Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- Brown the pork in batches so each piece gets direct contact with the hot pan surface.
- For braised pork, sear the meat on all sides first to develop a deep brown crust.
Cooking Tips
Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels before frying — moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350–375°F (175–190°C). If the oil is too cool, the food absorbs grease; too hot and it burns on the outside before cooking through. Check liquid levels halfway through cooking and add hot water or broth if needed. Long-cooked dishes can dry out or burn if left unattended.
Ingredient Substitutions
Pork alternatives: Chicken thighs work well in most pork recipes (they stay moist like pork does). For a leaner option, use turkey breast or firm tofu. Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Crispy dishes are best enjoyed fresh — they lose their crunch when stored. If you must store leftovers, reheat in an air fryer or oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5–7 minutes to restore crispiness. Avoid microwaving crispy dishes — the steam makes the coating soggy. Use a toaster oven or stovetop skillet instead. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Crispy Ulo and Lechon Sauce
A whole pig's head is boiled with lemongrass and laurel leaves until fall-apart tender, then deep-fried until the skin turns crackling crisp and golden, served with a tangy pebre sauce made from pork liver, vinegar, and breadcrumbs.
Instructions
- Pour in 3 to 5 cups of water in a large cooking pot and add the pig head. Let the liquid boil. Cook covered for 10 minutes. Discard the water afterwards.
- Pour around the same amount of water in the pot and add lemongrass, onion, and laurel leaves. Cover and boil the pig head with all the newly added ingredients for 60 to 90 minutes. You can turn the head over in the middle of the cooking process.
- Discard everything except the pig head. Let it cool down. Create cross-hatch incisions on the face of the pig using a sharp knife. Rub salt all over the head and let it air dry for at least 3 hours (the longer the air drying process, the better the result).
- Rub oil all over the pig head and arrange it inside a turbo broiler. Broil for 1 hour at 400F.
- Meanwhile, make the lechon sauce by heating 3 tablespoons of oil in a cooking pot. Add the sliced liver and saute for 3 minutes.
- Remove the liver from the pot and place inside the blender. Add water and then puree. Set aside.
- Heat over the remaining oil (add more if needed). Saute garlic and onion until the onion softens. Add laurel leaves and whole peppercorn. Continue sauteeing for 1 minute.
- Pour the liver puree into the pot. Stir and let boil.
- Pour in vinegar and soy sauce. Allow the liquid to reboil before stirring.
- Add brown sugar and stir. Turn the heat off and pour the entire mixture back into the blender. Puree for 1 minute.
- Pour the puree back into the cooking pot. Let it boil.
- Season with salt and add breadcrumbs to thicken the sauce.
- Arrange the crispy pig head on a serving plate and serve with lechon sauce on the side.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding ingredients for the best sear.
- Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding — lowering the temperature makes food greasy.
- Brown the pork in batches so each piece gets direct contact with the hot pan surface.
- For braised pork, sear the meat on all sides first to develop a deep brown crust.
Cooking Tips
Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350–375°F (175–190°C). If the oil is too cool, the food absorbs grease; too hot and it burns on the outside before cooking through.
Check liquid levels halfway through cooking and add hot water or broth if needed. Long-cooked dishes can dry out or burn if left unattended.
Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Crispy dishes are best enjoyed fresh — they lose their crunch when stored. If you must store leftovers, reheat in an air fryer or oven at 375°F (190°C) for 5–7 minutes to restore crispiness.
Avoid microwaving crispy dishes — the steam makes the coating soggy. Use a toaster oven or stovetop skillet instead.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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