-
1
Preheat the oven to 450 F.
-
2
Remove the liver, kidneys, heart, and other organs from the cavity of the pig and thoroughly scrub the pig.
-
3
Towel dry thoroughly, inside and out.
-
4
Salt and pepper the cavity, and stuff it with apples, herbs, and lemon halves.
-
5
Sew the cavity shut with a larding needle or close it with skewers and string.
-
6
Place the pig in a large roasting pan in a sitting position with its back legs folded until its rump and its front legs forward.
-
7
Brace the mouth open with a 2-inch ball of foil.
-
8
Cover the ears with foil to protect them from burning.
-
9
If the pig is too large for the roasting pan, surround the pan with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.
-
10
Roast the pig for 30 minutes.
-
11
Brush on vegetable oil to coat the skin, and reduce the temperature to 350 F. Roast for 30 minutes and baste again.
-
12
Continue roasting for 2 1/2 hours more, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices.
-
13
Insert a meat thermometer into the fleshiest part of the thigh.
-
14
When the internal temperature reaches 185 F., the pig is roasted.
-
15
Remove the pig from the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes.
-
16
Transfer the pig to a serving board or platter and remove the foil.
-
17
Fill the mouth with wild flowers or fresh herbs, and surround the roast with more flowers or herbs.
-
18
Meanwhile, skim off as much fat as possible from the pan juices and pour the liquid into a small saucepan.
-
19
Cook the juice until heated through and reserve 3/4 cup to pour over the field greens.
-
20
Serve the remaining juices with the roast.
