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Home » Recipe Index » Barbecue and Grill » Inihaw na Liempo

Inihaw na Liempo

Published: Dec 3, 2019 · Modified: Apr 25, 2020 by Lalaine Manalo · This post may contain affiliate links

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Inihaw na Liempo marinated in citrus juice, fish sauce, and spices and grilled to juicy perfection. Delicious as an appetizer or main dish!

sliced inihaw na liempo on a white serving platter
Inihaw na Liempo

This inihaw na liempo was first published on the blog in 2014, and I am updating it today with new photos and including it in our December recipe series. Grilled pork belly might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of holiday dishes, but it's actually a great choice.

3 slices of grilled pork belly on a white plate

Want Filipino pork BBQ for New Year but not up to the prospect of skewering pounds and pounds of meat in bamboo sticks? This inihaw na baboy is the perfect alternative! It's just as tasty and delicious but requires a lot less work.

Are you planning a boodle fest for your Christmas celebration? It'll make a delicious addition to your menu. Perfect for kamayan with my roasted eggplant, tomato, and salted egg salad or ensaladang kamote tops!

ingredients for inihaw na liempo-pork belyl, calamansi juice, brown sugar, salt, chili peppers, and oyster sauce

Filipino grilled pork belly marinade

The pork rashers are marinated overnight in a mixture of freshly-squeezed calamansi juice, fish sauce for umami flavor, lots of minced garlic, chili peppers (siling labuyo) for an added kick, brown sugar for a touch of sweetness, and salt and pepper to taste.

After a few hours in the fridge, the meat is drained and the marinade is reduced in a saucepan over medium heat. It's then mixed with oyster sauce and canola or sesame oil to use as a basting sauce.

The result is super juicy and flavorful liempo with the perfect medley of sweet, savory, and sticky goodness!

pork belly marinating in calamansi mixture in a large glass bowl

grilling pork belly

Cooking tips

Inihaw na liempo, which literally means "grilled pork belly", is another delicious way Filipinos enjoy their pork. Here are a few tips to achieve juicy, charbroiled perfection!

  • The recipe uses calamansi juice for tangy, fruit flavor; if unavailable, substitute lemon juice, vinegar, or tamarind pulp.
  • For food safety, taste and adjust the marinade before adding the pork. After the marination, boil the liquid mixture for a few minutes before using it in the basting sauce.
  • The longer the soak is NOT better. Do not marinate for too long as the acids in the calamansi will denature the protein and turn the meat mushy. If unable to cook after marinating overnight, drain the pork, transfer into resealable bags or airtight containers and freeze.
  • To prevent the pork from burning, grill first until it starts to lost its pink and then start basting.
  • While traditionally cooked on a hot charcoal grill, you can also cook the rashers on an indoor grill (like pictured above) or in a turbo. You can also pan-fry or bake in the oven.

top view of Filipino-style grilled pork belly on a white serving platter

Dipping sauce for inihaw

Filipino-style grilled pork is best enjoyed with spiced vinegar as sawsawan. Feel free to adjust ingredients according to taste.

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 4 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
  • 2 chopped Thai chili peppers
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly-ground pepper

Have leftovers? Use in sinigang or sisig! More grilled recipes Try this inihaw na pusit stuffed with juicy tomatoes and onions!

top view of Filipino-style grilled pork belly on a white serving platter
Print Recipe Leave a Comment
3.43 from 21 votes

Inihaw na Liempo

Filipino-style grilled pork belly marinated in citrus juice, soy sauce, and spices. This inihaw na baboy is juicy, flavorful, and makes a great appetizer or main dish.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Marinating8 hrs
Total Time8 hrs 35 mins
Course: Appetizer, Main Entree
Cuisine: Filipino
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 830kcal
Author: Lalaine Manalo

Ingredients

  • ½ cup calamansi juice
  • ¼ cup fish sauce
  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 Thai chili peppers, minced
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 pounds pork belly, cut into ½-inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon canola or sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

For the Spiced Vinegar Dip

  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • ½ onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 Thai chili peppers, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine calamansi juice, fish sauce, garlic, chili peppers, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well until sugar and salt are dissolved.
  • Add pork belly and massage marinade into the meat. Transfer into a ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight, turning the bag once or twice.
  • Drain pork from marinade, reserving about 1 cup of the liquid.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, bring reserved marinade into a boil for about 3 to 5 minutes or until reduced.
  • In a small bowl, combine the reduced marinade, oyster sauce, and oil.
  • Arrange pork in a single layer on lightly-oiled hot grill and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
  • When the pork begins to lose its pink, regularly brush with basting sauce. Continue to grill for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until pork is cooked through.
  • Remove from grill and cut into serving pieces. Serve with spiced vinegar dip.

