Philippines
Photo: Bim24, CC BY-SA 4.0, croppedLechon
litson
/lɛtʃɔn/leh-CHON
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- Taste
- SavoryRich
- Made with
- Pork
History
Lechon is a whole pig roasted for hours on a bamboo spit over charcoal, turned by hand until the skin becomes thin, crisp and lacquered. The name comes from the Spanish word for a suckling pig, but whole-roasting pigs for feasts in the islands is older. Cebu is its capital: Cebuanos stuff the belly with lemongrass, garlic, spring onions, star anise and pepper, so the meat is seasoned enough to eat without the liver-based sauce used around Manila. No fiesta, wedding or Christmas in the Philippines feels complete without one, and the first cut of skin is the prize.
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