Lechon Kawali

Name: Lechon Kawali
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 2 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: filipino
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless pork belly, 1 1/2 inches thick, cut into 3-inch-long slabs (see Tip); 1 large red or yellow onion, quartered; 8 garlic cloves, crushed; 4 dried bay leaves; 3 tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups); 1/2 cup sugarcane vinegar, or white wine, apple cider or rice vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 Thai or small hot chiles, chopped; Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal); Black pepper, to taste; Soy sauce (optional); Fish sauce (optional)

By Naz Deravian

Updated Nov. 30, 2023

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Rating: 4(60)
Notes: Read community notes

Lechon, or whole suckling pig, is traditionally prepared for large holiday gatherings in the Philippines, but lechon kawali, a dish of crispy deep-fried pork belly, is served year-round for special occasions. (Kawali refers to the pan used for frying the pork.) To maximize lechon kawali’s crispiness, it’s important to make sure the skin is as dry as possible. In this version, the pork belly is first simmered in a savory broth of onion, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns, then dried in a low oven. To finish, the pork is fried until the skin is crisp and crackly. Serve lechon kawali with a side of rice, and don’t skip the garlicky vinegar sauce for dipping, which balances the fried pork by adding a necessary tang.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

For the Pork Belly

2pounds boneless pork belly, 1½ inches thick, cut into 3-inch-long slabs (see Tip)
1large red or yellow onion, quartered
8garlic cloves, crushed
4dried bay leaves
3tablespoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed
1tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1tablespoon soy sauce
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)

For the Vinegar Sauce

½cup sugarcane vinegar, or white wine, apple cider or rice vinegar
2garlic cloves, chopped
2Thai or small hot chiles, chopped
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
Black pepper, to taste
Soy sauce (optional)
Fish sauce (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Cook the pork: Place the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns and soy sauce in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the pork by about 2 inches. Partially cover with a lid and bring to a boil over high. Reduce to medium and cook at a lively simmer until the skin is fork tender, about 45 minutes. If desired, drain the broth and reserve to use as stock.
Step 2
Dry the pork: Heat the oven to 275 degrees. Place a wire rack on a sheet pan (you can line the sheet pan with parchment or aluminum foil for easier cleanup); place the pork on top. Pat the pork with paper towels. Grab a handful of wooden skewers, and evenly puncture the skin. (Alternatively, you can score the skin every ¼ inch.) Season both sides generously with salt. Place in the oven until the skin is completely dry, 1 to 1½ hours.
Step 3
Prepare the vinegar sauce: In a small bowl, add the vinegar, garlic, chiles, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, to taste, and soy and fish sauces, if using. Stir until the salt is dissolved.
Step 4
Fry the pork: Fill a deep wok or Dutch oven with about 1½ inches of oil, and heat to 370 degrees over medium-high. Using tongs, place one slab, skin side down, in the hot oil. Stand back just in case there’s excess moisture trapped in the pork; it might splatter. Fry until the pork is golden brown and the skin is crisp and bubbled, about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature. Carefully flip the pork and fry the meat side, continuously ladling oil over the skin, until it takes on a little color without drying out, 1 to 2 minutes. The skin should be crispy and the meat should be tender and juicy.
Step 5
Remove the lechon kawali and return it to the wire rack to cool slightly. Repeat with the remaining pork slabs. Once cool enough to handle, chop the fried pork into bite-size pieces. Serve immediately with the vinegar sauce for dipping, and a side of rice, if you like.

Tip

Choose a pork belly slab with a balanced ratio of fat to meat. If the pork belly is too fatty, the thinner layer of meat will become too dry as it takes longer for the skin to crisp.

Ratings

4 out of 5

60 user ratings

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Cooking Notes

TN4 months ago

For anyone who is adverse to frying like me, you can get the same crispy effect with broiling in the oven. But watch it like a hawk!!!

Mohar4 months ago

I followed the instructions closely and the pork came out perfectly cooked, but a little plain without the sauce. The sauce itself was bright and vinegar-forward. I did not have fish sauce to use, but when I make in the future I’d definitely try to give the dipping sauce some more umami in some way, maybe with fish sauce or maybe play with a Chinese-inspired slightly sweet, thicker sauce.

Peter M4 months ago

This can also be done in the air fryer after boiling. The skin is crispy and amazing.

Jess1 week ago

Peter, thanks for the tip. Do you remember a temperature & time for the air fryer? Did you still dry it out in the oven first?

Ted4 months ago

It is even better paired with the thick brown Lechon sauce which Filipinos call "sarsa"--made of liver (usually chicken but pork or beef would also do), vinegar, bread crumbs (for thickening), onions and garlic. It is sold by the bottle in the Philippines.

TN4 months ago

For anyone who is adverse to frying like me, you can get the same crispy effect with broiling in the oven. But watch it like a hawk!!!

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