Crispy Pata is made of whole pork leg boiled until tender and then deep-fried until golden and crisp. Crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside, this popular Filipino delicacy is sinfully delicious!
Crispy Pata is another of the sinful ways Filipinos love their pork. In this famous delicacy, a whole pork leg is simmered in spices until tender and then deep-fried to crispy perfection. It turns out moist and flavorful inside, with a thick cap of golden and crunchy skin on the outside.
Due to its long cooking and cooling time plus the inconvenience of deep-frying, this crispy pork dish is usually reserved for special occasions. It is, however, common to find it on menus of dine-in restaurants and pub houses as an appetizer to enjoy with a beer or as a main dish with steamed rice.
Like its pork belly counterpart, lechon kawali, this deep-fried pork leg is usually enjoyed with spicy vinegar or liver sauce on the side for dipping.
Crispy Pata Ingredients
- Whole Pork Leg- you can use the front (shoulder) or hind (ham) legs. The hind legs are usually bigger and heavier, while the front leg has more fat.
- Boiling Mixture- I like to cook the meat in vinegar, 7-up/Sprite, and spices such as garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves to infuse flavor.
- Oil- use oil with a high smoke point and neutral taste, such as corn, vegetable, palm, grapeseed, or avocado oil.
Cooking steps
Making crispy pata requires three essential steps: boiling, freezing/cooling, and deep-frying. Please read through the tips to help you prepare this dish successfully and safely.
Boiling
- Prepare the pork leg by scraping off stray hairs with a knife or by torching them with a kitchen torch.
- Use a big pot large enough to hold the pork leg and enough water to cover it. Make sure the pork is completely submerged in the liquid for uniform cooking.
- Simmer for about 1 ยฝ to 2 hours or until the meat is very tender but not falling apart.
- Carefully remove the pork leg from the pot and discard the liquid.
Freezing/cooling
- Place the pork leg on a wire rack to cool and pat dry with paper towels.
- When cool to the touch, rub generously with rock salt all over. Salt not only gives flavor but also absorbs any remaining moisture.
- For super-crispy skin, transfer the pork to a container, cover it with plastic film, and freeze it overnight. Alternatively, chill it, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight to dry out.
- You can fry the pork the next day or store it in the freezer. Wrap it in aluminum foil and freeze it for up to three months.
- If you're pressed for time and want to ready the pork quickly for frying, pat dry with paper towels and then blow with a hairdryer on the cold setting to speed up cooling and drying.
Deep-frying
As in any kitchen activity, please practice caution and be wary of hot oil splatters.
- For safety, use the right kind of cooking equipment. Use a heavy-bottomed pot tall enough to protect against oil splatters and wide enough for the pork leg to fit without oil spilling over the top.
- Cover the pot immediately after adding the pork with a properly fitting lid. When the wild oil splatters subside, remove the lid, as the build-up moisture dripping into the hot oil may cause more splatters.
- Use the right kind of oil for the job. Canola, peanut, safflower, or corn oil have high smoke points and are great for deep-frying.
- For best results, check that the oil is at the optimal 350 F to 375 F temperature. If it is too hot, the skin will burn before the meat inside is fully heated. If it is too low, the meat will overcook and dry out before the skin is fully crisp.
Quick tip
Carefully remove the crispy pata and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil. Let stand for a few minutes before chopping for the juices to redistribute.
If you'd like to skip the deep-frying, finish the pork leg in the oven using this slow cooker lechon recipe or the oven method below.
How to make crispy pork in the oven
- Arrange the cooked pork on a wire rack set over a baking pan. Pat dry with paper towels and rub all over with salt.
- Bake in a 430 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the skin is golden and blistered.
- Remove from heat and allow to stand for a few minutes before chopping.
Frequently Asked Questions
What part of the pig is the pata?
Pata is the pig's front (shoulder) or hind (ham) legs.
What do you eat with crispy pata?
This crispy pork leg can be enjoyed as an appetizer with ice-cold beer or as a main dish with steamed rice. Serve it with a dipping sauce like spicy vinegar or lechon sauce. Atchara is also a good side condiment to balance the rich flavor.
What is crispy pata in English?
It translates to crispy pork leg.
How to serve and store
- Crispy pata is usually brought to the table as a whole piece and chopped into sinful morsels to enjoy.
- Enjoy it as an appetizer (pulatan) with ice-cold beer or a main dish with steamed rice. The crunchy pork makes a great party fare for special occasions and gatherings.
- Store leftovers in a container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, place on a baking sheet and bake in a 400 F preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Dipping sauce recipe
My favorite dipping sauce is a tangy, savory, spicy combination of vinegar, soy sauce, shallots, garlic, and chili peppers. The recipe card below has the complete measurements.
More Pork Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 whole pork leg
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 can (12 ounces) 7-up or Sprite
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- salt
- 5 cups oil
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup vinegar
- ยผ soy sauce
- 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 Thai chili peppers, peeled and minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- With a knife, scrape any stray hairs on pork leg and trim off nails.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine pork leg, vinegar, 7-up, enough water to cover, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and โ cup salt. Bring to a boil, skimming scum that may accumulate on top.
- Lower heat, cover, and then simmer for about 1-ยฝ to 2 hours or until meat is tender but not falling apart. If the meat is drying before it is fully cooked, add more water in 1 cup increments.
- Drain pork leg, discarding liquid and aromatics. Place on a rack and allow to cool to touch.
- Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons salt and massage all over. Place in a container with a lid and freeze overnight.
- In a large, tall pot over medium heat, heat about 4 to 5 cups of oil (enough to cover the pork leg during deep-frying) to 350 F.
- Gently add pork leg and deep-fry, turning as needed, until golden.ย
- Remove pork from the pat and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let rest for about 3 to 5 minutes before chopping. Serve hot with dipping sauce.
Dipping Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, shallots, garlic, chili peppers, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
Notes
- For safety, use the right kind of cooking equipment. Use a heavy-bottomed pot tall enough to protect against oil splatters and wide enough for the pork leg to fit without oil spilling over the top.
- Use a properly fitting lid to cover the pot immediately after adding the pork. When the wild oil splatters subside, remove the lid as the build-up moisture dripping into the hot oil may cause more splatters.
- Carefully remove the crispy pata and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil. Let stand for a few minutes before chopping for the juices to redistribute.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
Regan Peter Heinrichs says
I make this recipe with 2 inch cubes of pork belly and add two whole stars of anise to the brine.
Not to brag but my Filipino wifeโs Filipino friends say itโs the best crispy pata . They all say itโs better than home.