Liempo Recipe Pork Belly

If you’re craving a mouthwatering dish that’s packed with flavor, this Liempo Recipe Pork Belly is exactly what you need.

Juicy, tender, and perfectly marinated, this Filipino favorite is easy to prepare at home and sure to impress your family and friends.

In this recipe, we’ll guide you step by step on how to achieve the perfect balance of crispiness and succulent meat, making your Liempo unforgettable.

🧄 Ingredients for Authentic Liempo

Here’s what you’ll need for this liempo recipe pork belly:

Tip: Cut the pork belly into medium-thick slices—not too thin, not too thick—so they cook evenly and stay juicy.

🍶 How to Marinate Liempo (The Secret to Flavor!)

The marinade is where liempo gets its sweet, salty, tangy, smoky goodness. Filipino BBQ flavor always starts here.

1. Prepare the marinade

In a large bowl, combine:

• Soy sauce
• Calamansi or lemon juice
• Brown sugar
• Minced garlic
• Oyster sauce
• Banana ketchup
• Pepper
• Salt

Mix well until the sugar dissolves.

2. Add the pork belly

Place the liempo slices into the bowl and massage the marinade into the meat. Make sure every surface is coated.

3. Let it marinate

For best results, marinate for:

• Minimum: 2 hours
• Better: Overnight
• Best: Overnight + another 2–3 hours

The longer you marinate, the deeper the flavor gets.

🔥 How to Cook Liempo on the Grill (Traditional Way)

This is the classic method—and my favorite way to cook liempo.

✔️ Step 1: Preheat your grill

• Heat your charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat.
• You want it hot enough to caramelize the sugar but not so hot that it burns quickly.

✔️ Step 2: Brush the grill with oil

This prevents sticking, which happens often with pork belly.

✔️ Step 3: Grill the pork belly

Place the liempo slices on the grill and cook:

• About 6–8 minutes per side
• Brush with leftover marinade or banana ketchup for a glossy finish
• Flip only when grill marks form

The marinade’s sugar gives liempo that iconic reddish-brown caramelized color. It’s irresistible.

✔️ Step 4: Caramelize and crisp the edges

Move the pork closer to the coals for 1–2 minutes to crisp the fat.

✔️ Step 5: Rest the meat

• Allow the pork belly to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
• This keeps the juices inside where they belong.

⚡ Air Fryer Method (If You Don’t Want to Grill)

Liempo turns out surprisingly amazing in the air fryer.

Air fryer instructions:

1. Preheat to 190°C (375°F)
2. Arrange liempo slices in a single layer
3. Cook for 15 minutes, flip, then cook another 10–12 minutes
4. Brush with extra marinade in the last 5 minutes

You’ll get crispy edges, juicy centers, and zero mess.

🔥 Oven-Baked Liempo (For a No-Grill Approach)

If you don’t have a grill, the oven still does a great job.

Oven instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F)
2. Line a tray with foil (for easy cleanup)
3. Place pork belly on a rack to allow air circulation
4. Bake for 30 minutes, flip
5. Bake another 25–30 minutes
6. Broil in the final 3–5 minutes for crispy edges

🍚 Best Sides to Serve with Liempo

Liempo shines even more when paired with Filipino classics:

• Garlic fried rice
• Steamed jasmine rice
• Atchara (pickled papaya)
• Ensaladang kamatis (tomato salad)
• Grilled eggplant
• Corn on the cob
• Spicy vinegar dipping sauce (sawsawan)

Simple Vinegar Dip (Sawsawan)

Mix together:

• Vinegar
• Crushed garlic
• Chili
• Pepper
• A little sugar

It cuts through the fattiness perfectly.

🌟 What Makes This Liempo Recipe Stand Out?

• Balanced marinade: sweet, salty, sour, smoky
• Banana ketchup adds color + that authentic Filipino BBQ vibe
• Crispy-charred outside, juicy inside
• Easy cooking methods for any kitchen setup
• Family-friendly, budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing

And honestly? It tastes even better the next day.

Additional Tips Before the FAQs

• Use thick-cut pork belly: Thicker slices = juicier liempo.
• Keep an eye on the sugar: Because of the sugar in the marinade, liempo can burn quickly. Flip it more often during the last few minutes.
• Add a splash of Sprite: Yes, the soda! It tenderizes the meat and adds sweetness. A very Filipino trick.
• Save some marinade BEFORE mixing with raw meat: Use that untouched portion for basting.
• Grill low and slow for super soft liempo: Then finish on high heat for crispiness.
• Use charcoal if possible: Nothing beats the smoky flavor.

FAQs

1. Can I use the same marinade for basting?

Only if you boil it first. Otherwise, keep a separate clean portion for brushing.

2. How long should pork belly marinate?

Overnight yields the best flavor, but 2–3 hours works in a pinch.

3. Why is banana ketchup used in liempo?

It gives gorgeous color, slight sweetness, and that uniquely Filipino BBQ flavor.

4. Can I use pork shoulder instead of belly?

Yes! Pork shoulder (kasim) works, but it’s less fatty.

5. How do I store leftover liempo?

Keep it in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in an air fryer for best texture.

Final Thoughts

This liempo recipe pork belly is everything you want in Filipino comfort food—sweet, savory, smoky, juicy, and perfect for any family meal or backyard BBQ.

Whether you grill it the traditional way, air fry it, or bake it, you’ll still end up with irresistibly flavorful liempo that tastes like it came straight from the streets of Manila.

Just prepare a big bowl of rice… because trust me, you’re going to want seconds.

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Liempo Recipe Pork Belly

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Filipino

Servings 6 servings

Calories 450 kcal

Ingredients

  

• Pork belly liempo, sliced – 1–1.5 kg
• Soy sauce – ½ cup
• Calamansi or lemon juice – ¼ cup
• Brown sugar – 3 tbsp
• Garlic minced – 6 cloves
• Oyster sauce – 2 tbsp
• Banana ketchup – 3 tbsp
• Ground black pepper – 1 tsp
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Chili flakes optional – ½ tsp
• Cooking oil – 2 tbsp

Instructions

 

• Step 1 – Prepare the marinade: Combine soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, brown sugar, minced garlic, oyster sauce, banana ketchup, ground black pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well until sugar dissolves.

  Step 2 – Marinate the pork belly: Add the pork belly slices to the marinade and massage it into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight recommended for best flavor).

  Step 3 – Cooking Options:

  Grill Method:

  Preheat grill to medium-high.

  Brush grill with oil to prevent sticking.

  Grill pork belly slices 6–8 minutes per side, brushing with leftover marinade.

  Move closer to coals for 1–2 minutes for crisp edges.

  Rest meat 5 minutes before slicing.

  Air Fryer Method:

  Preheat air fryer to 190°C (375°F).

  Arrange pork in a single layer.

  Cook 15 minutes, flip, then cook 10–12 minutes more.

  Brush extra marinade in last 5 minutes.

  Oven-Baked Method:

  Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).

  Line tray with foil and place pork on a rack.

  Bake 30 minutes, flip, bake another 25–30 minutes.

  Broil 3–5 minutes for crispy edges.

  Step 4 – Serve: Pair with garlic fried rice, steamed jasmine rice, atchara, ensaladang kamatis, grilled vegetables, or a simple vinegar dipping sauce.