the suckling pig It is a delicious typical dish corresponding to the Colombian department of Tolima, where it is usually prepared to be enjoyed at Christmas celebrations or in meetings with many guests. Its preparation is mainly based on crispy bacon, commonly called pork rinds, combined with other ingredients. Together, these ingredients make up a striking and easy recipe that we cannot ignore.
It is a corresponding traditional dish of this Colombian department, whose preparation is customary throughout the center of the country, with predominance in El Espinal and other Tolimense municipalities. It is a source of pride for the natives, it represents one of the gastronomic preferences that the inhabitants of those lands proudly display.
history of the suckling pig
This traditional dish corresponding to the Colombian department of Tolima, comes from Spain. A derivation of a dish highly valued by the Iberians called Castilian roast and which requires preparation similar to that of the piglet from tolima. The Spaniards residing in Tolima prepared the barbecue for people of high economic position and it was derived over the years to what is today the suckling pig.
But even when the suckling pig It could be said that it reached the lands of America by the hand of the Spanish several centuries ago, it is said that its true origin is in the lands of the Middle East. Only that it reached the Iberian Peninsula during the Arab invasion and its preparation and consumption spread throughout the Mediterranean and throughout the European region.
Over the years, the dish with its variations remained in Tolima as a typical dish and is linked to its folklore, its music and various celebrations. To such an extent that in 2003 a departmental ordinance declared June 29 as national day of La Lechona, thus originating important gastronomic events that are celebrated every year on that date.
Lechona Recipe
the piglet
Plateau Meat
Cooking Colombian
Preparation time 45 minutes
Cooking time 2 hours and a half
Total time 3 15 hours and minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 600 Kcal
Ingredients
A pound of pig skin, four tablespoons of lard, a half cup of cooked yellow peas, and a pound of pork. A cup of white rice, 4 garlic cloves, three onions, a teaspoon of saffron and another cumin, two lemons, black pepper and salt.
Usually, in the preparation of the suckling pig from the Tolimense region, rice is not added, although it is used in the preparation made in other areas of Colombia.
Preparation of La Lechona
Begin by cutting the pork meat into small pieces and mixing it with three chopped or crushed garlic cloves, onion and half chopped into thin strips, salt, pepper and cumin. After mixing well, it is left to marinate for two or three hours.
The skin that has come off the pork fat, leaving adhering to traces of fat, is washed with sufficient cold water and then dried. Add salt and the juice of a lemon.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C and add the lard in a pan and fry the rest of the onion there.
Then, in a pot large enough for the quantities being handled, mix the white rice, the yellow peas, the fried onion, a well-mashed clove of garlic, the annatto and a cup of water.
Then the pork skin is placed on a baking dish, which should be covered at the bottom with aluminum foil and a layer of the marinated meat is added, then a layer of the mixture that contains the peas, another layer of meat and so on until the ingredients run out.
Another part of the pig's skin is placed on top so that it covers the layers well. Everything is tied with kitchen string to keep the skin together. Then it is varnished with lemon juice and proceeds to bake for 40 minutes without covering the pork skin so that it acquires a golden color without interruptions.
After the first 50 minutes of cooking, cover the pork skin with aluminum foil and let it cook for another 55 minutes.
Finally, the tray is removed from the oven and its contents are transferred onto a cutting board. the suckling pig after letting it rest for at least 15 minutes.
And ready! The preparation of La Lechona has been successfully completed! You can add some lemon slices to decorate and you can accompany it with some delicious arepas or with locally made custard.
Tips to make a delicious Lechona
Here are some tips to keep in mind when preparing a delicious suckling pig and that will help you to highlight the flavors of the various ingredients:
- The pork used in the preparation of the suckling pig must be fresh, first class, soft and juicy. The pulp or hip of the pig can provide the meat that will help to obtain better results.
- The cooking of the peas and rice, which are used in the preparation of said Lechona, must be enough to make them soft but consistent. They should soften enough but not overcook. In its preparation, common ingredients must be used so that they take on a good taste and contribute to giving it the characteristic flavor of the Lechona.
Did you know ….?
- The pig is the animal that provides the most types of food to the human being, being the raw material with which various products are made: ham, sausages, sausages, chorizos, etc.
- Pork meat It contains thiamine, which favors the assimilation of zinc and, therefore, prevents heart and bone diseases.
- The fat present in pork is more beneficial than that contained in beef or veal. It contains fatty acids analogous to those present in fish, sunflower, walnut and other seed oils. It also contains B complex vitamins, essential for our body.
- Pork meat It contains protein, stimulates the immune system, favors oral health and its consumption at an early age helps the bones to develop strong.
