LECHON COOKING RECIPES

Steps:

• Combine pork belly, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a skillet; pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until skin is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Drain and let sit at room temperature until pork has air-dried.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fry pork in the hot oil, working in batches, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove fried pork with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Steps:

• Remove the entrails and scrape the bristles off the pig’s skin.
• Rinse the pig with water and let it drain slightly.
• Rub the pig with salt and pepper inside and out. Then, brush the inside with some soy sauce.
• Stuff the pig’s belly with saba bananas, star anise, green onion leaves, crushed garlic, and bay leaves. Finish with tangled bundles of lemongrass, and sew the belly with kitchen thread.
• Skewer the pig with a mid-sized bamboo stick.
• Roast over hot charcoal, turning constantly until the meat is tender, and the skin crisp. Occasionally, glaze the pig’s skin with Sprite – use a brush or a sponge.
• Serve lechon chopped into pieces, or bring the entire pig to the table.