Roasted piglet
Encyclopedia
Roasted piglet or "pečenje" (pech-EH-nyeh) in Serbian
is a Serbia
n national meal
. Despite the common translation of "roasted piglet", other varieties of pečenje include sheep (lamb, mutton), beef, veal, goat and chicken, and unlike roasts in many other cultures, Serbian pečenje is often eaten cold.
After the carcass is washed, cleaned and seasoned liberally with salt, it is roasted
whole, either on a spit
over an open fire or coals, or in a big stone oven ("furuna" or "peć" in Serbian). The finished roast is then cut into small, often square pieces, except for the head, which is served either whole or halved. Other sections are portioned with the skin and fat from that area of the animal. Internal organs such as kidneys or heart are sometimes found on the roast, but are sometimes consumed by the roaster prior to the roast being presented to the diners.
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
is a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n national meal
National dish
A national dish is a dish, food or a drink that is considered to represent a particular country, nation or region.A dish can become a national dish for a variety of reasons. It can be the national dish because it is a staple daily food for the majority of the population. It can also be the national...
. Despite the common translation of "roasted piglet", other varieties of pečenje include sheep (lamb, mutton), beef, veal, goat and chicken, and unlike roasts in many other cultures, Serbian pečenje is often eaten cold.
After the carcass is washed, cleaned and seasoned liberally with salt, it is roasted
Roasting
Roasting is a cooking method that uses dry heat, whether an open flame, oven, or other heat source. Roasting usually causes caramelization or Maillard browning of the surface of the food, which is considered by some as a flavor enhancement. Roasting uses more indirect, diffused heat , and is...
whole, either on a spit
Rotisserie
Rotisserie is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit - a long solid rod used to hold food while it is being cooked over a fire in a fireplace or over a campfire, or roasted in an oven. This method is generally used for cooking large joints of meat or entire animals, such as pigs,...
over an open fire or coals, or in a big stone oven ("furuna" or "peć" in Serbian). The finished roast is then cut into small, often square pieces, except for the head, which is served either whole or halved. Other sections are portioned with the skin and fat from that area of the animal. Internal organs such as kidneys or heart are sometimes found on the roast, but are sometimes consumed by the roaster prior to the roast being presented to the diners.