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, 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. 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 the meat.
- 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.
- 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, 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
“This 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.”
Harvey Lobo-Chan says
any tips on replicating this recipe with an instant pot?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can try maybe 20 minutes of HIGH pressure?
Dahl McGrath says
Can I use pork butt/shoulder?
Lalaine Manalo says
You can, just make sure it has a thick cap of fat and skin.
Andy says
I have made this a couple of times now. Came out great both times. Only difference is instead of finishing in the oven, I used an air fryer. Nice soft, juicy meat, golden crispy skin. My wife (Filipina) tore it up. Thanks for the recipe.
Lalaine Manalo says
Can’t wait to try my air fryer; thanks for the tip!
Weng says
Had great success when I first tried this and it was so easy. I just left it in the slow cooker and went out for a few errands. Came back and put it in the oven and all done!
Will this work with lechon belly roll?
Lalaine Manalo says
I haven’t tried it with a rolled pork belly but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Vella says
This is the easiest way to get the perfect tender moist belly with crispy skin! My family loved it! I will never cook lechon belly any other way! Thank you! Btw, I added tanglad and cloves of garlic for leveled up flavor!
Lalaine Manalo says
Will definitely try adding lemongrass and fresh garlic the next time I make this. I can just imagine the aroma as it cooks in the slow cooker! Thanks for the tip!
MJ says
HI! Would this work with pork shoulder/butt?
Lalaine Manalo says
I make carnitas using this method with great results. For the crispy lechon, though, you need a thick cap up of fat and skin.
Agnes says
Hello, I am following all your recipe. Thanks. I have a question, can I use a turbo? I don’t have a slow cooker? Thank you and God bless
Lalaine Manalo says
You can cook the pork belly in a pot on the stove until tender and just finish off in the turbo to get crispy 🙂
Amanda says
Hi there, I was wondering if someone could help me with this wonderful recipe please? I am English and I would love to cook this for my Filipino boyfriend. I am just a bit nervous as I will be putting this in thr fridge after cooking and then I would like to crisp in the oven 12hrs later. I have no idea how to do this in the oven so that the meat gets hot through and crisp. Does anyone have any advice for me please? Thank you xx
Lalaine Manalo says
You can cook the pork belly in a slow cooker and place it on a roasting rack with skin side up. Cook in the oven according to the recipe 🙂
Eigh espinosa says
Hello again Lalaine, I’m wondering if you’ve tried using this method with a rolled pork and if it works the same way? thanks
Lalaine Manalo says
I haven’t yet but will work on it!
Ellie says
It looks like it’s been a few years since you’ve had an air fryer. Have you had a chance to put this in the air fryer instead of the oven?
Could I put this in the slow cooker a day before and keep it in the fridge overnight, then finish in the oven the next day?
Does it need to dry or cool from the slow cooker before putting it in the oven?
Thanks for all the help!
Gigi says
Hi! I’m excited to try this! Could this be done in an oven also? As in lay it in a rack with a tray underneath to catch the drippings and on low temp?
Liz says
Hi! Can someone please explain what “Just have the butcher cut through the bones of the belly to make it easier to chop to serving pieces” means? Is that exactly how I ask the butcher? What if I do it myself, what am I supposed to do?
Lalaine Manalo says
I usually have the butcher cut the bones (ribs)at about 3 to 5 inches apart but not all the way through the meat so when I chop it to serving pieces, I don’t have to cut through the hard bones with my knife. This is optional but makes serving it easier.