Roasted Cebu-Style Lechon with Lemongrass and Basil

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A festive pork roast inspired by Cebu’s famous lechon, seasoned with lemongrass and basil, then roasted until the skin is crisp and the meat juicy. This Filipino-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 215 minutes, pairs whole pork belly (skin on), lemongrass stalks, fresh basil leaves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 650 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 195 min Serves 6 Filipino cuisine 650 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely chop 3 lemongrass stalks, 8 garlic cloves, and 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves. In a bowl, combine with 2 tbsp salt and 1 tbsp black pepper to make a herb paste.
  2. Step 2: Pat dry 4 pounds whole pork belly with skin on. Carefully lift the skin and rub the herb paste evenly under the skin and all over the meat side.
  3. Step 3: Place the pork belly skin-side up on a roasting rack inside a deep roasting pan. Drizzle 2 tbsp vegetable oil over the skin and pour 1 cup water into the pan for moisture.
  4. Step 4: Roast uncovered for 3 hours, basting occasionally with pan juices, until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender.
  5. Step 5: For extra crispiness, increase oven temperature to 450°F during the last 15 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning.
  6. Step 6: Let the lechon rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

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