Pork Belly Liempo (Stovetop Grill & Air-fry)

Pork Belly Liempo (Stovetop Grill & Air-fry) is a popular Filipino dish known for its flavorful and succulent grilled pork belly. The dish is characterized by the use of marinated pork belly, which is then grilled or air-fried to perfection. The marinade typically includes a combination of soy sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, sprite, garlic, sugar, and various spices, creating a savory and aromatic flavor profile.

Today I will be sharing a Filipino-style grilled pork belly. This dish soaks all the flavors from the marinade. I am cooking the marinated pork belly on a stovetop grill and air-fry. Once you try this dish, you will keep making it.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Serving Liempo
• Helpful Tips
• About pork belly Liempo
• Other Filipino Pork Barbeque
• Why You Should Try This Dish
• More Recipes For You
• Let's Stay Connected
• Pork Belly Liempo (Stovetop Grill & Air-fry)

Ingredients

• Pork Belly
• Sprite (regular not diet soda)
• Garlic Powder
• Ketchup
• Black pepper
• Brown Sugar

Instructions

• Marinate the meat: In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sprite, lemon juice, bay leaf, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the pork belly strip and marinate for 4 hours up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Cook the basting sauce: Take the marinated pork belly out of the refrigerator. Cook ½ cup of the marinade in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and remove it from the heat then add ketchup and sugar to the basting sauce.
• Stovetop Grill Instruction: Preheat your stovetop grill until it is smoky. Grill over medium-high heat, basting with the sauce occasionally, and flipping every 3-5 minutes until the meat is charred, caramelized, and cooked to an internal temperature of 165F, about 10-15 minutes per batch.

• Air-fryer: Follow the marinating process and cook the basting sauce. Preheat the air-fryer. Line your air-fryer basket or tray with aluminum foil and lay the pork strips in a single layer. Air-fry at 375F for 8 minutes. Flip and brush it with basting sauce and cook every 5-10 minutes depending on the thickness of your meat. You need to keep an eye to prevent it from burning.

Serving Liempo

is usually served chopped up into small pieces along with rice. It can also be sliced and served like steak. Liempo goes wonderfully with the bright acidic flavor of vinegar dipping sauce. Other popular liempo pairings include atchara (pickled papaya), tomatoes, cucumbers, and soy sauce with calamansi lime.

Helpful Tips

• Choose fresh, high-quality pork belly with evenly distributed fat and meat. Avoid a belly that seems too lean.
• Make sure to marinate the meat for at least 2-3 hours, or ideally overnight, so the flavors develop fully.
• Grill the pork belly over medium-high heat and flip every 5 minutes or so to avoid burning the exterior.
• Use charcoal instead of gas if possible for the most authentic, smoky flavor.
• To check the doneness of meat, use a meat thermometer. If it reaches 165°F (73.88 °C) then your pork belly is cooked and safe to serve.
• Let the liempo rest for 5-10 minutes before chopping and serving for juicier meat.
• Round out your liempo meal with rice, vinegar dipping sauce, and some vegetable sides like cucumber and tomato.
• Store your leftover pork liempo in a container with a lid for 7 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stovetop until warm thoroughly.

About pork belly Liempo

Liempo specifically refers to pork belly hat has been marinated and then grilled over charcoal. It is essentially the Filipino take on grilled pork belly. Liempo is derived from the Spanish term lechón, which refers to suckling pig that has been roasted. Over time, liempo became known as the Filipino grill version made with pork belly.

Liempo is often marinated beforehand to infuse it with flavors. Common marinade ingredients include soy sauce, black pepper, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, and 7-Up or Sprite soda (not a diet soda). The carbonation from the soda helps tenderize the meat. Once marinated, the pork belly is grilled until the fat is rendered and the meat becomes caramelized. This results in liempo with a sweet and salty glaze on the outside and juicy, flavorful meat inside.

Other Filipino Pork Barbeque

• Inihaw na Baboy (Grilled Pork Belly) - Very similar to liempo, this dish features thin slices of pork belly marinated in a soy sauce mixture and grilled.
• Inihaw na Pusit (Grilled Squid) - Tender squid gets quickly grilled and served with a vinegar-based dipping sauce.
• Inihaw na Bangus (Grilled Milkfish) - Milkfish is a popular seafood, butterflied and grilled with margarine, garlic, and other seasoning.
• Chicken Inasal - Chicken pieces marinated in vinegar, calamansi, garlic, and spices before grilling.
• Pork Barbecue Skewers - Also known as pork bbq-on-a-stick which are marinated pork cubes threaded onto bamboo skewers then grilled.

Why You Should Try This Dish

• Liempo has the ideal balance of melt-in-your-mouth fat and rich, flavorful meat. You get the enjoyable contrast of crunchy charred edges along with melt-in-your-mouth fat and succulent pork. It's a textural experience that keeps you going back for more.
• As liempo sizzles away on the grill, it releases an incredible aroma that instantly stimulates appetites. That irresistible smell lets everyone know it's time to eat! It builds the excitement and celebration of the meal before the first bite.
• If love similar recipes, check out my Pork Belly Sisig, Pork Dinakdakan, Pork Bicol Express, and Pork Binagoongan.

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