Lechon belly recipe should have crispy skin, tender pork pieces and lemongrass notes. This recipe will show you how to make Cebuchon at your home.
Cebuchon: What does it mean?
Cebuchon is a combination of “Cebu”, “lechon” and “lechon”. Cebuchon is a pork-belly-roll version of traditional Filipino lechon. Its name comes from Cebu, which is well-known for its lechon stuffed with herbs such as lemongrass, scallions and basil.
Lechon, also known as roasted suckling pork, is a Spanish invention that eventually spread around the globe due to colonialism. Lechon is a Filipino favorite dish. A party, especially a Boodle fight, would not be complete without it. The tender meat stuffed with many aromatics, such as garlic, scallions and lemongrass, makes it even more crispy and crunchy.
It was always a pleasure to be able to enjoy lechon at parties, as it is a lot more hassle and expensive to order whole pigs on a weekday. Cebuchon, or lechon belly, is a great option. You get the same flavorful meat and crispy skin but on a smaller scale.
How to choose the right belly*
You need to make sure it is large enough so that the ends meet when you roll it. This will ensure the filling doesn’t fall out. You also need to make sure it is large enough after rolling so that the claws of your rotisserie can fit all of its prongs. Seafood City has the best selection of pork belly. This is possible with slabs of pork belly weighing between 4-5 and 5.5 lb each.
If you are choosing meat, ensure that you do not choose pork belly pieces with ribs. Otherwise you will have to remove them at home. You want crispy skin so make sure you choose cuts that have not been trimmed. Costco had pork belly, but they didn’t come with skin. My lechon belly wouldn’t crisp up because of this.
Method & ingredients for bridging
This Lechon Belly recipe calls for a brine that has been first infused with aromatics for 10 mins on a boil to get maximum seasoning. The brine contains sugar, salt and peppercorns as well as garlic, lemongrass. Onions, bay leaf, water, star anise, and onions. After the brine has been chilled, I add vinegar to enhance flavor and tenderize the meat.
It is obvious that the longer the brine, a better flavor will result. If I have the time, I brine for at most four hours. I will also brine overnight if necessary. To prevent your meat from rotting, make sure you keep it in the refrigerator.
Seasoning and stuffing ingredients
Cebu-style Lechon is made from Cebuchon’s seasoning and stuffing. Add plenty of salt, pepper, garlic slices and sliced onions to the meat. I also add bay leaves, lemongrass, scallions and bay leaves. After brining, dry the meat using paper towels. Season generously with salt between each fold.
Rolling and tying the belly to make rotisserie
To keep the lechon belly in place during cooking, I prefer to use 5-6 pieces of twine. You will get crispier skin if you tie the twine closer to the edges.
My experience is that I prefer to use separate strings of twine for wrapping the pork belly, rather than using one long string and trussing it in loops. I was able to tie tighter knots, and the meat held together better. My Vietnamese Banh Mi pork belly recipe was simply tied with one string. This was because the belly was already rolled up and not needing to be filled with stuffing.
How to cook a rotisserie
These are some tips to make the best Cebuchon.
- Make sure to use a drip tray. This is essential as fat can drip, causing fire and smoke that will blacken your belly.
- Check the temperature of your grill. Grill burners can vary, so make sure to use the thermometer (on your grill or another third-party one) to check the internal temperature. This is the best way to ensure you cook at the correct temperatures.
- Safe grilling practices are important. For safe grilling, refer to your manual. It will tell you where your grill should be placed away from any structures and how high your roof should be. This is important, especially as we are hooking up an electronic rotating rotisserie. Keep one fire extinguisher handy in case of emergency.
Lechon belly is best served kamayan with a side dish of sinangag, barbecue skewers and some tangy atchara. An even amount of soy sauce and cane vinegar is the best dipping sauce. You can store left-overs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I like to bake them again for five minutes at 350°F.
Filipino Lechon Belly Recipe (Roasted Pork Belly)
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Stock pot
- Large container for brining
- Grill
- Twine
- Rotisserie attachment for your grill
- brush
- Drip tray
Ingredients
BRINE
- 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
- 2 stalks lemongrass cut into 3 inch sections and sliced in the middle
- 10 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tbsp black peppercorn
- 1 star anise
- ½ medium white onion sliced thinly
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp salt
- 56 fl oz filtered water
- 2 fl oz white vinegar
- 4 lb pork belly w/ skin intact
STUFFING
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 stalks lemongrass cut in half & cut to fit width of the pork belly
- 20 cloves garlic sliced thinly
- 4 bay leaves
- ¾ tsp (1.5 g) black pepper ground
- ¼ medium white onion sliced thinly
- 6 stalks green onions with roots cut off
- 1 fl oz milk (basting the pork belly)
Instructions
BRINE
- Combine all of the brine ingredients, except the pork and vinegar, in a large stockpot. Stir. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for ten minutes.
- Let the pot cool on the stove for a few minutes. Mix the vinegar with the pot once it has cooled.
- Make sure the pork is turned so that the skin is facing downward. You can score the meat with a knife in diagonal lines along the pork belly. You should aim to score the meat about half an inch or less deep with 1 space between each line. Repeat the scoring process by turning your pork belly 180°. Your score should be diamond-shaped.
- Combine the pork and brine in a container. Cover the pork with the brine mixture.
STUFFING
- After brining the pork, place it on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and let dry with paper towels. Season the pork with pepper & salt .Layer the ingredients for the stuffing. Layer the garlic slices between the folds. Next, add the onions slices, bay leaves, green onions, and lemongrass strips.
- Cut about 4-6 twine strands that are 3-4 inches long. This should be enough to cover the width of your pork belly. Each strand should be carefully taken and placed underneath the pork. You should try to reach the edges as closely as possible (about 1" from the edge).
- Your rotisserie rack pole should be placed in the middle.
- The pork belly should be rolled. Roll the pork belly on both sides. Wrap each twine strand in twine and tie. Continue this process until you have a complete roll. If your rotisserie has them, add the clamps to either side of your pork belly to keep it in place.
GRILLING
- Turn on the grill, place your belly on the plate and then add the drip tray to catch the fat. Serve with milk.
- For 2-3 hours, grill at 180 degrees F. My grill only required me to turn on one burner at the lowest heat. It maintained 180 degrees F. To ensure that things are on the right track, check the meat and grill temperature and make sure to baste with milk once every 30 minutes. This is what a final product should look like.
- Once the meat reaches 125-130degF internal temperature, increase the heat to 350-375degF for 45 minutes. Check the temperature of your grill by baste every 15 minutes. You're done when the skin is crispy and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. To ensure that the belly doesn't burn, do not leave the grill unattended towards the end of grilling. This is how the skin should look after it has finished crisping up.
- Allow it to cool, then remove the rod from the rotiserrie. Slice and chop and then serve.
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