Examine individual changes

'{{Dablink|For the most familiar species, see [[domestic pig]].}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}} [[File:Suckling pig.jpg|225px|thumb|right|A dead suckling pig prior to being roasted for consumption at an American [[tailgate party]]]] A '''suckling pig''' is a [[Piglet (animal)|piglet]] fed on its [[pig milk|mother's milk]] (i.e., a piglet which is still a "[[suckling]]"). In [[culinary]] contexts, a suckling pig is prepared between the ages of two and six weeks. It is traditionally cooked whole, often [[Roasting|roasted]], in various cuisines. It is usually prepared for special occasions and gatherings. The meat from suckling pig is pale and tender and the cooked skin is crisp and can be used for [[pork rinds]]. The texture of the meat can be somewhat gelatinous due to the amount of [[collagen]] in a young pig. ==History== There are many ancient recipes for suckling pig from [[Ancient Roman cuisine|Roman]] and [[Chinese cuisine]]. Since the pig is one of the first [[List of domesticated animals|animals domesticated]] by human beings for slaughter, many references to pigs are found in human culture. The suckling pig, specifically, appears in early texts such as the sixth-century [[Salic law]]. As an example of a law governing the punishment for theft, Title 2, article 1, is, in Latin, ''Si quis porcellum lactantem furaverit, et ei fuerit adprobatum (malb. chrane calcium hoc est) CXX dinarios qui faciunt solidos III culpabilis iudicetur''. "If someone has stolen a suckling pig and this is proven against him, the guilty party will be sentenced to 120 [[Denarius|denarii]] which adds up to three [[Solidus (coin)|solidus]] (Latin coins)." The words "chrane calcium" are written in Frankish; "calcium" (or "galza" in other manuscripts) is the [[Gloss (annotation)#In linguistics|gloss]] for "suckling pig"; ''porcellum lactantem''.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Gorlé | first = Frits | authorlink = | author2 = John Gilissen | title = Historische inleiding tot het recht, Volume 1 | publisher = Kluwer | year = 1989 | location = | page = 166 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=axXa7FK6JTEC&pg=PA166 | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-90-6321-654-2}}</ref> These glosses in Frankish, the so-called ''Malberg-Glossen'', are considered the earliest attested words in [[Old Dutch]].<ref>Ruth Schmidt-Wiegand, "Die Malbergischen Glossen, eine frühe Überlieferung germanischer Rechtsprache," in {{Cite book | last = Beck | first = Heinrich | authorlink = | author2 = | title = Germanische Rest- und Trümmersprachen; Volume 3 of Ergänzungsbände zum Reallexikon der germanischen Altertumskunde | publisher = Walter de Gruyter | year = 1989 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 978-3-11-011948-0}}</ref> ==Controversy== [[File:Piglets in a pigpen (closeup).jpg|thumb|Piglets in a pigpen (closeup)]] It is often argued that the use of pigs for human consumption is unethical<ref>https://awionline.org/content/pigs</ref><ref>https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/raise-pigs-right/environment?from=international_en</ref>, especially in the case of young animals removed from their mothers earlier than weaning would happen in nature<ref>http://www.veganpeace.com/animal_facts/Pigs.htm</ref>: natural weaning takes place at around 12 weeks of age, whereas suckling pigs are slaughtered at 2 to 6 weeks of age. Further, investigations by media and animal rights groups have uncovered animal cruelty and inhumane conditions related to the farming of suckling pigs<ref>https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cruel-price-pork-revealed-dead-7512944</ref><ref>https://cratefreeil.org/pig-farrowing-crates-a-comfy-place-or-a-lifetime-of-confinement/</ref>. Practices such as "thumping," killing piglets by repeatedly swinging them against a concrete wall or floor, are commonplace on hog farms supplying suckling pig<ref>https://www.huffpost.com/entry/this-little-piggy-got-sla_b_2294769</ref>. The