← Back to recipes
Lechon Kawali

Lechon Kawali

Crispy deep-fried pork belly — boiled first until tender, then fried until the skin crackles. The ultimate Filipino comfort food.

⏱ Prep: 20 min ⏱ Cook: 60 min Easy
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Ingredients

  • 500 g Pork belly, cut into thick pieces
  • 4 cups Water
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Peppercorns
  • 2 pcs Bay leaves
  • 500 ml Vegetable oil for deep frying

Instructions

  1. Boil the pork in salted water with peppercorns and bay leaves for 45 minutes until tender. Drain well.

  2. Let the pork rest for 30 minutes to let the skin dry — this is key for crispy crackling.

  3. Heat oil to 350°F / 175°C. Deep fry the pork belly for 8-10 minutes until the skin is puffed and golden.

  4. Drain well on a wire rack. Serve with liver sauce or banana ketchup.