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Loading...This iconic Minas Gerais celebration dish is famous for its bubbly, shatteringly crisp skin known as pururuca. A young pig is dry-rubbed with aromatic spices, dried overnight, and slow-roasted until the skin puffs into golden crackling. Served with rice, beans, collard greens, and a fiery pepper sauce, it is the heart of a true Brazilian feast.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time240 mins
Total Time270 mins
Servings8
Yield8 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 680 kcalCalories
- 46 gFat
- 16 gSaturated Fat
- 2 gCarbs
- 0 gFiber
- 0 gSugar
- 58 gProtein
- 1150 mgSodium
- 720 mgPotassium
- 45 mgCalcium
- 3.2 mgIron
- 3 mgVitamin C
- 25 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the pork
- 1 suckling pig (leitoa), about 8-10 lb, cleaned and gutted
- 1/4 cup coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 bay leaves, crushed
For the pepper sauce (molho de pimenta)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 6 red malagueta or bird's eye chilies, stemmed
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 cup cold water
For serving
- 4 cups hot cooked white rice
- 3 cups tutu de feijão or seasoned refried beans
- 4 cups sautéed collard greens with garlic
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Directions
- Pat the pig completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a tight crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh; this is what allows the skin to puff into crackling during roasting.
- In a small bowl, mix the sea salt, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Rub the mixture thoroughly over the entire pig, working it into the scored skin and inside the cavity, then tuck the bay leaves into the cavity.
- Brush the skin liberally with the white vinegar. Place the pig uncovered on a rack set over a tray and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, preferably overnight, allowing the skin to dry completely; this step is essential for authentic pururuca.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Set the pig breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan and roast for 3 hours, basting every 45 minutes with the pan drippings.
- Raise the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and continue roasting for 45 to 60 minutes, until the skin is deeply amber, dramatically puffed, and audibly crackling. Watch closely in the final minutes to prevent scorching.
- While the pig roasts, make the pepper sauce: combine the apple cider vinegar, chilies, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and set aside to let the flavors develop.
- Transfer the pig to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The skin will continue to crackle as steam escapes and the meat relaxes.
- Carve the pig into generous portions, ensuring each piece includes plenty of crisp skin. Serve immediately with the rice, beans, collard greens, lime wedges, and the spicy pepper sauce on the side.
Cook’s Notes
- The overnight drying step is non-negotiable for true pururuca; any moisture left on the skin will steam instead of crackle.
- If a whole suckling pig is unavailable, score the skin of a 3 to 4 lb piece of pork belly and follow the same drying and roasting method, though the result will be richer in fat.
- A kitchen torch can be used to spot-crisp any pale patches of skin after roasting.
- Leftover meat and skin are excellent shredded, fried with onions, and tucked into rolls the next day.
- For the most dramatic presentation, skewer the pig on a spit and roast it over a low wood fire for 4 to 5 hours, basting frequently.
