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If you opt for the pork belly, have it sliced across the grain into 1/3-inch thick pieces. If you do it yourself, freeze the meat slightly to make it easier to slice evenly and uniformly. Serve the grilled liempo right off the grill sliced against the grain into 1/2-inch strips.

Serves 4

Ingedients

1 kilo pork chops, 1/3 inch thick, frech cut

4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil

6 cloves (30 g) garlic, peeled and pounded

2 teaspoons (10 g) salt

1/2 teaspoon (2 g) black pepper, freshly cracked

4 cloves (20 g) garlic, minced

1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce

1/4 cup (60 ml) vinegar

2 teaspoons (10 g) brown sugar

1 bird's eye chili (siling labuyo), sliced crosswise (optional)

Preparation

1. Marinate the pork chops in olive oil in resealable plastic bag overnight.

2. Just before cooking, rub the pork with crushed garlic, and season with salt and pepper. If the meal is delayed, keep in the refrigerator.

3. Meanwhile, make the basting sauce by mixing together in a bowl the minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and bird's eye chili. Set aside.

Cooking

1. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking. Brush the meat with the basting sauce.

2. Grill pork chops over medium heat, keeping the meat about 6 inches from the heat so that when the fat melts, the oil will not flame up and burn the food.

3. Baste the pork chops again just before removing from the heat. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with pickled papaya relish (atchara) for a dipping sauce of vinegar with garlic and some bird's eye chilis, for those who prefer a spicier dip. 

Tips

The simplest grilled pork need only be seasoned with salt and pepper. This recipe has that distinct Filipinoinihawflavor contributed by the basting sauce. 

The overnight marinade in olive oil ensures the meat is moist and tender. Marinating in a resealable plastic bag is convenient and very effective. With all the air sealed out, the marinade completely surrounds the meat. This significantly reduces the amount of marinade you need, and ensures the meat marinates completely and evenly, from top to bottom and on all sides.

From Kulinarya: A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine, Expanded Second Edition (Anvil Publishing Inc., 2013)