Lechon in the Philippines: A Guide to Filipinos' Favorite Roasted Pig

With its name alone, Filipino visitors are ecstatic, and the presence of lechon nearly always guarantees a celebratory mood.

No matter what kind of celebration you attend in the Philippines or among Filipinos, you can almost always count on seeing it prominently displayed in the middle of the table.

Lechon, a traditional Filipino meal, will be broken down for you now. How and why does it work so well? Lechon is a delicacy in the Philippines, and this guide will help you plan out your cuisine tours there.

Lechon, what is it?

The Spanish term "lechona," which means "suckling pig," is supposed to have inspired the name "lechon." This suggests that the original version of this dish is a variation known as lechon de leche in the region.

If you're lucky enough to find a "lechonero" who knows how to do it well, you'll be able to consume a succulent piece of pork that's been slowly cooked over charcoal for hours.

Because of its skin, Filipino lechon is distinct from other roast pork meals. The skin of a beautiful lechon is golden brown and perfectly smooth after it has been roasted. Even after several hours of exposure to the sun, the best ones maintain their crisp appearance.

It takes a long time to cook lechon in the olden days, when the spit was manually rotated. Most lechons are now cooked on mechanical spits, but some of the older lechoneros insist on preparing it by hand to ensure a uniform color and level of doneness throughout the skin.

There are many manual adjustments to lechon's charcoal embers while it cooks, with lechoneros altering the heat every few minutes based on which part of the lechon needs more time to cook.

However, despite its Spanish name, the lechon is not always from Spain. Many food historians and chefs think that pigs and wild boar were already being spit-roasted over an open flame prior to the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, a process Filipinos call to as "inasal."

The roasted suckling pig's name, lechon, is said to have been given to it later. For whatever reason, the term "suckling pig" has become a catchphrase for more than one dish.

Varieties of Lechon from the Philippines

In modern times, the word "lechon" can be used to refer to a variety of spit-roast foods. Take a look at a few of the more well-known examples.

There is an annual lechon parade in La Loma, Quezon City where more than a dozen booths sell their wares.

Lechon de Leche

A whole pig, with the entrails removed, is spit-roasted until it's both juicy and crispy on the surface and tender and juicy on the inside.

A sweet and sour sauce prepared from sugar, vinegar and the liver of the pig is commonly served with lechon varieties from the Philippines.

Lemongrass, garlic, spring onions, and chilies are common fillings for lechon in the South, the Visayas, and Mindanao areas, although the stuffing can be anything from ginger to pineapples. As a result of the increased salt content, the lechon is more savory and can be enjoyed on its own.

Not asking for lechon sauce while eating lechon in Cebu is a good idea. If a dipping sauce is required, a vinegar, garlic, chiles, and ginger mixture may be suitable as a substitute. When visiting Cebu, eating lechon should be at the top of your to-do list.

A stuffed lechon.

Enterprising and innovative lechoneros also stuff their pigs with even more food in order to stand out in a sea of delectable lechon. In recent years, there have been lechons with rice fillings ranging from paella, truffled rice, and Chinese sticky rice.

Even hungarian sausage can be found in some lechons, which are packed with whole chickens. It hasn't stopped people from attempting to improve lechon despite how close it comes to perfection, and diners are the largest beneficiaries of that.

Lechon Baka

Another popular celebration dish is roasted whole calf, although unlike roasted pig, this may be ordered from only a few establishments. Served in a sauce of soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic, onions, and lemongrass, the calf is also spit-roasted.

Roasted skin is a unique treat because it can be crunchy and slightly chewy at the same time. The burnt ends are the best.

Lechon Liempo and Lechon Manok

Served with the same sweet and sour liver sauce as the lechon de leche, these whole chickens or large pieces of pork bellies are easily the most readily accessible and most reasonably priced of all the Lechons.

Almost every street corner in the Philippines has a food stand, making it a convenient option for busy families that don't have time to cook. Lechon manok and lechon liempo stalls are frequented by workers on their way home from the office.

Lechon Karnero and Lechon Cabrito

Karnero (lamb) and cabrito (young goat) are also spit-roasted whole in the city. Typically found in rural areas, the charcoal scent and fragrant stuffing combine to produce tasty and delicate meat that is free from any gamey aroma.

This is a nice treat when attending a feast or celebration in the countryside.

Lechon Belly Roll

One of the most recent lechon variations is a huge slab of roasted pork belly, coiled into a thick tube for convenience and presentation. Belly rolls are ideal for smaller events because a complete lechon costs a lot and feeds roughly 30 people.

Lemongrass is also commonly filled into the roll, which is eaten with either the liver sauce or the spicy vinegar.

Crispy Pata with Lechon Kawali.

These are the home cook's alternatives to spit roasting over charcoal because not everyone has the time or the resources to do so. Knuckles and belly of pork are first boiled and then deep-fried in a kawali to bring out their natural sweetness and flavor (stainless wok).

In spite of being cooked indoors, they closely resemble the real lechon's moist meat and crispy skin. The liver sauce or a dipping sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, chiles, and garlic is commonly served with these.

Lechon Is a Must-Have for Every Filipino Feast!

Putting your "best foot forward" is said to be the key to making a strong first impression. It's not hard to imagine that the same holds true for cuisine.

Since his first visit to the Philippines many years ago, Anthony Bourdain has enjoyed the country's national dish, lechon. He declared the lechon to be the "greatest pig ever" after only one bite of the crispy skin and soft meat. According to Adam Richman of Man vs Food fame, the lechon skin is "exactly like candy," and he couldn't believe it.

In the Philippines, lechon is an excellent way to make a strong first impression. There you have it. One of the best examples of Filipino cuisine. The Philippines is a great place to go on a food and culinary tour and sample some of the best lechon in the world!