CEBU, Philippines — When it comes to pork,
the belly part is widely preferred. The cooks make it into delicious “humba.”
Pork belly is also a winner when char-broiled.
But, okay, whatever dish the pork belly is made into won’t compare with the appeal of the big favorite lechon, the famous Philippine roasted pig. The lechon remains the country’s de facto national dish. In fact, it is touted to be “the best pig [dish] ever!”
Celebrations in the country would always have the lechon in the celebratory meal. Birthdays, graduations, weddings, baptismals, debuts, family reunions, job promotions etc. are such occasions that call for a lechon. Without a whole lechon, an occasion is not much for a celebration.
Certain important celebrations, however, do not have to be grand to summon the neighbors and relatives from another island. Most birthdays in the family are celebrated only among close family members. In small families, a whole lechon is just too much to have for a home celebration.
Some creative minds have thought of the pork belly – it could be made into lechon, just enough for intimate celebrations. It’s still ‘whole’ lechon, because the pork belly is rolled and roasted as one unit. And lechon belly is lechon just the same, perhaps only better.
And lechon belly does not require as grand an effort to make. It can be cooked right in the kitchen, no lechon pit required. Some even say that lechon belly can be made more delicious – because the size is more manageable, it’s easier to season the roll with spices. Moreover, the slow-roast treatment of the pork belly often results in succulent meat and crispy skin, no different from the whole lechon.
Here’s a recipe shared by Joshua Bousel at www.seriouseats.com to try at home:
Lechon Belly
Ingredients:
1 piece of pork belly, about 2 ½ kg., with skin on
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 disposable foil pan
Procedure:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, salt, vinegar, and black pepper.
2. Lay pork belly on a cutting board skin-side down. Score flesh diagonally about every 2 inches. Repeat in opposite direction, creating a diamond pattern. Spread garlic mixture evenly all over flesh.
3. Roll pork into a cylinder and tie tightly with butcher twine about every inch.
4. Light a small mound of charcoal. When all the charcoal lights up and is covered with gray ash, arrange the coals on either side of the charcoal lattice and place a foil pan between the two piles of coals.
5. Cover the grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Run a bamboo pole through the middle of pork belly roll, and secure ends with nails or metal string to hold it in place.
6. Cook the pork belly roll at medium heat, turning consistently, until skin has darkened and turned crispy. It takes about 3 hours to fully cook (replenishing charcoals now and then to maintain temperature.
7. When fully cooked, remove lechon belly from the fire and let rest for 10 minutes. Then, remove from the bamboo pole, slice, and serve.