This classic sweet and savory Inihaw na Liempo or gilled pork belly is typically grilled over a charcoal grill, but can also be conveniently prepared in the oven. A sawsawan or a dipping sauce is almost mandatory.
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What is Inihaw na Liempo?
Liempo is the Filipino word for "pork belly." It's a cut of meat known for its layers of fat and meat, which makes it flavorful and tender when cooked. "Inihaw" means "grilled."
So, Inihaw na Liempo is a Filipino dish where pork belly is marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, sugar, and garlic. It is then grilled until it's nicely charred and cooked through.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Pork belly slices: You want a good fat-to-meat ratio, with or without the skin. If you can, buy them boneless and ideally no thicker than ½ inch.
- Lemon juice: Use calamansi, if available, for a more authentic flavor; this citrus fruit is quite sour, like a cross between a lime and sour orange. Lemon is the closest substitute.
- Banana ketchup: This condiment or cooking ingredient is primarily made of bananas. It is sweeter and less tangy than tomato ketchup, which you can use instead. Besides imparting a reddish color, the acidity helps tenderize the meat.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the marinade
Combine ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, ¼ cup calamansi or lemon juice, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup ketchup, 6 minced/grated garlic cloves, and ground pepper (to taste). Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your taste.
PRO TIP: A well-blended marinade allows the meat to absorb more flavor.
Step 2: Marinate the meat
Marinate 2 pounds of pork belly slices and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.
Step 3: Bake in the oven
Preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). Line a baking sheet with double layers of aluminum foil to make cleanup easier. Arrange pork belly slices in a single layer and bake them for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Cook the basting sauce
Over medium heat, cook leftover marinade for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened to prevent cross-contamination.
Step 5: Baste the meat
Remove the meat from the oven and brush it with basting sauce on both sides. Return it to the oven for another 20 minutes.
PRO TIP: Adjust baking time based on the thickness of the meat. The thinner the slices, the faster they cook.
Step 6: Broil to caramelize
To caramelize the outside, broil on low for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Cut them into bite-size pieces and serve while warm.
Inihaw na Liempo (Grilled Pork Belly) goes best with white rice, Sinangag (Garlic Fried Rice), or Java Rice. Add a spiced vinegar dipping sauce and a side of Achara (Pickled Green Papaya), Ensaladang Talong (Filipino Eggplant Salad), or Mango Salad (Ensaladang Mangga) for extra yum!
How to make the dipping sauce (sawsawan)
To make dipping sauce, combine vinegar, shallot, chilies, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. I also use this sauce for a lot of other dishes, like Okoy or Ukoy (Shrimp and Vegetable Fritters), Filipino Beef Tapa (Tapsilog), and Lumpiang Gulay (Fried Vegetable Spring Rolls).
Other cooking methods
Traditional Grilling (Gas or Charcoal)
Preheat your grill. If using a charcoal grill, wait until the charcoals are white-hot and have a thin layer of ash on top. If using a gas grill, set it to medium-high heat.
Place the marinated pork belly on the grill grates. Cook each side for several minutes until it's well-seared, with visible grill marks, and cooked through. The exact time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat and the heat of the grill.
Pan-Grilling (or Stovetop Grilling)
Heat a grill pan (or a cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the marinated pork belly slices on the pan. Lower the heat to medium, then cook each side for 4-6 minutes or until well-seared and cooked through.
The raised ridges of the grill pan will give the meat those desirable grill marks and allow it to cook similarly to how it would on an outdoor grill.
Air Frying
Optional: Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (177°C) for a few minutes.
Place the marinated pork belly slices in the air fryer basket, ensuring they're in a single layer and not overlapping. Cook for about 30 minutes, turning them halfway through, or until golden brown and fully cooked.
Recipe FAQs
Filipino barbecue is commonly known as "inihaw" which means grilled. Usually done over charcoal, the meat (including offal), seafood, or vegetables are grilled whole or skewered.
Inihaw is often served with a "sawsawan," a dipping sauce made from vinegar, soy sauce, calamansi, and chilies.
It is recommended to cook pork to an internal temperature of 145º F (63º C). This recipe, however, doesn't require a thermometer because the slices are thin and cook quickly. It is generally considered cooked when the pork is no longer pink.
Traditionally, Inihaw na Liempo (Grilled Pork Belly) is prepared on an outdoor grill. When that isn't possible, other methods can be used.
You can use a grill pan or cast-iron skillet on the stove. You may also use an air fryer, turbo broiler, or toaster oven. Temperatures and cooking times will vary.
Try other Filipino barbecue or inihaw
- Inihaw na Manok (Grilled Chicken): Chicken marinated in soy sauce, calamansi, and garlic, then grilled until golden and juicy. Chicken Inasal from Bacolod is a slightly different version with annatto and lemongrass.
- Inihaw na Isda (Grilled Fish): A whole fish seasoned or marinated, then grilled for a rich, smoky flavor. Examples are tilapia, pompano, milkfish, or tuna.
- Inihaw na Pusit (Grilled Squid): Squid marinated in a savory and subtly sweet mixture, then briefly grilled to remain tender.
- Inihaw na Talong (Grilled Eggplant): Eggplants grilled until soft and smoky, commonly eaten with a side of tomato salsa, similar to Ensaladang Talong.
- Pork Barbecue Skewers: Bite-sized pieces of pork marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, skewered and then grilled.
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Inihaw na Liempo Recipe
Equipment
- Convection oven, grill, or air fryer
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork belly slices ½"-thick (see note)
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon soy sauce regular or light
- ¼ cup lemon or calamansi juice (see note)
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar more to taste; sub: any sugar
- ¼ cup banana or tomato ketchup (see note)
- 6 cloves garlic minced or grated
- Black pepper to taste
Dipping Sauce:
- ¼ cup distilled white or cane vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot sub: red onion
- Bird's eye chilies to taste; chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the pork belly marinade by combining soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, and ground pepper (to taste) in a bowl.
- Marinate the pork belly slices in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). Line a baking sheet with double layers of aluminum foil to make cleanup easier.
- Arrange pork belly slices in a single layer and bake them for 20 minutes.
- Over medium heat, cook leftover marinade for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened to prevent cross-contamination.
- Remove the meat from the oven and brush it with basting sauce on both sides. Return it to the oven for another 20 minutes. Adjust baking time based on the thickness of the meat. The thinner the slices, the faster they cook.
- To caramelize the outside, broil on low for about 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn them.
- Cut into bite-size pieces and serve them with a dipping sauce by combining vinegar, shallot, chilies, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Pork belly slices: You want a good fat-to-meat ratio, with or without the skin. If you can, buy them boneless and ideally no thicker than ½ inch.
- Lemon juice: Use calamansi, if available, for a more authentic flavor; this citrus fruit is quite sour, like a cross between a lime and sour orange. Lemon is the closest substitute.
- Banana ketchup: This condiment or cooking ingredient is primarily made of bananas. It is sweeter and less tangy than tomato ketchup, which you can use instead. Besides imparting a reddish color, the acidity helps tenderize the meat.
Christina says
Love this recipe! I marinated it longer than instructed. It turned out great! I ate a lot of rice!!!!! :-////////
Nora Rey says
Hello Christina! I am happy to hear that! And yes to rice! Rice is life! LOL
Nina says
I enjoyed the taste of this recipe. Marinated it longer. 😃
Nora Reyes says
Hello Nina! Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked it! Marinating longer sounds like a great idea!