Leitão à Bairrada

Editorial content from Empório Portugal. Traditional recipes may vary by region, family, and cook.

About the recipe

Leitão à Bairrada is one of the most emblematic dishes of the Bairrada region.

The tradition involves a hot oven, crispy skin, and juicy meat, usually served with potatoes and salad.

At home, the version needs to be adapted to smaller cuts and the domestic oven, without promising to reproduce the professional method.

Ingredients

• 2 kg of piglet or pork leg with skin
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of lard or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of black pepper
• Coarse salt
• 1 bay leaf
• Potatoes for accompaniment

Preparation method

1. Dry the skin of the meat well.
2. Prepare a paste with garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and fat.
3. Season the meat, avoiding wetting the skin too much.
4. Bake in a high oven at first to firm up the skin.
5. Reduce the temperature and cook until the meat is tender.
6. Increase the heat again to crisp, watching closely.

Tips from Empório Portugal

• Dry skin is essential for crispiness.
• Do not cover the skin with liquid during baking.
• Use a thermometer if possible to avoid undercooked or dry meat.

Possible substitutions in Brazil

• Pork leg with skin is the most accessible adaptation in Brazil.
• Lard can replace olive oil for a more traditional flavor.

Pairing

Bairrada sparkling wine. Content intended for those over 18 years old. Drink responsibly.