How to Cook Lechon Paksiw
Transform leftover roasted pork into rich, tangy Filipino lechon paksiw by simmering chopped lechon with garlic, vinegar, bay leaves, and savory liver sauce.
This guide shows how to cook lechon paksiw in 45 minutes. Start with chop lechon and aromatics; follow the safety notes and step checkpoints below.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- ✓ Wooden spoon
- ✓ Chef's knife
- ✓ Cutting board
- ✓ Measuring cups and spoons
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 2 lbs leftover lechon (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- ✓ 1 bottle (approx. 330g) liver sauce
- ✓ 1/2 cup cane vinegar
- ✓ 1 head garlic (crushed and minced)
- ✓ 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- ✓ 3-4 dried bay leaves
- ✓ 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- ✓ 3 tbsp brown sugar
- ✓ 1 to 2 cups water or pork broth
- ✓ 2 tbsp cooking oil
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Take care when chopping through hardened roasted skin and bone fragments with a heavy chef's knife.
- • Do not lean directly over the pot when adding vinegar, as hot acidic steam can irritate the eyes and nose.
- • Ensure leftover lechon was stored safely at 40°F (4°C) or below prior to cooking.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Chop Lechon and Aromatics
Slice the leftover lechon into 1.5 to 2-inch chunks, cutting cleanly through any soft bones. Peel and finely mince the garlic, then peel and dice the yellow onion.
- • Even pile of 1.5-inch chopped pork with intact crispy-to-soft skin
- • Mounded minced garlic and evenly diced translucent yellow onion
- • Leaving pieces too large, preventing the sauce from penetrating the meat
Sauté Garlic and Onion
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in your pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until light golden, then stir in the diced onions and cook until soft and translucent.
- • Garlic is pale golden-yellow, not dark brown
- • Onions are soft and glassy with no burned edges
- • Burning the garlic on high heat before the onions soften
Sear Pork with Spices
Add the chopped lechon, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns to the pot. Stir-fry the pork with the aromatics for 3 minutes to render a bit of fat and bloom the spices.
- • Pork pieces are glistening with rendered fat and mixed evenly with aromatics
- • Whole peppercorns and bay leaves distributed throughout the meat
- • Stirring too violently and breaking the softened lechon meat apart
Add Vinegar and Water Without Stirring
Pour in 1/2 cup of cane vinegar and 1 cup of water or broth. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and let it bubble uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes without stirring.
- • Liquid is bubbling vigorously across the surface of the meat
- • Vapor transition from sharp raw vinegar smell to a mellow, savory aroma
- • Stirring the pot immediately after pouring vinegar, resulting in a harsh, raw acid flavor
Incorporate Liver Sauce and Sugar
Pour in the entire bottle of liver sauce and add the brown sugar. Stir gently from the bottom of the pot until the sauce dissolves smoothly into the braising liquid.
- • Liquid turns into an even, rich, caramel-brown braising gravy
- • No clumps of brown sugar visible on the spoon
- • Leaving liver sauce settled at the bottom where it can easily scorch
Simmer and Thicken
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes until the lechon skin is tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, glossy coat.
- • Sauce coats the back of a spoon with a glossy sheen
- • Lechon skin is soft, gelatinous, and fork-tender
- • Simmering uncovered on high heat, causing the sauce to dry out before the meat softens
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Panlasang Pinoy — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Cane vinegar? White distilled vinegar (use slightly less) or apple cider vinegar
- No Bottled liver sauce? 1 can (85g) liver spread blended with 3/4 cup water, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 1 tbsp brown sugar
- No Leftover lechon? Crispy roasted pork belly (lechon kawali or roasted pork shoulder)