Lechon Pork Belly Recipe

How To Cook Lechon Pork Belly Recipe

Lechon Pork Belly Recipe - Lechon is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically Spain and its former colonial possessions throughout the world. The word lechon originated from the Spanish term lechon, referring to a suckling pig that is roasted. Lechón is a popular food in the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, other Spanish-speaking nations in Latin America, and Spain. The dish features a whole roasted pig cooked over charcoal. Additionally, it is a national dish of the Philippines with Cebu being acknowledged by American chef Anthony Bourdain as having the best pig,and also being the national dish of Puerto Rico. Nowadays in most of Latin America, the original use of a suckling pig has given way to a medium-sized adult pig.

The thought of lechon can already make one go hungry. Try this easy roasted pork belly recipe using your oven and indulge yourself to its rich flavour!

Lechon is a roasted whole pig slowly cooked or grilled over charcoal heat. That crispy skin makes lechon one of the most craved for dishes. In every region or country, the flavour and aroma for this roasted pig do differ. The flavour is developed during cooking from those spices and herbs and other ingredients stuffed inside the pig’s belly.

Lechon Pork Belly Recipe Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg pork belly slab, skin on
• 3 whole garlic bulbs, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ cup oregano leaves, washed then chopped
• 3 red onions, peeled and chopped around 4 – 5 lemongrass stalks, sliced the zest from 1 lemon
• juice from 1 lemon
• a little over 1/8 cup salt, plus more for an even rub around the pork
• 4 tablespoons crushed black pepper

Cooking Instructions:

1. Combine all the aromatics in a bowl and mix well.
2. Lightly mash everything together with the back of a spoon.
3. Alternatively, use a food processor to bring everything together with only around 2-3 pulses.With the skin side down, rub the mixture all over the meat.
4. Roll the slab, carefully invert the meat and secure it with butcher’s twine.
5. It’s okay if there are a few pieces of herbs that fall off, you can place it back later.
6. Rub coarse salt all over the meat, including the skin.
7. With a paring knife or fork, poke the skin of the meat. This will ensure a nice crackling.
8. Transfer it to a roasting fitted with a rack and the bottom lined with foil.
9. Place it in the refrigerator to chill overnight. This will dry the skin, which helps the crackling form.
10. Preheat the oven to 160 C. Just to be sure, pat the skin of the pork dry with apaper towel. Roast the pork for 5 hours.
11. Afterwards, increase the temperature to 220 C, and allow the pork’s crackling to form. This will take another 30 minutes to an hour.
12. When done, remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit before slicing. Enjoy!

Source Recipe KusinaMaster

Learn How To Cook Lechon Pork Belly Recipe