You can’t cheat inihaw na liempo on the stovetop. While a hot pan can give your meat a good sear and a delicious crust, it can never get hot enough to achieve that intense, caramelized sear from an outdoor grill. Nor can it replicate the smoky flavor that only real, burning charcoal can provide.
So what do you do if you have liempo on the menu, but no grill to make inihaw with? Try treating it like a steak. Season your liempo liberally with salt and pepper, plus extra rosemary for depth. Get your pan screaming hot. Sear the liempo until a brown crust forms. Whip up a rich garlic butter pan sauce to finish—basting helps deepen the crust around your liempo. An extra squeeze of lemon brings freshness while balancing the rich sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork liempo (pork belly), cut into 1-inch thick slices
- salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp minced rosemary
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup chopped garlic
- lemon slices or wedges, for garnish
Prepare liempo: Pat liempo dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add rosemary and massage seasonings into the meat.
Before cooking, make sure your liempo will fit in your widest, heaviest skillet. Slice it into shorter lengths if needed.
Sear liempo: Heat a wide, heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Add neutral oil and heat until shimmering. Add liempo to the pan, working in batches to avoid crowding, and sear until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes. Flip to sear the other side, another 3–4 minutes. The liempo should look well-browned and delicious on the outside, with juices that run a bit pink when cut into the center. Remove liempo from skillet and set aside.
Make garlic butter sauce: Deglaze pan with vinegar, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Using a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula, scrape off and release the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Transfer liquid to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Melt unsalted butter in the same pan. Add chopped garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, milk solids in the butter have started to brown slightly, and your kitchen smells delicious. Return vinegar-soy mixture into the pan and stir to incorporate.
Finish liempo: Increase heat to medium. Return seared liempo to the pan and simmer, basting frequently with garlic butter sauce, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Serve: Transfer cooked liempo to a serving plate. Pour garlic butter sauce from the pan over the liempo. Garnish with lemon slices or wedges. Serve hot with steamed rice.