sows, mother pigs, are in many countries kept in gestation crates and/or farrowing crates, which render them nearly immobile and unable to interact with their newborn offspring<ref>https://www.worldanimalprotection.us/raise-pigs-right/environment?from=international_en</ref>. Pigs are regarded to be highly intelligent social animals<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/science/10angier.html</ref><ref>https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/201506/pigs-are-intelligent-emotional-and-cognitively-complex</ref>. Animal rights groups like PETA argue<ref>https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/animals-used-food-factsheets/pigs-intelligent-animals-suffering-factory-farms-slaughterhouses/</ref> that this makes their exploitation and suffering in the hands of the factory farming industry especially unethical. ==Regional dishes== There are various preparations for suckling pig in Western and Asian cuisines. The most popular preparation can be found in northern Spain, namely Segovia. ===Spanish-speaking countries=== {{cookbook|Lechon asado}} [[Lechon|Lechón]] is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically [[Cuisine of Spain|Spain]] and its former colonial possessions. The word ''lechón'' originated from the Spanish term ''leche'' (milk), alluding to the immaturity of the piglet. Lechón is a popular item in the cuisine in [[Los Angeles]], Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, [[Perú]], Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and other [[Hispanidad|Spanish-speaking nations]] in Latin America. In Spanish cuisine, '''cochinillo asado''' is commonly used to refer to roast piglet, as lechón has drifted linguistically to mean any roasted pig. In most of these regions, lechón is prepared throughout the year for special occasions, during festivals, and the Thanksgiving. After seasoning, the piglet is cooked by skewering the entire animal, entrails removed, on a large stick and cooking it in a pit filled with charcoal. The piglet is placed over the charcoal, and the stick or rod it is attached to is turned in a [[rotisserie]] action. ===Asia=== [[File:Shaoruzhu.jpg|thumb|Cantonese style roasted whole suckling pig]] In Asia, roast suckling pig is eaten in Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants for important parties.<ref name="eastweek"> {{cite web |url=http://dev.eastweek.com.hk/index.php?aid=22284 |title=飲宴6招 色食肥 （Chinese） |author= |work=eastweek |date=6 October 2012 |accessdate=28 October 2012 }}</ref> It is also a popular dish at wedding dinners or a party for a baby's completion of its first month of life.<ref name="sina"> {{cite web |url=http://travel.sina.com.hk/news/186/4/1/34892/1.html |title=久享盛名的四更烤乳豬 (Chinese) |author= |work=travel.sina.com.hk |date=9 September 2009 |accessdate=28 October 2012 }}</ref><ref name="rthk"> {{cite web |url=http://rthk.hk/special/hongkongtotheworld/episode01_e.htm |title=Siu Mei Kung Fu |author= |work=rthk.hk |date=6 October 2012 |accessdate=28 October 2012 }}</ref> In the former Spanish [[Spanish colonization of the Philippines|colony]] of [[the Philippines]], lechón (Filipino: ''litsón'') is considered a [[national dish]]. As the usage of the term has evolved over the years, "lechón" has now come to refer to roasted pig in general (including suckling pigs). Suckling pigs in the country are referred to as ''lechón de leche'', which corresponds to the term ''cochinillo'' in Spain. There is also variant of suckling pig among the [[Indonesia]]n non-Muslim ethnic groups, such as the [[Balinese people|Balinese]], [[Batak]], and [[Minahasa]]. Some pork dishes are also influenced by ethnic Chinese. ===European=== [[File:Ganzes Spanferkel.jpg|150px|thumb|''Spanferkel'', [[German cuisine]]]] The [[European cuisine]]s of Romania, Portugal (''leitão''), Spain, Germany, Austria, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia <ref>{{cite web| last = Langenfeld | first = Annemarie | title = Spanferkel