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.
Melissa B. { hungryfoodlove }
This is too much! pork, crispy and stuffed with more yummines... I loved this so much I had to link it in my site along with my roasted pork post. I need to try this some day.
Cristina
Thanks for this recipe. I'm going to try it. I've been planning to cook a lechona, but this is fantastic for a first time try-out before attempting the real deal.
Ana Maria Garcia
Me encantan tus recetas, he tratado algunas y me han salido bien. Me encanta este blog porque mi hijo (un futuro chef) tiene la oportunidad de conocer mas de nuestra comida tradicional. Gracias.
Nana
Genial!
nunca pense en poder hacer lechona en mi casa. Tambien soy vegetariana por salud 🙁
Pero, el solo cuarito le va a dar ese sabor delicioso q' es lo q' mas me gusta.... uy q rico!
Where can I find the skin? I've never seen it!
Andrea
Dear Erica, you have saved Christmas this year for our family. See we ordered lechona from a local Colombian Restaurant and it was ok tastewise, but it had no pork skin. You know lechona is not lechona without the skin, I just came back from my very american store and they had the pork skin to my surprise. I am about to sfuff it with the "semi-lechona" we ordered. Thanks! I would've never thought of buying pork skin! Merry Christmas.
Gretel
Thank you so much for this! My family has always wanted to make Lechona but it's difficult to find a whole pig and also quite expensive. We're making this for Christmas, you saved us!! 😀
Kelly Ospina
Thank you! I've been looking for a version of this recipe that I could make at home for just two people. This is perfect!
Christine
Hi Erica -
Thank you for your great recipes! My husband is Colombian and I have really wanted to learn how to cook some of his favorites for him when we are in the states, but since my spanish is not fluent enough it was difficult to learn from his mother. I have been using your recipes while I am living in Bogota and so far they all have turned out delicious!
Lechona is one of his favorites so I am excited to try this one when we return to the states, especially since we just ate some in Tolima this past weekend!
Karen
Erica... Quick question. Where do you find pork fat, or how do you make it?
Thanks this looks delishhhh!!!
Erica
Karen- I find pork fat at the meat department at my local market or you can ask the butcher.
Christina Mordenti
I wonder how it would be if I did this recipe with bacon instead of pork skin because I could not find the skin anywhere where I live? Has anyone tried that?
Sandra
Se ve muy rica pero yo soy del Tolima y en ese departamento se hace con puras carnes, papa, arveja, no se le agrega arroz. En Cundinamarca y otros departamentos es donde le agregan arroz.
tasteofbeirut
How interesting Erica; I doubt I will find this here in Lebanon but I am fascinated with the process! Sounds so good too!
Chris
My grandmother used to make me fatback as a kid on summer vacation but she never got fancy like this! Spectacular cooking and presentation, Erica.
norma
Give me all that skin.....que rico s e ve...
Jessica
This sounds delicious! I just emailed it to my Aunt who was looking for a recipe like this!
Oysterculture
Oh my, another incredible looking dish. My husband just looked over my shoulder and asked when he was getting this. Soon I hope!