Lechona is a traditional Colombian dish made with pork, vegetables and spices. This amazing meal is very popular during the holidays.
Lechona Tolimense (Colombian-Style Stuffed Pork)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork fat back skins
- ¼ cup pork fat or lard
- 4 scallions chopped
- 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sazon with azafran or color
- ¾ cup peas yellow or green
- 1 ¼ cups cooked white rice
- Salt and pepper
- 2 pounds pound pork meat cut into small pieces
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan melt the pork fat or lard. Add the scallions and garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- In a large bowl mix the pork meat, cooked rice, ground cumin, sazon, peas,, salt and pepper.
- Add the pork fat and onion mixture to the bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- o assemble: Rinse the pork fat skin under cold water and pat dry. Lay the pork fat skin on a baking sheet or baking pan lined with foil, top with rice mixture. Start rolling the pork skin to enclose the rice and pork mixture completely. Tie with kitchen string to hold it together.
- Preheat the oven to 475 F.
- Bake for about 40 minutes uncovered to allow the skin to brown.Cover with foil and cook for about 45 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board. Carve the lechona after it has rested for at least 15 minutes. Serve with arepa, salted potatoes and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Lechona Tolimense is a traditional dish, originally from the Tolima department of Colombia, is often served on special occasions. This popular dish consists of a whole pork stuffed with rice, peas and spices , cooked in a brick oven for about ten to twelve hours.
Lechona was Mamita's favorite Colombian dish and it was the main course at our Noche Buena, New Year's Eve celebrations and at her birthday parties. The most important thing for Mamita was that the skin was really crispy.
Noche Buena and New Year's Eve dinners at my grandmother's house were filled with tables groaning under the immense amount of food piled on top of it and people bustling to get to it. Two different kinds of pork roast, lechona, tamales, buñuelos, natilla, hojuelas, arroz con leche, brevas caladas, and two or three salads. Memories that I will always treasure. Mamita passed away about 10 years ago and even though the loss is over-whelming, I can’t help but remember her with a smile. She was the best Grandmother any girl could ask for.
Lechona Tolimense is a delicious meal. My mom has a recipe to make a small Lechona at home using pork skin and I want to share it with you. Sorry, but I could not afford a whole pig.
Enjoy it!
Note: If you want to see pictures of a traditional lechona made with a whole pig you can visit Nika's blog here. If you are a vegetarian, I don't recommend the pictures.
Erica
Thank you guys!
Pilar
Se ve delicioso!!
Faith
I love how crispy the skin got! It must have given so much flavor to this dish!
grace
welcome home, honey--here's a pig! yeah, that might not go over so well. 🙂 this dish, on the other hand, would be an absolute pleasure to behold upon arriving home--well done!
Carla
Oh my. Not too pretty to start out, but the end result is beautiful. I can just imagine all of the flavor from being tied in pork fat skins.
Belinda @zomppa
Mmmmmmmmmm looks wonderful (and pork skin sounds pretty darn good too).
Barbara
Love the photos, Erica. The one of the dish coming out of the oven made my mouth water.
Funny comment about your vegetarian hubby!
Joanne
This sounds like one delicious stuffed pork! Thanks for scaling it down...I can't see myself bringing home a whole pig either 😛
pierre
i love the way you cook the pork !! thanks for the sharing !!pierre de Paris
Jeannie
Won't the skin be tough? Looks good from the photos!
Erica
Jeannie- It is really crispy and delicious!!!
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best
WOW! I'm imagining a whole pig roasted with all these goodies. I've never known that you can buy pork skin alone. This dish is quite a treat, and like your mom I love pork skin to be very crisp.
Joan Nova
Sabroso -- but only in small portions and definitely with a squeeze of lime juice.
Lyndsey
It looks amazing! I agree with Claudia. I love your recipes and have made many! Thanks!
Francijoe
This is great to eat for breakfast......:)
Claudia
OMG! that looks amazing. can't wait to make it. i've made many of your recipes and they have all been great and perfect. where can i purchase the Rumba product? thanks so much for sharing your recipes with us. =o)
Erica
Claudia- You can find pork skin at a Latin market.
Stephany
I love lechona i am a clombia girl i talk a little of french and i know inglish and spanish i cant go to clombia because of covid.
Zac
Okay, now that is Epic!!
Lina maría
I love all you dishes!!!!!
Thank you for sharing
CARMEN
DELICIOSO , ME ENCANTAN TODAS SUS RECETAS , SOY FAN SUYO UN SALUDO