Name: Lechon Belly with Bacon Saffron Rice Stuffing
Ingredients: 2.5-3 kilos boneless whole pork belly slab; 2-3 tablespoons rock salt, (enough for rubbing); 2 tablespoons garlic, (finely chopped ); 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 ½ tablespoons freshly pan roasted black peppercorns, (crushed ); ¼ cup olive oil; 200 grams picnic bacon, cut into small cubes; 2 pieces medium-sized onions, (finely chopped ); 1 tablespoon garlic, (finely chopped ); 5 cups cooked rice (sticky or Japanese rice); 2-3 small sachets saffron powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons curly parsley, (finely chopped ); zest of 1 lemon; annatto oil ((heat up ¼ cup annatto seeds in 1/3 cup olive oil))

Lechon Belly with Bacon Saffron Rice Stuffing

Ingredients

Ingredients:

2.5-3 kilos boneless whole pork belly slab
2-3 tablespoons rock salt, enough for rubbing
2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons freshly pan roasted black peppercorns, crushed

Rice Stuffing:

¼ cup olive oil
200 grams picnic bacon, cut into small cubes
2 pieces medium-sized onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
5 cups cooked rice (sticky or Japanese rice)
2-3 small sachets saffron powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons curly parsley, finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
annatto oil (heat up ¼ cup annatto seeds in 1/3 cup olive oil)

Instructions

Procedure:

In a large tray, lay flat the pork belly skin side down then prick or cut all the meat portion using the tip of a sharp knife then season or rub the meat on both sides with rock salt, garlic, ground pepper and freshly pan roasted crushed whole black peppercorns.
Place and chill in the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours without cover. Remove seasoned belly from the refrigerator and sew up both ends of the belly using an over-sized needle with the use of butcher’s twine or any kitchen twine until it looks like a body of a “lechon”.
Place again inside the refrigerator until ready for stuffing.

To make rice stuffing:

Heat oil in a pan and pan fry bacon until golden brown.
Add in onions and garlic and pan and sauté until aromatic.
Toss in cooked rice and give a few stir until the rice is fully covered with the sautéed ingredients.
Season with saffron powder, salt, parsley and zest of lemon.
Continue mixing the rice until the lemon is aromatic.
Turn off heat and cool the rice. Set aside for later use.

To assemble:

Get the sewn pork belly and stuffed with the prepared bacon saffron rice stuffing.
Enclose both ends of the stuffed pork belly with foil and cover the entire top of the pork belly with foil.
Arrange in a roasting pan and roast in a preheated oven 350°F/177°C for about an hour then turn up heat to 375°F/190°C removing the foil on both ends, every 30 minutes’ brush belly with prepared annatto oil.
After an hour turn up heat again to 400°F/204°C and continue roasting until the skin of the pork belly when knock gives a crackling sound.
Remove belly lechon from the oven and rest for 10 to 15 minutes before chopping.

Recipe Notes

Yield: 10-15 servings

Recipes

Lechon Belly with Bacon Saffron Rice Stuffing