Lechona
Lechona is the crown jewel of Colombian festive cuisine, originating in the department of Tolima and traditionally prepared for celebrations, holidays, and large gatherings. The authentic preparation involves stuffing an entire pig with a mixture of yellow peas, rice, spices, and the pig's own seasoned meat, then roasting it for up to 12 hours until the skin becomes a sheet of golden, shattering crackling. This home-adapted version uses a pork shoulder roast with the skin on, stuffed and roasted to replicate the magnificent flavors and textures of the original. The filling of yellow split peas and rice absorbs the pork fat as it cooks, becoming incredibly rich and savory, while the skin crisps to perfection.
Ingredients
- 3 kg bone-in pork shoulder with skin on
- 500 g dried yellow split peas, soaked overnight
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 scallions, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon annatto (achiote) powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for the skin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Arepas for serving
- Hogao sauce for serving
Method
9 step-by-step instructions with timers and hands-free Cook Mode narration, in the OriginEats app.
- Portion scaling for any number of servings
- Auto-generated grocery list, grouped by aisle
- Add it to your weekly meal plan in one tap
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 26 g
