A good Lechon Kawali (Fried Pork Belly) has crispy, crackling skin and juicy flesh. You can achieve that crunchier texture with just a few simple steps.
You may want to double the recipe or save the leftovers for Pork Belly Sisig or Pinakbet with Crispy Pork Belly.
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Pork belly: It is a boneless cut (sometimes with ribs attached) with the best flavor and texture from thick layers of fat and meat. Buy skin-on pork belly with a sufficient amount of fat to keep it moist. Pork shoulder, also known as picnic shoulder or picnic roast, is the closest substitute. It is a cheaper, leaner cut with slightly tougher meat.
- Mang Tomas: A brand of an all-purpose sauce or dipping sauce for Lechon (Roast Pig), Lechon Kawali (Fried Pork Belly), and other fried foods. It is a thick sauce that's sweet and tangy, originally with pork liver as one of its ingredients. A spicy vinegar sauce can also be used as an alternative.
How to make this recipe
(1)Place the entire slab of pork belly with its skin side up in a large pot. You can cut it to fit in the pot, but not too small to prevent it from drying out.
Add 3 smashed garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon kosher salt (use less for table salt), and some ground black pepper or peppercorns. Submerge the meat completely in water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer until fork tender.
Depending on the thickness, it may take 1½ to 2 hours. You can also do it in an electric pressure cooker for 30-45 minutes. If your pork belly comes with some bones, pulling them out will make cutting easier when fried.
(2)Transfer to a plate with its skin side up and salt the skin to help draw out the moisture. Allow it to dry uncovered overnight in the fridge.
If you need it sooner, place it in the oven at a low temperature of 250° F (121° C ) for about an hour to dry the skin. You can also freeze them and fry them later.
(3)Divide the meat into 3-inch thick pieces to get plenty of crispy exterior while the inside stays juicy. As an option, score the skin to expose more fat if it is too thick underneath. It will help render the fat and draw out the moisture, resulting in crispier skin.
(4)Set a Dutch oven (pot or wok) with about 1½ inches of oil over high heat. Make sure the oil is very hot before placing the meat with its skin side down first—375° F (190° C) if using a thermometer. Then reduce the heat slightly to prevent the meat from browning too quickly.
(5)Fry until golden brown for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. Transfer on paper towels to drain excess oil.
(6)Let them cool slightly, then slice them into bite-size pieces.
Lechon Kawali (Fried Pork Belly) is often served with Mang Tomas all-purpose sauce.
Alternatively, you can serve it with a spiced vinegar dipping sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Lechon Kawali is a popular Filipino dish that consists of crispy deep-fried pork belly. The name "lechon" comes from the Spanish word for roasted pig, while "kawali" means pan in Filipino, referring to the cooking vessel used.
You may find many techniques in making pork skin not just crispy but crackling where the skin has puffed or blistered. What works best is simmering the meat until very tender and resting it uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry the skin; the absence of moisture is crucial for crispy skin. A blast of high heat is just as important so the skin can crack properly; place the pork skin side down first in very hot oil.
Mang Tomas is a thick sauce made of sugar, vinegar, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pork liver was originally one of its ingredients. It tastes sweet, salty, and tangy. A spicy variety is also available.
Crispy Pata is a similar Filipino dish that is made with pork knuckles or trotters, while Lechon Kawali is made with pork belly. The main difference is the cut of meat used, as well as the fact that Crispy Pata is often boiled with spices and seasonings before it is deep-fried, while Lechon Kawali is simply boiled and then deep-fried.
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Lechon Kawali (Fried Pork Belly)
Equipment
- Large pot (for boiling)
- Dutch oven, wok, or pot (for deep-frying)
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 pork belly slab (about 3 pounds), skin on
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt
- Ground black pepper or peppercorns
- Neutral, high-heat oil for frying (canola oil, avocado oil, peanut oil)
- Dipping sauce (Mang Tomas all-purpose sauce or spiced vinegar)
Instructions
- Place pork belly slab with its skin side up in a large pot. You can cut it to fit in the pot, but not too small to prevent it from drying out.
- Add garlic, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt (use less for table salt), and some ground black pepper or peppercorns.
- Submerge the meat completely in water.
- Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and simmer until fork tender. Depending on the thickness, it may take 1½ to 2 hours. You can also do it in an electric pressure cooker for 30-45 minutes. If your pork belly comes with some bones, pulling them out will make cutting easier when fried.
- Transfer to a plate with its skin side up and salt the skin to help draw out the moisture.
- Allow the skin to dry uncovered overnight in the fridge. If you need it sooner, place it in the oven at a low temperature of 250° F (121° C ) for about an hour to dry the skin. You can also freeze them and fry them later.
- Divide the meat into 3-inch thick pieces to get plenty of crispy exterior while the inside stays juicy. As an option, score the skin to expose more fat if it is too thick underneath; this will help render the fat and draw out the moisture, resulting in crispier skin.
- Set a Dutch oven (pot or wok) with about 1½ inches of oil over high heat. Make sure the oil is very hot before placing the meat with its skin side down first—375° F (190° C) if using a thermometer. Then reduce the heat slightly to prevent the meat from browning too quickly.
- Fry until golden brown for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. Transfer on paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Let them cool slightly, then slice them into bite-size pieces.
- Serve with Mang Tomas all-purpose sauce or a spiced vinegar dipping sauce.
Lara
I made this over the weekend and it was excellent. I made sure it was so tender - the skin was amazing! So crisp and easy to chew!!! Love love love!!!! Thank you!!!