inserted into thigh emerges hot and unblooded.

At this point salt the piglet to taste for a second time, wrap it tightly in myrtle boughs, and let it rest for 20 minutes. And then carve it, skin and all, and enjoy it with a well-aged Canonau.

As is the case with any popular dish, there are many variations. Another recipe I found says to split the piglet lengthwise, spit both halves, and cook them vertically (starting at a meter and bringing the halves closer to the fire after an hour), while another says to keep the whole piglet further from the flames and cook it longer. And yet another recipe says to remove the spit from the rotisserie when the meat is done, fill a braiser with coals, and turn the piglet over it to brown it to perfection.

In other words, doing a Porceddu requires some experience in hearth cooking, and offers a fair amount of leeway in terms of technique. But the results are superb, and you can also roast a whole lamb or kid this way.