In the woods of New York state, pitmaster Norberto Piattoni roasts whole pigs on a handmade spit to sell at his Catskills pop-up, the Modestos.
“We’re cooking a pig that was raised on the land, and we’re using sticks to build [the spit] and cook it,” says Piattoni. “It’s very primal.”
Piattoni views cooking a whole pig this way as a creative challenge, making life more interesting than if he used easier methods. “I think the whole purpose of cooking in this style is putting yourself in a place where our ancestors were before, not having electricity, not having gas,” says Piattoni. “You just have to be creative.”
Watch the full video to see how Piattoni cuts the pig, builds the spit, prepares the pig for different dishes, and gets everything ready for the pop-up.