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Lechon Belly

Recipe by Connie Veneracion
Grated ginger, minced garlic, finely sliced scallions and salt are spread on two-kilogram slab of pork belly. The meat is rolled, tied, steamed to tenderness then roasted until the skin is browned, puffed and crisp.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Marinating and cooling time 9 hours
Total Time 12 hours 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 6 people
A slice of lechon belly on a plate with rice

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the pork and wipe dry.
  • Lay the pork belly flat on the work surface with the skin side facing down.
  • Spread the salt and pepper over the entire surface of the pork.
  • Transfer the pork belly, still skin side down, to a container large enough to hold it without rolling, folding or cutting the meat. Cover tightly and leave in the fridge overnight.
  • Take the pork belly out of the fridge and lay flat on the work surface, skin side down.
  • Spread the ginger over the meat followed by the scallions and garlic.
    Spreading herbs and spices on a slab of pork belly before rolling
  • Roll the pork as tightly as you can then tie it up securely with a sturdy string (we didn’t have kitchen twine so I used five equal pieces of crocheting thread).
    Stuffed and rolled pork belly tied with kitchen twine
  • Steam over simmering water for two hours.
  • Remove the pork belly from the steamer and rest on a rack. Cool for an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 470F.
  • Transfer the steamed pork belly to a baking tray and roast in the oven for an hour or until the skin is browned and crisp.
    Lechon belly straight out of the oven
  • Take the pork belly out of the oven and move to a chopping board.
  • Cool the meat for about 10 minutes before cutting off the strings and slicing the meat.

Notes

Updated from a recipe originally published in December 23, 2015
Keyword Pork Belly