For the Spiced Vinegar Dip

  • In a bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, onion, chili peppers, salt, and pepper.

Video

Notes

  • Do not marinate for too long as the acids in the calamansi will denature the protein and turn the meat mushy. If unable to cook after marinating overnight, drain the pork, transfer into resealable bags or airtight containers and freeze.
  • For food safety, taste and adjust the marinade before adding the pork. After the marination, boil the marinade for a few minutes before using in the basting sauce.
  • To prevent burning, grill the pork first until it starts to lost its pink and then start basting.

Nutrition

Calories: 830kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 83g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1360mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? I'd love to see what you made!mention @Kawalingpinoy and hashtag your photo with #kawalingpinoy

 

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Lalaine from Kawaling Pinoy

Hello! My name is Lalaine and welcome to Kawaling Pinoy where you’ll find Filipino and Asian-inspired recipes, cooking tips, and how-to videos. Read more...

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Comments

  1. Kathleen Bunag says

    May 26, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    plan on doing this for my son's second bday next month. is the calamansi juice just freshly squeezed calamansi or is it bought in bottle on stores? if it's squeezed how many do i need for 1/2 cup? thanks

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      November 07, 2020 at 2:14 pm

      I used freshly-squeezed 🙂

      Reply
  2. lei says

    April 22, 2020 at 2:53 am

    the description said soy sauce but there is no mention of it in the ingredients. do we use it or not? thanks

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      April 25, 2020 at 12:48 pm

      My fault; I got confused. It's fish sauce, not soy sauce 🙁

      Reply
      • lei says

        April 25, 2020 at 12:57 pm

        thanks you. cooked it the other day following the recipe anyway and it turnes out awesome. perdect for a lockdown garden bbq

        Reply
        • Lalaine Manalo says

          April 25, 2020 at 2:15 pm

          I am glad the recipe worked well for you 🙂

          Reply
  3. Crystal says

    November 18, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Can we bake or put them on the stove top???

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      December 03, 2019 at 7:03 pm

      Yes, you can 🙂

      Reply
  4. odie says

    November 05, 2018 at 5:38 pm

    Hi, what Fish sauce did you use? any specific brands or just the local patis?

    Reply
    • Lalaine Manalo says

      December 03, 2019 at 7:03 pm

      I use Rufina Patis 🙂

      Reply
  5. Alfredo Vigo says

    December 01, 2017 at 5:30 am

    I love your recipes. You always try to make it authentic as it can be (no shortcuts like other recipes online). I know everyone has their own version but your recipes always brings me back to when i first tried it back in the Philippines. Why not try to cook these in a video and upload in Youtube? Im sure you will get heaps of subscribers.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      December 20, 2017 at 9:44 am

      Thank you so much, Alfredo. I am glad you're enjoying the recipes. I do have a Youtube channel but I don't have a lot of videos made yet. Definitely my goal for next year 🙂

      Reply
  6. Sarah says

    December 23, 2016 at 12:51 am

    Another winner recipe! I tried this tonight. So good. Your recipe is on the spot as always!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      March 16, 2017 at 1:21 pm

      Thank you, Sarah. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe.

      Reply
  7. Esperanza Gonzaga Santos says

    April 16, 2014 at 8:01 pm

    Yahoo

    Reply
  8. Olivia says

    February 21, 2014 at 12:16 am

    this liempo looks so good. I think I'll grill some this weekend using your recipe. Thanks for sharing. Luvu lalaine.

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      February 23, 2014 at 1:15 am

      Thanks, Olivia. The love is appreciated 🙂

      Reply
  9. shobelyn says

    February 20, 2014 at 3:13 pm

    uH!!!I did not win the turbo ): Congrats to the winner. Anyway, this liempo looks really delicious. I am looking forward to make one, one of this days. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Lalaine says

      February 20, 2014 at 9:25 pm

      There is always next month's giveaway 🙂

      Reply

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