Let's not forget the best of the best, the skin! Man, this rind that was self basted to its crackling finale is something to live life for. The garlic paste gave a nice addition to the roll, but it was the fatty, luscious belly meat and fat that dominated. There was a little unevenness in the skin towards one end of the belly, but that's of little importance, as it did nothing to hold back the sheer awesomeness of the juicy, flavorful belly meat and the salty, crunchy rind. What came off the spit was a sight for sore eyes. Luckily the temperature dropped and held steady in the 300-325 degree range, which was the right temp to finish the skin to a perfect crackle at the same time the meat was cooked through. I actually thought if I left it on the entire time it would need to cook-between two and three hours-I would end up burning the skin by the end. This had the skin browning and starting to blister rather quickly. I started the belly over high heat-right after the coals were lit. I did a decent job, secure the roll about every inch, forming it into a pretty even cylinder ready to be thread onto the spit. The belly was then rolled up and I had a chance to practice my meat tying skills. To ensure the flavor of the garlic paste was spread throughout the belly, I scored the meat, creating valleys for the paste to seep into as it was spread across the entire surface. I then laid open the glorious seven pound hunk of belly I picked up at my butcher. So I started the recipe out with the ubiquitous Filipino flavors of garlic and vinegar, working the two into a paste with some salt and oil as well. I'm not sure if lechon is made with anything more than a pig and fire, but I thought it would be apt to inject a little extra flavor into this pork belly. So when wanting to do some Filipino style pork, I took things to a smaller scale and looked to lechon liempo-Filipino roast pork belly. I'd love nothing more than to learn this fine art of rotisserie swine cooking, but I'm short on a giant rotisserie, hogs, and a mentor. For all the Carolina whole hogs, smoked pork shoulders, and braised bellies I've had, nothing quite matches the simplicity and utter mastery of Filipino lechon-whole roast pig. I may talk a barbecue game, but when it comes to cooking swine, Filipinos are at the top of their game.
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