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National Roast Suckling Pig Day

Food · December 18

A food day for roast suckling pig, the young pig cooked whole until the skin turns crisp and the meat stays tender, often at big gatherings.

National Roast Suckling Pig Day falls on Friday, December 18, 2026. That is 52 days away.

Roast suckling pig is a young pig, still small enough to fit in an oven or over a fire, cooked whole. The prize is the skin. Done well, it turns thin and glassy and cracks under a knife, while the meat underneath stays soft and pale.

Because the animal is young, the flavor is mild and the texture is closer to tender than chewy. Cooks usually rub the skin with salt and dry it before roasting, since moisture keeps it from crisping. Some stuff the cavity with herbs, garlic or citrus. Others keep it plain and let the pork speak.

A whole pig is not a weeknight dinner. It shows up at weddings, holidays and backyard gatherings where a crowd can work through it. Many cuisines have a version, roasted on a spit, in a brick oven or in a pit dug in the ground, and the arrival of the platter tends to stop conversation for a moment.

For most people, marking the day means finding a restaurant or butcher that prepares one, or splitting the cost with friends. A smaller pork shoulder roasted with the skin on gives a fair preview of the crackling.

The ears and tail crisp first, and at many tables they are claimed before anyone picks up a fork.

Ways to celebrate

• Look for a local restaurant that serves roast suckling pig.
• Ask a butcher about ordering a small whole pig for a group.
• Try roasting a skin-on pork shoulder to practice crisp crackling.
• Share a whole roast with friends and split the cost.

Dates

All national days on December 18

Also on December 18

• Bake Cookies Day
• Answer the Phone Like Buddy the Elf Day
• National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
• National Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day

Categories: Food days