und Pizzen heiß begehrt | publisher = Der Westen | date = 20 September 2009 | url = https://www.derwesten.de/nachrichten/staedte/luedenscheid/2009/9/20/news-133863411/detail.html | accessdate = 8 October 2009}}</ref> and Georgia<ref>{{cite web| last = Dadiani | first = Niko | title = Gochi (Roast Suckling Pig) | publisher = About Georgia | url = http://www.aboutgeorgia.net/cuisine/meats.html?page=8 | accessdate = 8 October 2009}}</ref> favor it highly as well. It also accompanies [[goose]] as the traditional Christmas feast of families in Russia and Serbia. [[Russian Navy]] maintains a tradition of presenting a roast piglet (or several) to the crew of a ship returning from deployment. Suckling pig is known in German and Austrian cuisine as '''Spanferkel'''. It can be roasted in the oven<ref>{{Cite book| last = Scheibler | first = Sophie Wilhelmine | title = Allgemeines deutsches kochbuch für alle stände, oder gründliche anweisung alle arten speisen und backwerke auf die wohlfeilste und schmackhafteste art zuzubereiten: Ein unentbehrliches handbuch für angehende hausmütter, haushälterinnen und köchinnen | publisher = C.F. Amelang | year = 1866 | pages = 157–58 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=0ehLAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA157}}</ref> or grilled, and is often served at festive occasions such as [[Oktoberfest]].<ref>{{Cite news | last = Dittrich | first = Michael | title = Oktoberfest mit Spanferkel | newspaper = Stimberg Zeitung | language = German | date = 7 October 2009 | url = http://www.stimberg-zeitung.de/6089.php?file_name=210_001_1014110&newsline=lokal&catchline=oe/zb/ln&article_count=1&word_count=555&page_type=/6089.php&mode=detail | accessdate = 8 October 2009 | deadurl = yes | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110719085650/http://www.stimberg-zeitung.de/6089.php?file_name=210_001_1014110&newsline=lokal&catchline=oe%2Fzb%2Fln&article_count=1&word_count=555&page_type=%2F6089.php&mode=detail | archivedate = 19 July 2011 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> In Sweden suckling pig is called '''spädgris''', it is usually cooked in the oven, or sometimes roasted directly over the fire. It is often stuffed with various fruits such as apples and plums, together with butter and breadcrumbs.<ref>{{Cite book| last = Östman | first = Elisabeth | title = Iduns kokbok | publisher = Isaac Marcus Boktryckeriaktiebolag | year = 1911 | pages = 286–287 | url = http://runeberg.org/idunskok/0309.html}}</ref> ===United States=== The suckling pig is used in [[Cajun cuisine]] in the southern U.S., where the ''Cochon de Lait'' festival is held annually in the small town of [[Mansura, Louisiana]]. During this festival, as its name implies, suckling pigs are roasted. Other uses for the suckling pig in the U.S. include slow roasting in an oven or (as in a Hawaiian-style [[pig roast]]) in a pit. The latter remains popular in the [[cuisine of the Southern United States]].{{citation needed|date=January 2012}} ==See also== * [[Asado]] * [[Eisbein]] * [[Pig roast|Roasted pig]] * [[Kalua]] * [[List of barbecue dishes]] * [[List of spit-roasted foods]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{Wikispecies|Sus}} {{Commons|Suckling pig}} {{Pigs}} {{Barbecue}} {{Guangdong topics}} {{Filipino food}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Suckling Pig}} [[Category:Pig farming]] [[Category:Pork]] [[Category:Food and drink festivals]] [[Category:Louisiana cuisine]] [[Category:Spit-cooked foods]] [[Category:German cuisine]] [[Category:Pork dishes]] [[Category:Barbecue]] [[Category:Colombian cuisine]] [[Category:Cuban cuisine]] [[Category:Ecuadorian cuisine]] [[Category:Philippine cuisine]] [[Category:Puerto Rican cuisine]] [[Category:Dominican Republic cuisine]] [[Category:Spanish cuisine]] [[Category:Cantonese cuisine]] [[Category:Hong Kong cuisine]] [[Category:Holiday foods]] [[Category:Cuisine of the Southern United States]] [[Category:Christmas food]] [[Category:Balinese cuisine]]'