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Recipe: Lechona (Homestyle Roasted Pig)

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To some people, the Lechona might be too confronting as it looks like a whole pig that is being served to you. In Colombia, however, the Lechona is a dish enjoyed by many. Plus, who doesn’t like a good roasted pig with crunchy skin?

The Lechona is more than just a roasted pig. It is typically prepared by stuffing the pig with yellow rice, onions, peas and seasoning before it is roasted in an outdoor brick oven for 10 hours.

Sure, not everyone will have an outdoor brick oven and a whole pig, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare Lechona for the weekend family gathering.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pound of pork skin (rib area/fatback skin)

(Filling)

  • ¼ cup of fat lard
  • 2 pounds of pork skin and pork meat cut to pieces
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 6 cups of rice
  • 1 tablespoon food colouring (yellow) or turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup of yellow peas
  • ½ cup sour orange juice

Preparation Method:

  1. Heat a pan using medium heat, add the pork lard and sauté the garlic and green onions.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix cooked rice, pork meat, ground cumin, food colouring or turmeric powder, yellow peas and salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Pour the pork lard and sautéed onions into the bowl, cover with plastic foil and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. Lay the pork skin on a big tray that is covered with aluminium foil, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Make sure you get all the water rinsed from the skin. Once it is pat dry, add the refrigerated rice and pork mixture onto the skin.
  5. Cover the rice filling with the skin and make sure the pork and rice mixture is enticed in the pork skin completely. Use a kitchen string to tie the skin wrap together.
  6. Preheat the oven to 204̊c.
  7. Place the pork wrap in a pan and baste the skin with sour orange juice. Let the pork wrap for about 4-5 hours until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Make sure you check from time to time to ensure the skin doesn’t get burned.
  8. Remove the Lechona from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
  9. To serve, cut the Lechona into serving size portion and serve on a plate with a side of flatbread, potato and lime wedges.