Slow Cooker Lechon made easy in the crockpot! Moist and juicy on the inside and golden and crunchy on the outside, it's an easy and convenient weeknight dinner or party dish everyone will love!
Lechon kawali is my favorite comfort food ever. Just the sight of these crunchy morsels is enough to make my Filipina heart go pitter-patter!
But as much as I love this Pinoy delicacy with all my foodie heart, I don't make it at home as often as I'd like. The simmering, the cooling, the deep-frying, who has time for that? And don't get me started about all that hot oil splattering all over the kitchen!
Now, I have found lechon sa hurno as a better alternative but even that comes with inconvenience. Who wants to tie up the oven for five long hours? The last thing I want especially in the horrendous heat of hot summer months is to have my oven humming all day long to roast one lonely slab of meat.
So how to satisfy cravings for crispy pork without a whole lot of work? Slow cooker Lechon is your newfound answer!
What inspired this recipe technique? One of G's favorite foods is Mexican Carnitas, a deep-fried slab of pork shoulder much like our lechon kawali. Instead of deep-frying the meat in a vat of sizzling lard, I like to cook it in the crockpot until tender and then finish it off in the oven on high heat until beautifully golden and crisp.
I was prepping one the other day when it got me thinking this method might work on lechon as well and work it did! Just look at that gorgeous crackled skin in the photos!
Trust me, my peeps, it can't get easier than making lechon kawali in the slow cooker. For a recipe this super easy, albeit taking a few hours, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the crispy yet juicy pork morsels you get!
All you do is generously season the meat, place it in the crockpot with NO liquids added, and allow it to cook while you go about your daily chores. When tender, arrange the pork on a roasting pan (in my case, a cookie rack set over a foil-lined pan) to finish off on high heat in the oven until golden and crunchy.
Cooking tips
- You can use boneless pork belly or with ribs. To make the chopping easier, you can have the butcher cut the bones.
- DO NOT add liquids! Don't panic, have faith. The pork is not going to burn or dry out, it will release its own juices as it slow cooks in the crockpot.
- To keep the lechon tender and succulent,ย cook in the slow cooker until tender but not falling apart.
- Roast on a wire rack so it's elevated by a few inches to allow the heat to circulate around the pork and crisp it all over.
- Let the roast pork stand for about 10 minutes before cutting to pieces so the juices will redistribute and keep the meat moist and flavorful.
How to serve
Serve as a main dish or appetizer with lechon sauce or spicy vinegar for dipping. It's easy to make for everyday family dinners yet impressive enough for special gatherings.
How to use leftovers
- Lechon is best enjoyed hot and fresh from the oven as the skin tends to lose its crispness over time.ย If you want to prep ahead, cook the pork in the crockpot until tender, store in the refrigerator or freezer, and roast in the oven when ready to serve.
- Use leftovers in pinakbet or sisig!
More pork recipes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork belly with ribs
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Season pork with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, massaging all over theย meat.ย
- Place meat in the slow cooker (NO LIQUIDS) and cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for about 4 to 5 hours until tender but not falling apart.
- Remove pork from the slow cooker and arrange on a roasting rack skin side up.
- Bake in a 430 F oven for about 30 to 40 minutes or until skin is golden and blistered.ย
- Remove from heat. Skin will crisp as it cools. Let stand for about 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.
Notes
- You can use boneless pork belly or with ribs. To make the chopping easier, you can have the butcher cut the bones.
- DO NOT add liquids! Don't panic, have faith. The pork is not going to burn or dry out, it will release its own juices as it slow cooks in the crockpot.
- To keep the lechon tender and succulent,ย cook in the slow cooker until tender but not falling apart.
- Roast on a wire rack so it's elevated by a few inches to allow the heat to circulate around the pork and crisp it all over.
- Let the roast pork stand for about 10 minutes before cutting to pieces so the juices will redistribute and keep the meat moist and flavorful.
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
Nellie Azares says
Just tried this recipe and love it. However, the skin did not come out crispy all over only portions did. Should I let the pork cool off before baking? I baked it right after I took it out of the crock pot.
