Lechon Liempo (Easy Roasted Pork Belly) Recipe

From SoYummySoEasy.com

Why Lechon Liempo Is the Ultimate Filipino Celebration Food

Lechon is the undisputed king of the Filipino party table. At any grand family gathering — a birthday, fiesta, wedding, or Christmas celebration — the first question on everyone's lips is almost always "may lechon ba?" (Is there lechon?). Traditionally, a whole pig is slow-roasted over live charcoal by expert pit masters, making it a costly and labor-intensive centerpiece best left to professionals. Lechon Liempo solves all of that. By using a slab of pork belly instead of a whole pig, and roasting it in the oven instead of over charcoal, you get all the flavors of authentic lechon — the herb-stuffed, aromatic meat and the signature crispy crackling skin — at a fraction of the cost and effort. It's budget-friendly, beginner-manageable, and perfect for feeding a family at any celebration. Leftovers, if there are any, can be repurposed into pork sisig for the next day.

Tips:

• Refrigerate the rolled pork belly overnight before roasting — this dries out the skin, which is essential for achieving proper crackling.
• Pat the skin completely dry with a paper towel before it goes into the oven.
• Poke the skin all over with a knife or fork before roasting — this helps the fat render and the crackling to form evenly.
• A convection oven or turbo broiler gives the most consistent results due to precise temperature control.
• Do not skip the high-heat blast at the end — this is what transforms the skin from soft to shatteringly crisp.
• Allow the pork to rest and cool before slicing for cleaner cuts and better texture.
• Serve with lechon sauce or Mang Tomas for the full experience.

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Recipe

Servings: 8 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 6 hours | Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes + overnight chilling | Calories: ~546 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 1½ kg pork belly slab, skin on
• 3 whole garlic bulbs, peeled and chopped
• 3 red onions, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup fresh oregano leaves, washed and chopped
• 4–5 lemongrass stalks, sliced
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 4 tablespoons crushed black pepper
• ⅛ cup salt (plus extra for rubbing the skin)

Instructions

1. Make the stuffing mixture — Combine the garlic, red onion, oregano, lemongrass, lemon juice, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt in a bowl. Mix well, then lightly mash everything together with a spoon or give it 2 to 3 quick pulses in a food processor until it comes together into a rough paste.
2. Stuff and roll — Lay the pork belly slab skin side down on a clean surface. Spread and rub the herb mixture generously all over the meat side. Roll the slab up tightly and secure it firmly with butcher's twine at even intervals. Tuck back any stuffing that falls out.
3. Season the skin — Rub extra salt liberally all over the outside of the roll, especially the skin. Using a paring knife or fork, poke the skin all over to help the fat render and the crackling form during roasting.
4. Chill overnight — Place the rolled pork belly on a rack set over a roasting pan lined with foil. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. This step dries the skin and is key to achieving proper crackling — do not skip it.
5. Preheat and roast — The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Pat the skin dry once more with a paper towel. Roast for 5 hours at this low temperature until the meat is fully cooked and tender inside.
6. Blast for crackling — Increase the oven temperature to 220°C (430°F). Roast for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour, watching closely, until the skin blisters and crisps up into a deep golden, crunchy crackling.
7. Rest and serve — Remove from the oven and allow to cool and rest before slicing. Serve with steamed rice and lechon sauce.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Serving Size	~602g
Calories	546
Total Fat	13.76g
Saturated Fat	2.47g
Trans Fat	0.11g
Cholesterol	255mg
Sodium	7,067mg
Potassium	1,743mg
Total Carbohydrate	21.36g
Dietary Fiber	3.3g
Total Sugars	5.48g
Protein	90.38g

Note: Sodium is high due to the salt rub used on the full slab — actual intake per slice will be significantly lower.

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All the glory of a whole lechon, made in your own oven at home — this is the recipe that makes every family dinner feel like a celebration!