Lechon Kawali (Crispy Pork Belly)
Posted on 03. Aug, 2010 by admin in Filipino, GF-Adaptable, Meat
Lechon Kawali (Crispy Pork Belly)
by Malou Nievera , Skip to Malou
In the Philippines, Lechon (roast pig) is a party staple, but a good substitute is lechon kawali (crispy pork belly). It’s usually carved as an appetizer or an entree in itself. It’s best enjoyed when dipped in soy sauce and vinegar or with a lechon sauce (liver pate sauce). Most of us dread frying, especially large chunks of meat. So I cooked the pork belly in a turbo broiler, so it’s sans frying (a healthier way to cook Filipino food!)
Lechon Kawali (Crispy Pork Belly)
2 lbs Pork belly
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic
2 stalks of lemongrass
3 bay leaves
Directions:
Pound the lemongrass. Make sure to get the juices out. Rub it on to the pork. Mince the garlic and mix it together with salt and pepper. Rub it on to the pork . Roll the pork belly and stuff some garlic salt , pepper and lemon grass. Secure it with strings.
Boil the pork and throw in some bay leaves and peppercorns to add more flavor. Boil it for about an hour or until the skin is tender. Some hang it to dry. I just put mine in the refrigerator until I am ready to cook it, usually the following day. Make sure to bring the pork out an hour before cooking.
Now here’s the twist. Usually back home, the pre-boiled pork gets submerged in a pot full of oil and deep fried on high heat. That’s why it’s called Lechon Kawali coming fromkawali which is pan or wok. But I am not too keen on deep frying, not just because of health issues (as if the pork belly is healthy– haha!) but because of fear of oil splattering and me having to call 911…
Bake it at 375F in an oven, or in my case, the turbo broiler for about an hour or until very crispy. When you hear the skin crackling, voila, it’s done! I didn’t have to slave away to satisfy my cravings.
Let it cool before chopping. You could enjoy your crispy pork belly with your favorite dipping sauce but my favorite is vinegar and soy sauce with chopped onions and garlic. ENJOY!
11 Responses to “Lechon Kawali (Crispy Pork Belly)”
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Where do I buy pork belly?
Is that what the cut is called?
Looks so good and I’d love to try this but have never heard of pork belly.
Thank you.
grace Reply:
August 4th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
I usually purchase pork belly at H Mart which is a Korean grocery supermarket. But you can also ask your butcher at your neighborhood supermarket and see whether they have it. If not, go to our Asian Grocery Store search to see what Asian grocery stores are near you.
first off, thanks for posting my recipe, it’s such an honor…
@isabel: you could buy pork belly in Asian Markets. As grace mentioned it’s sold in H Mart or Ranch 99 or Seafood City. I hpe this helps!
thanks,
Malou
Malou, what a beautiful pork belly this is — my mouth is watering!!! That turbo broiler is EPIC i love it — now if only I could taste it ^_^
This looks like a neat gadget! I like that you can get the crisp results with less fat. Pork belly – sinfully delicious!
WOW! Can’t take my eyes off that pork :) This is just the kind of recipe im
looking for, nothing fancy, so easy to make, an organic blend of flavors that brings out that distinct porky taste and a long shelf life to boot. Kudos to the author! Thanks for posting this, can’t wait to try this at home, and btw, love that pig pic :)
Thank you Grace and Malou.
I was able to find pork belly so will be trying this wonderful looking pork.
If anyone asks, the equipment I think its from American Home or American Heritage and a convenient device for special occasions to cook something….
This pork belly look so good. But i can’t find it in los angeles. HELP ME
This is a beautifully cooked pork belly and it looks very succulent Malou. By the way, on the last comment by Charlene on where to buy pork belly in LA, here is the link:
http://www.seafoodcity.com/html/losAngeles.html