Lalaine Manalo says
I cook it straight from the slow cooker. You can pat the areas that look kind of wet to remove excess moisture to help it crisp up evenly.
zet says
Can I pile the bellies in the crockpot?
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes you can ๐
Norati says
Is it ok to use frozen meat in the slow cooker?
Lalaine says
I've never really tried using frozen meat for this lechon and I wouldn't recommend it. For one thing, it will take forever to cook especially in a slow cooker.
Jay says
Hi Lalaine,
Do you place the meat in the slow cooker fat side up or fat side down?
Lalaine says
Hello Jay,
I put it the skin side up. The fat cap helps keep the meat moist as it "melt" in the slow cooker.
Pat Lee says
Hi Lalaine, just wanted to let you know I tried your recipe and it came out delicious!
I put the pork belly in the slow cooker before I left for work set it for 7 hrs. Come back from work 10 hrs later with lots of pork juices.
Baked it in the oven while I get the veggies ready ... Viola ... Dinner is ready within 10 minutes!
Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Lalaine says
Yay for easy weeknight dinners ๐
Jacklyn says
If I am cooking 2 slabs of belly would it be the same cook time?
Lalaine Manalo says
I would add another hour or so. Just check with a fork for tenderness.
Candice says
Hi, Lalaine! Instead of oven, may I use an air fryer instead?
Lalaine says
I've never tried it in an air fryer but I'm pretty sure it would work. I've done this in a turbo before and had great results.
Cal says
Do you think that I can do this recipe in a pressure cooker? I'm going to try.
Lalaine says
Hello Cal,
Yes, it would work. ๐
Erin says
Any idea how long it will take to cook in the pressure cooker? Just got an instant pot, and would love to try it!
Lalaine says
I haven't really tried cooking this in a pressure cooker but I think 20 to 30 minutes would be a good bet as you want the meat tender but not falling apart. Here is an instant pot time chart you might find helpful http://instantpot.com/cooking-time/meat-poultry-beef-pork-and-lamb/
Ken Schnarrenberger says
can you use the pork belly without the ribs as I have never seen pork belly with ribs in our area.
Lalaine says
Hello Ken,
Yes, without ribs will be fine. ๐
Bobby says
Followed this recipe to impress my Filipina wife. Worked like a charm-she said it was the best she'd ever had!
Thanks for posting.
Lalaine says
I am glad she like it. Cooking lechon in the slow cooker is a lot easier and more convenient than the traditional boiling and frying ๐
Lowwen says
Thank you for this recipe Ms Lalaine! Can i put it at low then high if i want to cut time with th slow cooker? Thank You Lowwen
Lalaine says
hello Lowwen
You can set the slow cooker on high or low depending on how much time you have. I usually do mine on low because I have on overnight or when I am at out the whole day. If you want to cut on time, set it on high for about 4 to 5 hours. ๐
Chat Madeira says
I just cooked this tonight, oh boy, it was so yummy, earned some brownie points from my two boys (one f them is hubby).
Lalaine says
Hello Chat
I am glad the hubby and kids enjoyed it. Super yummy talaga ang crispy skin!
Bernadette Balino says
Wow I'm drooling right now, I wanted to dry this so I could incorporate flavors that exactly right on my taste, I love the taste of garlic so I'm gonna pouring a lot of it. Thanks Ms. Lalaine, your pix looks so delicious, so crunchy balat hehehe
Lalaine says
You're welcome, Bernadette. I hope you enjoy it, very addicting talaga yung balat ๐
Andrea says
I don't have an oven but can I use turbo broiler to crisp up the skin instead? thanks! ๐
Lalaine says
Yes, I think the turbo will be fine. Just adjust the cook time as it's more powerful than a conventional oven. ๐
Ela says
Somehow, I'm afraid to leave the pork in the slow cooker w/o liquid while I go to bed overnight. At the back of my mind, it might burn or I might burn the house, hehe...
Lalaine says
Hello Ela
Trust me, this would work, just set it on low. ๐ I placed mine at midnight and went to bed. It was ready by the time I got up. You'll actually end up with a pool of liquid once the pork is done, a lot of fat extracted from the pork belly.