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Lechon Anyone?

Discussion in 'Culture and Food' started by Micawber, Mar 11, 2011.

  1. Micawber
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    Micawber Renowned Lifetime Member

    I do enjoy eating lechon. I enjoy the whole experience of cooking it over a charcoal fire accompanied by a very cold SML. I like the smell and the smiles.:like:

    But how to duplicate this experience outside of the Philippines?

    Most of our ovens here in UK are really on the small side.
    But I have tried to cook lechon here in UK in a number of different ways with varying results. Here is my limited experience (yep mostly cheating) :eek:

    The first time I tried, I ordered a prepared suckling pig but had the head removed. Head cooked in upper oven, body in lower. I still needed to cut some of the body to get it to fit in the oven though.:(
    Cooking it evenly and crispy took a lot of time and care and was really a pain. Don't think I would do that again.
    But.... it tasted nice.:like:
    If I would ever do this again I will for sure buy a smaller whole suckling pig, maybe 6kg so it can easily fit into the oven.

    Second time, I ordered pre-cooked and pre cut hog. No delivery so had to collect it myself. Two hour round trip, but lechon stayed nice and hot in it's special insulated container.
    Tasted really great, nice crispy skin and very very tender, but not really the visually exciting whole pig centre-piece dish I had envisaged. Also no hint of the Philippine tradition I originally wished for.

    On the third time, I ordered it pre-cooked and whole. Had to collect it and provide my own insulated container for transportion.
    The pig weighed in at 12kg so quite heavy for my BBQ (Nothing smaller available). Anyway managed to get it fixed up on the electric BBQ spit and BBQ'd on low heat for about 40mins.
    Great attraction for the BBQ visitors, nice photo opportunity, great conversation piece and wow, what a wonderful aroma.
    Result, fantastic. Great taste, crispy skin, very succulent and very tender. Highly recommended.

    Next time I am sort of planning to buy a whole butchered suckling pig and then BBQ it myself from scratch in true Philippine style over a purpose built firepit.

    Well that's the plan anyway, maybe too ambitious ??

    Has anyone here tried??

    If I lose my confidence I will revert to method 3, pre-cooked whole suckling pig re-heated over the BBQ. :wow:
  2. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    is your blood pressure normal Micawber lolz:D you sounds a lot of cholesterol save in your human body:frust::shock::wow: veins
    lechon is really nice and if cooked in tradionally way like PH..mmm :D specially famous lechon Cebu...ohh....:like:
  3. KeithAngel
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    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    I find it a bit fatty overall but I would agree thats its visual interesting

    The Liechon Bairrido of Spain and Portugal is good to if expensive by Phils standards I realy like the peppery sauce that comes with it:like:
  4. Micawber
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    Micawber Renowned Lifetime Member

    Balot, My blood pressure is nearly normal. But that's because I take three little pills every day to keep it that way he he he :D

    Strange, but true, when I stay in Phils for longer than 3 weeks my BP reverts to near normal without the need to take those pills. How odd is that? ;)
  5. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    thats just means that your body is getting use to the environment itlsef :erm: and eat more lechon to be more healthy hahaha
    its like if you felt not well you probably wotn feel good but if you think positive you will well indeed ;) that sort of thing is very effective for people who are a postive thinker that might be you:like::D
  6. Micawber
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    Micawber Renowned Lifetime Member

    I am always positive thinker. That's why my username is Micawber. Check it out google Mr Micawber.

    Besides, if you think negative or positive it does NOT change the facts of the situation. So might as well think positive eh?? :D
  7. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    ewww :erm::D sounds very confidence hehehe (jokes) well they say the more you get old the more your confidence build up anyway ..:D:like:
  8. Micawber
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    Micawber Renowned Lifetime Member

    Unfortunately I'm not young enough to know everything :D
  9. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    It is always the secure who are humble:like::D
  10. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    Interesting notion but I'm not sure I would completely agree :erm:
  11. KeithAngel
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    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    In what particular?
  12. yuna
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    yuna Cat Lover Staff Member

    this thread made me remember and miss my lola pete :(.... she made the BEST lechon ever! I have never tasted anything as good as my lola's... my childhood memories are full of her preparing lechon - from killing the poor pig, to roasting it and finally chopping it... thats why I don't crave too much of lechon because I have already tasted how good it is since childhood and comes of it are the sarsa! oh its the best! my mama can cook the same great sarsa! she got it from my lola and I must say that it is an export quality sarsa. And here on our compound, if we have lechon comes next to it is the Dinuguan... yum! great memories of my lola and my childhood... :like:
  13. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    you dont need too:D just think you are getting there:rolleyes::amen::p
  14. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    good for you Yuna:D memories last forever that money cant buy :erm::D
  15. Micawber
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    Micawber Renowned Lifetime Member

    yuna, it sounds you had a very happy childhood and a very special lola.

    I agree 100% with you that when it's prepared and cooked properly, lechon in the Philippines is absolutley world class. That's why I want to try and duplicate here in UK.
    Even I am nowhere near the true taste and texture, everyone who joins us really enjoys the whole experience. I think it also bring back so many happy memories. :)
  16. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    so everytime you have lechon:erm: in PH exprect the whole barrio people will share to eat with you lolz:frust::like:
  17. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    That one requires to be secure before you can be humble, I have known many humble people who had little security in their lives.
  18. Balot
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    Balot Active Member Lifetime Member

    because we are made unique in our own special own way:D:like:
  19. KeithAngel
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    KeithAngel 2063 Lifetime Member

    Thats for sure:D
  20. Micawber
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    Micawber Renowned Lifetime Member


    I always thought that was normal :rolleyes:

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