Puerto Rican Roasted Suckling Pig (Lechon Asado Puertorriqueno)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup garlic cloves or to taste, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion

1/2 cup salt

Black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons dried oregano

1 cup corn oil

1 10 to 15-pound suckling pig, cleaned and ready to cook

Extra corn oil for basting

1 orange, optional

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and oregano with the oil. Wash and dry the pig thoroughly. Marinate it in the garlic-and -oil mixture for a few hours or overnight. Set the pig in a large roasting pan. Insert a ball made of aluminum foil into the pig's mouth. Fold the hind legs under the belly and tie them in place. Cover the ears with small pieces of foil. Bake for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, basting occasionally with corn oil, until the leg juices run clear when pricked with a fork. To serve, transfer the pig to a serving tray and insert the orange into its mouth. Let the pig rest for 10 to 20 minutes before you carve the meat.

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