I think I was reading about Roasted Pork Belly somewhere. It may have been at MattBites. When I saw the words on the screen, my mouth just started to water. Admittedly, this is a major indulgence for me. I probably only have this once a year.

When growing up my parents and their friends often got together. On special occasions they would have Lechón  (it’s also called Litson) which is a roasted suckling pig. Traditionally, it is roasted on a spit and it cooks for several hours. Other methods is to cook is in a hole dug into the ground and lined with banana leaves and hot coals. Living in Chicago as I child, I couldn’t imagine my parent’s friends digging holes or having a coal pit large enough for a baby pig. I’m sure someone in Chicago did this for a living as there are plenty of places you can order a sucking pig these days.

So back to the baby suckling. All I can remember is that the skin was golden and crimson. I also remember the crackling sound it made as the first cleaver came down – that sound meant good eats were coming. Traditionally it is served with a litson sauce which is made with liver. [NOTE 10/19/08 I bought some Lechon Sauce at Manila Market in Lake Forest. Come to find out its a vinegar, breadcrumbs and other spices] I didn’t like it. So what else was on the table? A bottle of Jufran Banana Ketchup. Yep, banana ketchup. Made with bananas, it strangely is “red”. In the Philippines, it is actually manufactured by Heinz. It is thick, sweet and has a little tang.

I would walk up to the table with my bamboo plate holder and a single, thin paper plate that always soaked thru. I would grab the tongs and place 2 to 3 1-inch squares of litson on my plate, some fresh rice and the Jufran sauce.

I was in heaven.

It probably explains why I grew up to be such a big dude! [smile]

Well when we weren’t at a big party, my mom would make it at home maybe 2-3 times a year. Somehow, roasting an entire suckling pig was a bit much for my mom [smirk] so she did the next best thing: a Roasted Pork Belly.

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Pork Belly basically is the same place you get sliced bacon, except its single piece. Making it is actually very simple. Here in the OC, finding a pork belly piece is quite hard. You will not see it at Ralphs or Albertsons. You will find them in the butcher sections of your large Asian market like 99 Ranch. You might also try several of the carnecerias in the area. My seasonings? Simple, salt and pepper. I make sure that the skin is dry and pat it down with some paper towels. Next you want to “score” the skin. This will help with rendering alot of the fat that will come out as you cooking. Once scored (I use a diamond pattern, much like on a ham) and season liberally with salt and pepper. I do the underside too.  Next I take some canola oil and spread some over the top mixing it with the salt and pepper. Make sure to spread it out and get it into the scores you made. I like to place mine in a jelly roll pan lined with foil and a cooling rack inside of it. By elevating the roast off the pan, you let the hot air circulate around the pork. You also allow the rendered fat to fall and not let the roast sit in its own fat.

You’ll want to set you over at 275-300 degrees. Yes, at 275-300 it will take about 3-4 hours depending on how big your piece is. Tonight’s pork belly was about 2 lbs. Once you put it in the oven, don’t touch it, don’t sprinkle it with water, don’t open the door. Leave it alone! [smile]. I have tried other methods asking you to mist water on the skin supposedly to make it blister. No need.

Check it at about 3 hours. You will see that the “litson” skin is nice and crispy and that a lot of the fat has rendered and is on the bottom of the pan. If the skin isn’t crispy yet, increase the temp by 100 degrees and put back for another 15 minutes or so. Once it is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit for at least 5 minutes. 

Transfer to a cutting board. I recommend a serrated knife for cutting. Cut into 1 inch cubes. It may be easier to flip the Litson on its skin and cut from the underside.

Tonight, I could only handle about 2 pieces. The skin was sooooo crispy and the meat was very tender. I can’t wait to get home for lunch on Friday so I can have some!! If you save it for the next day, it is possible the skin will lose its crispness. I still it under a preheated broiler for 1 minute, being careful not to burn the skin. Sometimes, mom would take the cut pieces and flash fry it real quick.

I couldn’t make it to the Filipino market tonite, so I used a third alternative sauce: sweet chili sauce. You can find this at any grocery store. The sweetness and heat of the sauce contrasts nicely with the pork.