How to carve and serve a whole lechon
There is one mistake that ruins good lechon, and almost everybody makes it. We will get to it in a moment.
Chop, do not slice
A whole lechon is chopped into parts, not carved like a Sunday roast. Separate the body sections first — that gives you manageable pieces and lets everyone reach the cut they want.
Keep the skin off the meat
Here is the mistake.
Do not put the skin back on top of the meat while the meat is still hot. The meat gives off steam, the steam has nowhere to go, and within minutes the crackling you waited for has gone soft. It is the same reason we deliver in an open tray rather than a sealed box.
Separate the skin from the meat as you chop, and serve them in separate dishes. People take what they want of each, and the last piece of skin is as crisp as the first.
Chopping it up
Serving
- Put the skin out in a shallow, wide dish, in one layer if you can. Piled deep, the bottom layer steams itself.
- The seasoned vinegar goes on the table, not over the lechon. Poured on, it softens everything it touches.
- Cebu lechon is seasoned inside the pig, so it does not need liver sauce. Put some out if your guests expect it, but taste it first — most people find they do not reach for it.
What to do with what is left
Keep the skin and the meat apart in the fridge as well, for the same reason. Our reheating and leftovers guide covers the rest.