Suckling pig heaven

Leitão à Bairrada is a very special treat. It is meat; it is pork, but it is a very special kind of pork: tender, moist, with the most exquisite contrast of the crispy, shiny skin. It is unique and a must-try gastronomic experience, unless you are vegetarian or if your religion will not allow it. [ In the video above, please skip the first 2 minutes and get straight to the part about the roasting of the Leitão. ]

The most famous Leitão is from the Bairrada, a region north of Coimbra and south of Aveiro, also known for good wine – sparkling and red – as well as enterprising people.

The pigs used are a Portuguese breed called “Bísaro” and the roasting is made in large ovens that use, whenever possible, wood from the vines. Circular economy at its best: use the wood from the vines, to roast, then drink the wine with the Leitão. Perfect!

The Leitão is served with 4 simple, yet delicious things:

homemade sliced potato chips; thinly sliced, crispy with some softness;

mixed salad (tomato, lettuce, onion, coriander, vinagrette), should be fresh, light and not too salty;

the pepper sauce, made with garlic, sea salt, pork lard fat and black pepper;

Espumante: the sparkling wine, with it’s perfect acidity makes the best match for the rich Leitão.

When you are ordering leitão, make sure you remember the attendance staff to get some costela, the crispy skin bit next to the ribs.

The GC crew in Curia, Bairrada. March 2015. From left to right: Jorge Simões da Hora, sound; Luís Filipe Cunha, photography; Filipe Gill; Rui Pinto, our host in Bairrada; Luís Neves, Edgar Pinho, producer; Diogo Robalo, camera.

Thank you GC crew, Rui Pinto and our dear friend João Branco, no longer with us but always on our hearts and minds.

Note: In the video above – when talking about wine – I suggest that Arinto goes well with Maria Gomes. The fact is that Maria Gomes is the name for Arinto in the Bairrada region.