The Lechon
As I've said on my previous post I attended a wedding. Ideally, in every important events like weddings, birthdays, fiestas etc. lechon is always present.
I have my criteria for a good lechon. The skin must still be crispy even if the lechon has been on the table for hours. The salty taste should be just right. The meat inside must still be intact-- unscrupulous lechon makers have the habit of carving the meat inside leaving a hollow roasted pig. And it should be aromatic-- The lechon scent of fresh well roasted pig and lemon grass. Yum!
I heard that lechon that I'm used to is different from the ones enjoyed in Luzon. I don't know if it's true because I haven't tasted Luzon lechon yet.
So the question is, how do lechon makers make the lechon crispy for hours? There are several techniques. One person that I asked told me he uses Sprite (soda pop) to brush on the skin while roasting. Alternatives are buco juice and they say Coke also. When observing that my favorite lechon place in Cagayan de Oro-- Anon's Lechon doesn't go soft even in the airconditioned mall, my uncle said that the lamp shining on the chopped lechon is the reason it stays crispy and crunchy.
When eating lechon it is recommended that you should have a "sawsawan" of toyo (soy sauce), chopped onion and tomato, sili (hot pepper, chilli), and crushed garlic sauce you dip your lechon cholesterol loaded goodness into.
8 comments:
One of my nieces, who was born in the U.S., attended a wedding here with her mom when she was about 3 years old and COMPLETELY freaked out when they brought in the lechon. "Mom! It's a pig! It's a pig!" Hahahaha! My poor sister was sooo embarrassed!
Haaay, buti na lang hindi ako mahilig sa lechon. During my last check up, my doc said I have slightly elevated cholesterol levels. It's cheeses and cream that I have such a hard time avoiding. ;)
HAHA Yeah I'm being provocative by posting this piece. I read somewhere where some group of people don't like head of animals on the food they eat e.g. fishes, chicken (Who wants that?), pig. Well, I've seen some people eat lechon's brain so I want to show them the harsh reality of pinoy life. hehehe And if you're carnivorous at least you know what you're eating. Right?
I like lechon but i don't eat too much of it. Oh my I love the sawsawan with the lechon most of all.
I must admit that I struggle with eating anything with the heads still attached (including fish/prawns etc), but I know that it is silly because it is/was an animal either way!
I really liked this post on lechon, I learned a lot and wouldn’t mind giving it a taste.
You should try it! Its delicious, tasty, full of cholesterol goodness but its worth a try.
Yeah, I can understand how one might feel uneasy looking at a head of an animal they're eating. But I must admit that find it kind of silly too hehe sorry. If one can eat meat the least one can do is accept that they're eating meat.... know where it came from and not some plastic packaging or something. It may be traumatic, but its reality.
yummy, i'd forget about choleserol as long as the lechon is delicious. this entry really made me long for lechon. haven't had that for a while.
The idea of a lechon is nice especially if its spectacularly done. Hehe We only live once, right?
My favorite lechon sawsawan is liver sauce. I love Mang Tomas! Kaya kong higupin 'yon. Ang cheap ko ba? Hahaha!
'Yung sawsawan sa post mo, I associate with crispy pata — another tasty, cholesterol-filled goodness!
Hilda, cheap? Absolutely not. It just shows you have filipino taste. The name Mang Tomas says it all. Hehe
You know what? I think I feel my blood vessels clogging up. Hehe Oh and I forgot to tell you that that sauce lacks the UFC banana ketchup I add to the mix after dipping it on the toyo dip. yum yum
Post a Comment