cochinillo

Cochinillo, or cochinillo asado, is a traditional Spanish dish consisting of a suckling pig that is roasted until the skin is very crisp and the meat remains tender. The piglet is typically two to four weeks old and weighs about 4 to 6 kilograms at slaughter. The preparation emphasizes the quality of the young pork and the contrast between crackling skin and soft meat.

The dish is most closely associated with Segovia, a city in Castilla y León, where it has become a culinary symbol and a cornerstone of local gastronomic culture. Although Segovia is the best-known origin, cochinillo is prepared in various forms across Spain, with regional differences in roasting techniques and presentation. In the Segovian version, the pig is usually roasted in a wood-fired oven and served as a whole roast or in large portions, highlighting the crackling skin.

Preparation methods are relatively simple and traditional: the pig is cleaned, salted, and roasted, often without heavy marinades or sauces, to allow the natural flavors of the pork and the crispy skin to come through. The cooking process requires careful heat management to ensure a uniformly crisp skin while keeping the meat moist.

In broader culinary usage, cochinillo refers to suckling pig prepared in a similar fashion, and variations exist in other Spanish-speaking regions, as well as in Latin American cuisines where “lechón” or equivalent terms describe roasted suckling pigs. The dish remains a celebrated example of rustic, technique-driven cooking and regional identity within Spain.