Lechon-Style Roast Pork Belly with Crackling

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

Filipino

Servings

6-8

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours

Calories

900

This festive show-stopper brings together the rich savoury flavours of Filipino lechon with the comfort of a classic British roast. Rolled pork belly is stuffed with a fragrant blend of garlic, onions, lemongrass, and bay leaves, then dried overnight for perfect crackling. The result is tender meat, crispy skin, and bold flavours that shine on any Christmas or Noche Buena table.

This recipe is ideal for Christmas dinner, Sunday roasts or any celebration where you want a show-stopping centrepiece.

Perfect for: families, holiday gatherings, Filipino food lovers, and anyone seeking bold, crowd-pleasing festive flavours.

Lechon-style roast pork belly with crispy crackling, sliced and served on a wooden board with dipping sauce. Filipino-inspired festive pork dish perfect for Christmas and Noche Buena.

Ingredients

1.5 - 2 kg pork belly, skin on
1 medium onion, chopped
6–8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, tender middle part only
2–3 bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
Butcher’s twine

Dipping Sauce

3-6 tbsp soy sauce
2-4 tbsp lemon juice (or calamansi if preferred)
1-2 tbsp RoniB’s Kitchen Garlic Chilli Oil

Directions

Prepare the stuffing

Add onion, garlic, lemongrass, salt, and pepper into a blender.
Blitz into a thick, fragrant paste.
Set aside the bay leaves — these will be added whole.

Prepare the pork belly

Pat the pork belly dry.
Score the skin lightly in a criss-cross pattern, then prick all over with a sharp fork — this helps the crackling blister.
Rub the skin generously with salt to draw out moisture.

Fill and roll

Turn the pork belly over, meat-side up.
Salt and pepper the whole of the meat side.
Spread the stuffing paste evenly across the meat.
Lay the bay leaves over the paste. Lightly crush them, if desired.
Roll the pork belly tightly and secure with butcher’s twine at regular intervals.

Dry the skin (overnight)

Place the rolled pork on a rack set over a tray.
Refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry the skin — essential for crisp crackling.

Roast the pork

Remove the pork from the fridge while preheating the oven to 180°C (fan).
Gently wipe away the excess salt from the skin, making sure it remains completely dry.
Roast for 1 hour 45 minutes or until juices run clear.
Increase the heat to 220°C for the final 25–30 minutes to blister the crackling or until the skin is golden and crispy.
Rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Dipping Sauce

Whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, and Garlic Chilli Oil. Adjust acidity or heat to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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