Cooking a suckling pig in the Pizza Oven

This year a colleague of Graham's had a Suckling Pig on offer so we decided to try cooking it in our Pizza oven.

Graham went to her property for a work BBQ and met this little fellow, whom he named Samuel. Elwood also got to meet him, and was introduced to a great variety of other farm animals but he'll tell you about his adventure himself.

Here is Graham's adventure cooking up Samuel who was just over 13 kilos.

Graham dried the little fellow and stuffed it with onion, carrots, apples and garlic, then sewed him up with wire.

Then he rubbed the skin with garlic and a generous amount of SALT.  We put a Walnut in his mouth to hold it open while cooking.  He positioned him like he was sitting on his haunches, covered the ears and nose with foil for protection.

He put him in a really hot pizza oven - the skin bubbled and sizzled, and then he took him out and  removed the coals.

Samuel pig went back in after the coals were removed and continued to cook in the residual heat for around 4 hours.

Graham tented him with foil and let him rest for about 20 minutes.

Samuel Pig was the most tender, tasty pork we've ever had. The crackling was crispy and flavourful cracking off when tapped into wonderful pieces of delight.  The gravy made from the drippings was amazingly flavourful.

There is no doubt, we will do this again!