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Boneless Lechon Belly
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4.74 from 53 votes

How to Cook Lechon Belly (Boneless Lechon)

Lechon Belly is a savory, roasted pork belly dish, stuffed with aromatic herbs and spices, known for its tender, flavorful meat and irresistibly crispy skin.
Prep Time12 hours
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time15 hours
Course: Pork Recipe
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: boneless lechon, lechon belly, roasted pork belly
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 564kcal
Author: Manny

Ingredients

  • 2 kilos whole pork belly slab remove the bones if any

For the marinade-brine:

  • 1 stalk of lemon grass chopped
  • 1 stalk leeks chopped
  • 2 pieces of laurel bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. ground black peppercorn
  • 5 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup rock salt
  • 5 cups of water

For the stuffings:

  • 1 stalk lemon grass
  • 1 stalk leeks
  • 1 pc onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed

For the skin rub:

  • 1/4 cup rock salt for rubbing the skin

Instructions

How to Cook Lechon Belly:

  • Wash and clean the pork belly slab in running water. Drain.
  • In a medium size pot, prepare the brine by combining the water, lemon grass, leeks, bay leaves, pepper corns, garlic, sugar and salt.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes to release the aroma and flavor of the herbs and spices. Turn off heat and let it cool.
  • Put the pork belly slab and submerge in the flavored brine and place in a refrigerator. Let it soak overnight for best result.
  • After brining, wash the pork belly in running water and pat dry.
  • Place the pork belly in a flat surface and place in the center the stuffings: lemon grass, leeks, garlic and onion.
  • Roll the pork belly like a jelly roll and tie it with twine until it is secured and will not open up and spill the stuffing.
  • To make the lechon skin even more crispy and have a crackling skin, do this extra step: Poke a paring knife or fork on the skin. Rub salt all over the skin and meat then place the pork belly in a refrigerator to chill for few hours.
  • Place the pork belly in a roasting pan with a rack and cover with aluminum foil.
  • Place in a preheated oven 190°C and roast for 2 hours. Then after 2 hours, remove the foil, continue roasting for another hour until the skin is crispy. Serve hot.
  • In case the skin is not yet crackling crispy, extend the cooking time to 45 minutes to 1 hour and raise the temperature to 220°C.

Video

Notes

Cooking Tips:

Perfect the Brine for Extra Flavor

To achieve the most flavorful pork, brine the meat overnight. Use a mixture of water, salt, sugar, and aromatics like lemongrass, garlic, and bay leaves to infuse the pork belly with savory goodness. This step ensures the meat stays moist and absorbs deep layers of flavor during roasting.

Ensure Crispy Skin with Proper Preparation

For that signature crispy skin, pat the pork belly dry after brining and poke small holes in the skin using a fork. Rub salt generously on the surface to help draw out moisture, which leads to better crackling during roasting. Let the pork chill in the fridge for a few hours to further dry out the skin before cooking.

Control Heat for Even Cooking

Roast the pork belly wrapped in foil for the first two hours to cook the meat evenly without burning the skin. Afterward, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to crisp up the skin for the final hour. This two-step process ensures tender meat inside and perfectly crispy skin outside.