Lechon

Lechón being roasted in Cadiz, Negros Occidental, Philippines.
Lechon kawali from a Filipino food truck in Los Angeles, California

Lechón in Spanish or Leitão in Portuguese is a pork dish in several regions of the world, most specifically in Bairrada, Portugal and Spain and its former colonial possessions throughout the world. Lechón is a Spanish word referring to a roasted suckling pig. Lechón is a popular food in the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, North Sulawesi province of Indonesia, other Spanish-speaking nations in Latin America, and Spain.[1] The dish features a whole roasted pig cooked over charcoal. Additionally, it is popular in the Philippines[2] with Cebu being acknowledged by American chef Anthony Bourdain as having the best pig.[3] It is also the national dish of Puerto Rico.[4]

In most regions of the Philippines, lechón is prepared throughout the year for any special occasion, during festivals, and the holidays. After seasoning, the pig is cooked by skewering the entire animal, entrails removed, on a large stick and cooking it in a pit filled with charcoal. The pig is placed over the charcoal, and the stick or rod it is attached to is turned in a rotisserie action. The pig is roasted on all sides for several hours until done. The process of cooking and basting usually results in making the pork skin crisp and is a distinctive feature of the dish.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jonathan Deutsch; Megan J. Elias (15 April 2014). Barbecue: A Global History. Reaktion Books. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-78023-298-0.
  2. ↑ Vicky B. Bartlet (17 December 2011). "Palmonas: Make 'buko' juice as national drink". Business Mirror. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012. In his House Resolution 1887, Agham (Science) Party-list Rep. Angelo Palmones said the Philippines has already a number of national symbols, such as narra as national tree, sampaguita as national flower, mango as national fruit, milkfish as national fish and lechon (roast pig) as national dish.
  3. ↑ Lara Day (23 April 2009). "Pork Art". Time. Retrieved 8 April 2013. Anthony Bourdain — whose love of all things porcine is famous — visited the Philippine island of Cebu with his show No Reservations and declared that he had found the best pig ever
  4. ↑ Cohen, Tina; Bernthal, Ron (2006). Puerto Rico Off the Beaten Path, 5th: Volume 5 of OFF THE BEATEN PATH PUERTO RICO. Globe Pequot Press. p. xi. ISBN 978-0-7627-4211-0. Retrieved 26 January 2012. Lechon asado (roasted suckling pig) is the national dish of Puerto Rico and is festively presented at holidays and family occasions.
  5. ↑ Reynaldo G. Alejandro (8 December 2015). Food of the Philippines. Tuttle Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-4629-0545-4.
    Customs and Culture of the Philippines. Tuttle Publishing. 15 June 1963. pp. 112–113. ISBN 978-1-4629-1302-2.
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