Lechon Kawali Recipe: Crispy Filipino Pork Belly

Lechon Kawali Recipe: Crispy Filipino Pork Belly

Contents

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Which Cooking Method Should I Use for Lechon Kawali?
• What Are the Best Tips for Extra Crispy Lechon Kawali?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Lechon kawali is a Filipino dish of deep-fried pork belly with crackling skin and tender, juicy meat. The name comes from the Spanish-derived lechon (“roasted pig”) and Filipino kawali (“frying pan” or “wok”), and the dish is made by boiling seasoned pork belly until fork-tender, drying the skin, then frying until golden and crisp. Serve it with steamed rice and a dipping sauce such as liver-based lechon sauce or spiced vinegar.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork belly, skin-on, cut into 3-inch slabs
• 4 cups (950 ml) water, or enough to cover the pork
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed (about 1 head)
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 5 dried bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons salt, divided (1 for boiling, 1 for rubbing)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional)
• 1–2 pork or chicken bouillon cubes (optional)
• 3 cups (720 ml) vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for deep frying

For the garlic-vinegar dipping sauce (optional):

• 1/2 cup sugarcane vinegar (or white wine, apple cider, or rice vinegar)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Thai or small hot chiles, sliced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or fish sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Place the pork belly in a large pot with the garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of salt, soy sauce (if using), and bouillon cubes (if using). Add enough water to cover the pork.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a lively simmer. Cook until the pork is fork-tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on thickness.
3. Transfer the pork to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Let it cool and air-dry for at least 30 minutes. For even crispier skin, refrigerate it uncovered for a few hours or overnight.
4. Prick the skin all over with a skewer or fork, taking care not to pierce deep into the meat. Rub the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt all over the pork, especially on the skin side.
5. Heat the oil in a deep pot or wok to 350°F (175°C). Use a deep-fry thermometer for best results.
6. Carefully lower the pork into the hot oil, skin side down. Fry until the skin is golden brown and crackling, about 7 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally to brown evenly. Do not crowd the pot; fry in batches if needed.
7. Transfer the fried pork to a wire rack and let it rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining slabs.
8. While the pork rests, make the dipping sauce: stir together the vinegar, garlic, chiles, salt, and black pepper. Add soy or fish sauce if using.
9. Chop the lechon kawali into bite-size pieces and serve immediately with steamed rice and the vinegar sauce.

Which Cooking Method Should I Use for Lechon Kawali?

Lechon kawali is traditionally deep-fried, but many home cooks also use an air fryer or oven. All three methods start with the same boiling and drying steps.

Conflict to note: Sources disagree on the ideal deep-frying oil temperature. Panlasang Pinoy and Riverten Kitchen recommend 350°F in their main instructions, while NYT Cooking uses 370°F, and Riverten Kitchen’s own recipe instructions later say 375°F. Cooking in the 350–375°F range works if you adjust the heat to avoid burning.

What Are the Best Tips for Extra Crispy Lechon Kawali?

• Choose a pork belly slab with even thickness and a balanced ratio of meat to fat. Too little fat can produce dry, chewy meat, while an overly fatty slab can take longer to crisp.
• Do not rush the boiling step. The pork must be truly fork-tender before frying; undercooked pork will not crisp properly.
• Dry the skin thoroughly. Air-drying for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerating uncovered overnight, removes surface moisture that would otherwise prevent crackling and cause oil splatter.
• Pricking the skin with a skewer or fork before salting helps the fat render and the skin crisp more evenly.
• Use a deep-fry thermometer. Oil that is too cool makes the pork greasy; oil that is too hot burns the skin before the meat is cooked.
• Fry in small batches. Crowding the pot lowers the oil temperature and leads to soggy skin.
• Use a splatter screen or long tongs. Hot oil pops, especially during the first minutes of frying.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in an air fryer at 375°F for 5–8 minutes, or in an oven at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, to bring back the crispness.

Conflict to note: One source recommends sprinkling a little ice-cold water over the pork while frying to help the skin crackle. Other sources say moisture on the skin causes dangerous oil splatter and recommend the opposite. If you try the water trick, use a long-handled spoon, keep your distance, and use a splatter screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “lechon kawali” mean?

Lechon comes from the Spanish word for roasted pig, while kawali is the Filipino word for a frying pan or wok. The name describes pork belly that is boiled, then fried in a pan rather than roasted whole.

Can I use pork ribs instead of pork belly?

Yes. One source says whole pork ribs with meat attached work well for lechon kawali, though the texture and flavor will be different from pork belly.

What is the difference between lechon kawali, bagnet, and crispy pata?

Lechon kawali uses pork belly and is usually fried once. Bagnet, from the Ilocos region, is also pork belly but is fried twice or even three times, making it crunchier throughout. Crispy pata uses a whole pork leg or trotter, not pork belly, and is boiled before being deep-fried.

Can I make lechon kawali ahead of time?

Yes. After boiling and drying the pork, you can refrigerate it uncovered overnight, then fry it when you are ready. Some cooks also freeze the boiled pork and thaw it before frying.

What is the best dipping sauce for lechon kawali?

Popular choices include liver-based lechon sauce, spiced vinegar with garlic and chili, toyomansi (soy sauce with calamansi), and a simple mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, chopped onions, and chili.

How long should I boil the pork belly?

Most stovetop recipes say 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pork is fork-tender. One source gives a shorter range of 30–45 minutes, so use tenderness as the real test. A pressure cooker or Instant Pot can cook thick slabs in about 25 minutes at high pressure.

Related guides

• Bicol Express: Classic Filipino Recipe
• Nilagang Baboy: A Complete Guide to Filipino Boiled Pork Soup
• How to Make Filipino Pork Adobo: A Complete Guide
• Filipino Pork Barbecue: Sweet, Salty, Skewered Pork BBQ Recipe

Sources

• Lechon kawali
• Lechon Kawali Recipe