Filipino BBQ — Lechon and Lechon Manok | The Rub Kitchen
In the Philippines, BBQ is inextricably linked with celebration. Not an everyday meal – but the centerpiece of weddings, birthdays, Christmas Eve, and national holidays. And the most iconic dish has been on the table for centuries: the lechón – a whole roasted pig on a spit, crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, glistening and festive.
Lechón — the party animal
Lechón (from Spanish lechon: suckling pig) is a legacy of more than 300 years of Spanish colonization – but the Philippines have completely made the dish their own. A whole pig is stuffed with lemongrass, bay leaves, garlic, onion, and local herbs, skewered on a bamboo or iron spit, and slow-roasted over charcoal or wood for 3–6 hours. Two people manually turn the spit – continuously, for hours – for even cooking and the characteristic crispy skin.
- Cebu Region: known for the country's most acclaimed lechón – less stuffing but richer in flavor due to the quality of the pig and the technique
- Manila-style: more richly stuffed, served with liver-based sarsa sauce
- Serving: directly from the spit, skin served first to the guests of honor
Lechon Manok — spit-roasted chicken
While lechón is for celebrations, lechon manok is the everyday equivalent. Whole chickens marinated in garlic, bay leaf, onion, pepper, soy sauce, and fish sauce, skewered and slow-roasted over charcoal. Street vendors with rows of rotating chickens are a common sight in the Philippine urban landscape. Can be made at home on a vertical chicken roaster or on a spit.
Filipino BBQ skewers
Besides lechón, Filipino BBQ skewers (inihaw na baboy or manok) are a popular street snack: thin strips of pork or chicken marinated in soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, brown sugar, and calamansi juice (a local citrus fruit), grilled over charcoal. Sweet, slightly smoky, and direct.
Lechón at home — without a whole pig
A whole pig is not feasible for most home cooks. Good alternatives:
- Lechón kawali: pork belly cooked until tender, then deep-fried or oven-roasted at 220°C for crispy skin – same flavor profile, a fraction of the effort
- Pork belly on the BBQ: indirect cooking at 150°C, then direct finishing on high heat for the skin – comparable result
- Stuff the belly beforehand with lemongrass, garlic, and bay leaf for the authentic aromatic flavor
Rub Kitchen tip
For Filipino BBQ skewers at home, the Korean BBQ Rub works excellently as a dry marinade – soy, garlic, ginger, and sesame closely match the sweet-savory flavor profile of the Filipino marinade. Apply to thin pork strips and let marinate for 2 hours before grilling.