Suckling pig with crispy skin, oven-roasted

Roast milk-fed suckling pig. One of the tastiest festive dishes, with no fuss or preparation.

For the roast suckling pig

1/2 milk-fed suckling pig (split lengthwise), around 4½ kilos (skin on)
A few drops of olive oil
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp mustard
1 whole head of garlic, unpeeled
4-5 fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme)
A few lemon or bitter orange leaves for aroma
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 juicy lemons
2 juicy oranges
2 tbsp softened butter (at room temperature)
2 tbsp baby potatoes
2 red sweet potatoes, or more

To start making the roast suckling pig, first soak and wash the potatoes very well.

Scrub their surfaces with a brush.

Crack the potatoes with a mallet so they split open. Put them in a bowl. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks.

Add salt and pepper and the softened butter, then toss the potatoes well with the other ingredients.

Squeeze 1 lemon and 1 orange, add a few herbs and set aside.

Wash the meat and pat it dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Roast on the middle rack (or at 180°C conventional, on the lower rack).

In a bowl, combine the honey, mustard and a little olive oil. Mix with a fork.

Add fresh herbs to taste and a few lemon leaves for aroma to a large, deep roasting pan.

Cut the head of garlic in half and add it.

Spread the potatoes in a single layer.

Brush the suckling pig all over with the honey-mustard mixture.

Season generously with salt and pepper, especially on the skin side.

Place the suckling pig on top of the potatoes.

Pour over the lemon and orange juice and a little water (1-1/2 cups), so the potatoes cook through.
Place in the oven and roast for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Baste from time to time with the pan juices.
Increase the oven temperature to 200°C and leave it until the skin is well browned and crisp, about half an hour.
During cooking, check the pan juices so the ingredients don't dry out. The meat will release its own juices, of course, but check that there is enough liquid to keep the pan slightly moist so the potatoes can cook through.
Once cooked, let it rest for 20-30 minutes to reabsorb its juices, which rise to the surface of the meat in the form of bubbles.
This step is essential to keep the meat juicy and tender after the long roasting time.