Spanish Holiday Platter: Cochinillo-Style Roast Pork with Patatas

About This Recipe

Cochinillo asado, whole roast suckling pig, is a celebrated centerpiece dish in regions like Segovia, traditionally served at large family gatherings and holidays with skin so crackling-crisp it's famously carved with the edge of a plate. This platter brings that same spirit — well-seasoned pork with genuinely crisp skin, roasted low and slow — into a more accessible pork shoulder roast, paired with crispy roasted potatoes and a garlicky alioli, echoing the simple, high-quality accompaniments traditionally served alongside cochinillo.\n\nThe technique that gets truly crackling pork skin is drying it thoroughly before roasting and starting at a high oven temperature to blister the skin, then dropping the heat to finish cooking the meat slowly and evenly without drying it out. Scoring the skin in a crosshatch pattern before roasting also helps the fat render out and the surface crisp evenly.\n\nArrange the sliced pork on a platter with the potatoes alongside and the alioli in a bowl for spooning — this is the kind of dish built for a table full of people, meant to be carved and shared.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 kgbone-in pork shoulder(skin on, scored)
• 2 tbspfine sea salt(divided)
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 6 clovesgarlic(divided, some whole and some minced)
• 2bay leaves
• 1 cupwhite wine
• 1 kgpotatoes(cut into wedges)
• 3 tbspolive oil(for potatoes)
• 0.5 cupmayonnaise
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry and score

   Pat the pork skin completely dry with paper towels, ideally letting it air-dry uncovered in the fridge overnight. Score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.

2. 2

   Season

   Rub the meat all over with olive oil, 1 tbsp salt, minced garlic and crushed bay leaves, working it into the scored crevices but not onto the skin surface itself. Season the skin with the remaining salt.

3. 3

   High-heat start

   Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C). Place pork skin-side up in a roasting pan with whole garlic cloves and white wine poured around (not over) the meat. Roast 30 minutes until the skin begins to blister.

4. 4

   Slow roast

   Reduce oven to 300°F (150°C) and continue roasting 2-2.5 hours until the meat is fork-tender, basting occasionally with the pan juices.

   Keep basting liquid off the skin itself during the low-heat phase — wetting the skin will soften it and undo the crackling from the initial blast of heat.

5. 5

   Crisp the skin

   If the skin isn't fully crackled, increase oven to 475°F (245°C) for the final 10-15 minutes, watching closely so it doesn't burn.

6. 6

   Roast the potatoes

   While the pork rests, toss potato wedges with olive oil and salt and roast at 425°F (220°C) for 35-40 minutes until crisp and golden.

7. 7

   Make the alioli

   Stir mayonnaise, lemon juice and remaining minced garlic together.

8. 8

   Rest, carve, and plate

   Let the pork rest 15 minutes, then carve and arrange on a large platter with the roasted potatoes. Scatter with parsley and serve with alioli on the side.

Variations

• •

  Use a smaller pork belly instead of shoulder for a more traditional crackling-forward presentation with less lean meat.

• •

  Add a splash of sherry vinegar to the alioli for extra brightness against the rich pork.

• •

  Serve with a simple green salad dressed in sherry vinaigrette to cut through the richness of the meal.

Storage

Refrigerate pork and potatoes separately for up to 4 days. Reheat pork covered in a low oven to avoid drying it out; the skin won't fully re-crisp on reheating, so eat as much as possible fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions