Filipino Recipes For Noche Buena: Crispy Pork Belly and Chicken Inasal -

by Jim Bea Sampaga

Are you still looking for dishes to serve for Noche Buena? Well, look no further! We got you covered. Presenting two recipes to add warmth to your dinner table this Christmas Eve: Crispy Pork Belly and Chicken Inasal.

Lechon is usually the go-to pork dish in every Filipino tradition but if you’re looking for an accessible way to recreate lechon without the whole pig, then crispy pork belly is the way to go. It still has that crackly pork skin and tender juicy meat that we all love and crave with lechon. Although lechon’s thin crispy skin is harder to achieve, crackly pork skin is a good and easier alternative.

For those who love chicken, chicken inasal hits the spot for that authentic Filipino food experience. Inasal means “grilled” in Tagalog, but if grilling isn’t possible in your home, baking this recipe in an oven is still as good. If you have the means to grill, then go for it!

Crispy Pork Belly
4 lbs skin-on pork belly
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup kosher salt (for topping)
Mang Tomas for sauce

Cut your pork belly in half to ensure it fits in your oven or air fryer. Make vertical slits along the meat side, making sure not to cut into the fat layer. Season only the meat side with brown sugar, garlic powder, and salt. Let pork sit in the fridge over a wire rack with the skin side up overnight. This will dry up the skin which will result in a crispier pork skin. The next day, create a tin foil boat that wraps around the meat side of the pork belly. This prevents the meat from burning. Add enough kosher salt to cover the skin. The salt will draw out the moisture from the skin ensuring a crispy pork skin. Make sure to use coarse salt like kosher so it doesn’t actually penetrate the skin. Place the pork in an oven at 300F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. If using an air fryer, ensure that the fan option is on the lowest level to not blow away all the salt. Once done, remove all the salt from the skin and brush it with a layer of oil. Place back into the oven or air-fryer and bake at 450F for 20 minutes or until the pork skin is crispy. Slice and serve immediately with Mang Tomas dipping sauce. The serving size is about 6 people. (Recipe by kwokspots.com)

Chicken Inasal

Ingredients
6 chicken thighs, with slits cut on the meat

Marinade
1/4 cup lemongrass, pounded
8 cloves of garlic, pounded
2 tbsp ginger, pounded
1/2 cup annatto oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cane vinegar
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp calamansi juice
2 tbsp liquid seasoning
1 tsp ground black pepper

Basting Sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup annatto oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp calamansi juice

Prepare the marinade by pounding the aromatics (lemongrass, garlic, ginger and salt) in a mortar and pestle until their natural moisture comes out and no large chunks remain. Pounding releases more of its flavor than simply chopping the ingredients. In a bowl, combine the pounded aromatics with annatto oil, brown sugar, cane vinegar, calamansi juice, liquid seasoning, and ground black pepper. Place the chicken thighs in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade in. Make sure the marinade coats all the chicken pieces adequately. Let marinate for at least one hour or overnight. When ready to cook, place the marinated chicken on a wire rack and bake in a preheated oven at 375F for 45-50 minutes. While baking, prepare the basting sauce by combining unsalted butter, annatto oil, salt, brown sugar, and calamansi juice until well mixed. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, baste the chicken every 5 minutes for a total of 3-4 bastings. Once the chicken is just about to be finished cooking, turn the broiler on high to achieve the char on the skin. Serve immediately with rice. The serving size is 6 people. (Recipe by iankewks.com)