Grilled Pork Kilawin Recipe

 

Kilawin refers to a meat-and-vinegar based Filipino dish. It could be a combination of boiled and/or grilled meat such as goat, beef, hog, carabao (water buffalo), or deer. It is distinguished by layers of zesty, savory flavors and a variety of textures, from crispy and chewy to tender and soft. In my recipe, marinated and grilled pig belly, or “inihaw na liempo” as it is known in Tagalog, are coated in a tangy sauce consisting of red onion, garlic, and sukang Iloko, a dark-colored vinegar made from sugar cane molasses. During a typical beer-drinking session in the Philippines, Kilawin is often served as an appetizer or side dish.

Traditionally, Kilawin includes papat, or bile from a cow or goat’s gallbladder, which adds an astringent flavor (I’ve omitted the papat in my recipe; the meal is still delicious anyway). In some areas, locals add tofu or offal like tripe, liver, or heart to dishes to provide additional flavor and textures. This dish’s umami, sour, and bitter flavor combination accurately captures the tastes of Filipinos.

Since the terms are sometimes used interchangeably depending on the region, Kinilaw, which is raw fish pickled in vinegar, is frequently mistaken for Kilawin. This is probably caused by the fact that both use vinegar, a common ingredient that was historically used to preserve food, to flavor (and cook, in the case of Kinilaw) the protein.

To create my Kilawin, I advise you to prepare the pork belly the morning before your meal or, if possible, the day before because it requires soaking chunks of pork belly in a seasoned brine for anything from a minimum of 6 hours to a full 24 hours. After marinating, you roast the pork belly over hot coals and then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Sliced onion, minced garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar, and a ton of freshly ground black pepper are all that are required to make the tangy dressing. Serve the pork after stirring it in, either alone or with white rice and a chilled beer of your choice.

Kilawin can be kept chilled for up to three days in an airtight container. Set oven to 350°F (177°C) to reheat. Reheat the Kilawin for about 5 minutes until hot on a rimmed baking sheet coated with aluminum foil. Alternately, reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds at a time.

grilled meat

Ingredients

 

For the grilled pork belly

  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 60g Salt
  • 30ml fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 910g boneless, skin-on pork belly, cut into 2-inch-wide by 4-inch-long block

For the Kiliwan

  • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 25g minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup of sukang Iloko vinegar
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish

grilled meat

Directions

  1. For the grilled pork belly: Combine water, salt, lemon juice, sugar, and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Put aside.
  2. Put the pork belly in a large baking dish or gallon zip-lock bag and cover with the marinade. Before sealing the bag, remove as much air as you can and toss to distribute the marinade evenly (if using baking dish, wrap tightly with plastic wrap). Transfer to the refrigerator, and marinate for a minimum of 6 hours and a maximum of 24 hours.
  3. Start a charcoal fire in half of a chimney. Pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate once the charcoal has all been fired and covered with gray ash. Put the cooking grate in place, close the grill, and give it five minutes to heat up. Alternately, heat the highest setting on half the burners on a gas grill, cover it, and cook for 10 minutes. Clean and lubricate the grill grates.
  4. Take the pork belly out of the marinade, remove any excess, and dry it with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Pork should be cooked directly over the grill’s hot side. Use a gas grill with a cover if you’re using a charcoal barbecue. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning the pork regularly, until it is thoroughly cooked, gently browned on all sides, and the thickest part of the meat reads 155°F (68°C) on an instant-read thermometer (if a flare-up occurs, quickly move pork to cooler side of grill; once flare-up subsides, move pork back to hotter side of grill and continue to cook). Slice the pork belly into 1-inch-wide by 2-inch-long strips after it has rested for 5 minutes on the cutting board.
  5. To prepare the Kilawin, combine the vinegar, black pepper, salt, sugar, and half of the onion slices in a large bowl. Stir the sugar and salt until they have dissolved completely. Add the pork, then toss to coat it with the dressing evenly.
  6. Garnish with scallions and the remaining sliced onion after transferring to a serving dish or bowl. Serve.