Central Visayas · Roast · Pork

Cebu-Style Lechon Belly

Name: Cebu-Style Lechon Belly
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 195 min
Total time: 230 min
Yield: 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 2.5 kg rectangular skin-on boneless pork belly; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp Filipino soy sauce; 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 4 lemongrass stalks, trimmed to the tender inner section and bruised; 6 spring onions, trimmed; 4 dried bay leaves; 2 whole star anise; 1 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper; 2 tsp fine salt, for the meat side; 2 tbsp cane vinegar, for the skin; 1 tbsp coarse salt, for drying the skin; 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil; Kitchen twine

Rolled pork belly perfumed with lemongrass and garlic, roasted until tender with crisp crackling.

Prep 35 minCook 195 min Serves 4–6

By Lasang Pinoy at Home · Reviewed 13 September 2026

Homemade Filipino Cebu-Style Lechon Belly

Ingredients

Measure and prepare everything before you begin cooking.

2.5 kg rectangular skin-on boneless pork belly
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp Filipino soy sauce
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 lemongrass stalks, trimmed to the tender inner section and bruised
6 spring onions, trimmed
4 dried bay leaves
2 whole star anise
1 tbsp coarsely cracked black pepper
2 tsp fine salt, for the meat side
2 tbsp cane vinegar, for the skin
1 tbsp coarse salt, for drying the skin
1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
Kitchen twine

Instructions

1
A day before roasting, place the pork skin-side down and trim it into an even rectangle if necessary. Score only the meat in a shallow crosshatch, taking care not to cut through the skin. Mix the fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and fine salt and rub this over the meat side only.
2
Lay the lemongrass, spring onions, bay leaves and star anise lengthways across the centre. Roll the belly tightly so the skin forms the outside, then tie securely with kitchen twine at 3–4 cm intervals. Prick the skin all over with a clean sharp skewer, piercing the skin but not deeply into the meat.
3
Brush the skin with cane vinegar and rub it with coarse salt. Set the roll uncovered on a rack over a tray and refrigerate overnight. This drying stage is important for crisp crackling. Before cooking, remove the coarse salt, pat the skin completely dry and leave the roll at cool room temperature for 30 minutes.
4
Heat the oven to 170°C conventional or 150°C fan. Place the roll seam-side down on a rack over a roasting tray, brush the skin lightly with oil and pour 250 ml hot water into the tray without letting it touch the pork. Roast for 2½ hours, rotating the tray halfway and topping up the water if it evaporates.
5
Check the centre with a thermometer; it should be at least 71°C and the meat should feel tender when pierced. Increase the oven to 230°C conventional or 210°C fan and roast for another 25–40 minutes, rotating as needed, until the skin is evenly blistered and crisp. Shield any dark patches loosely with foil.
6
Transfer the lechon belly to a board and rest uncovered for 25 minutes so the crackling stays crisp. Remove the twine, pull out any exposed woody aromatics and use a serrated knife or cleaver to cut thick rounds without crushing the skin.
7
Serve immediately with steamed rice and vinegar sawsawan. If the crackling needs a final lift, place individual slices skin-side up under a hot grill for 1–2 minutes, watching continuously so they do not burn.

FROM THE FILIPINO TABLE

About Cebu-Style Lechon Belly

Cebu lechon is a celebration centrepiece known for crisp skin, seasoned meat and aromatics such as lemongrass. A whole pig belongs to the pit and a large gathering; this rolled pork-belly adaptation brings the same aromatic direction into a home oven while being clearly labelled as an adaptation rather than traditional whole-pig lechon.

Ingredient swaps wherever you cook

Skin-on pork belly: ask a butcher for an even, boneless rectangle that can roll without thick overlapping sections.
Cane vinegar: use coconut vinegar or unsweetened apple-cider vinegar; it is brushed on the skin to help it dry rather than used as a marinade.
Calamansi sawsawan: use equal parts lemon and lime juice, or serve a sharp spiced vinegar.

How to know it is ready

The refrigerated skin should feel dry and slightly taut before roasting.
The centre must reach at least 71°C and the meat should feel tender before the final high-heat stage.
Finished crackling should be dry, blistered and crisp across most of the roll, not leathery or burnt.

Common mistakes and fixes

Rubbery skin: moisture is the main enemy—keep wet seasoning on the meat side and dry the tied roll uncovered overnight.
Burnt patches: rotate during the high-heat finish and shield dark areas with small pieces of foil.
Loose spiral: roll firmly and tie at close, even intervals so the aromatics stay inside and slices hold together.

Family and regional variations

Add sliced mild chilli inside the roll for fragrance and gentle heat.
Use only fish sauce, garlic, spring onion and lemongrass for a simpler aromatic filling.
Cook over indirect charcoal heat only if you have suitable equipment and can maintain safe, steady temperatures.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Store crackling separately when practical. Reheat meat covered at 180°C until steaming hot, then uncover or grill the skin briefly to re-crisp it.

What to serve with it

Slice at the table with rice, atchara and vinegar sawsawan. Cebu-style lechon is well seasoned inside, so a bright vinegar dip is more appropriate than a heavy sweet liver sauce.

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