Lechon Liempo

A deep mahogany skin that cracks like glass, contrasting with meltingly tender, juicy meat. The powerful aroma of lemongrass and garlic infuses every pork fiber during the slow-roasting process.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 180 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1370
• Protein: 23 g
• Carbs: 5 g
• Fat: 138 g

Ingredients

• 1 kg Pork belly ( whole with skin )
• 2 piece lemongrass ( bruised )
• 4 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 0.7 piece Red onion ( sliced )
• 1.3 tbsp Gray sea salt
• 0.7 tbsp Black peppercorns ( crushed )
• 1.3 tbsp Peanut oil

Instructions

1. Preparing the belly

   Place the pork belly skin-side down. Score the meat in a crosshatch pattern without piercing the skin. Rub the meat generously with grey sea salt and crushed black pepper.

2. Aromatic stuffing

   Crush the lemongrass stalks with the side of a knife to release the oils. Arrange the lemongrass, minced garlic, and sliced red onion in the center of the belly.

3. Rolling and tying

   Roll the belly over itself to enclose the aromatics. Tie firmly every 2 cm with butcher's twine to create a regular cylinder. Thoroughly dry the skin with paper towels.

4. Slow roasting

   Place the roast on a rack over a baking sheet. Bake at 150°C. Cook until the meat is tender and fat starts to bead through the skin.

5. Final crisping

   Increase the temperature to 220°C. Lightly brush the skin with oil. Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes until the skin becomes brown, blistered, and perfectly crispy.

Chef's tips

• The secret to crackling skin is dehydration: leave the tied belly in the fridge uncovered for 12 hours before cooking.
• Never prick the skin with a fork during cooking; the juices would escape and soften the crust.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. To regain the crunch, reheat in the oven at 200°C, never in the microwave.