I grew up in Cebu and for me nothing beats the unique flavors of Cebu Style lechon. My earliest memory of Cebu lechon was from my neighbor, a lechonero who roasted the pigs every weekend without fail. I can still remember the burning pits, the smoky air near the garden and the poor pigs as they squealed to their deaths. Not a pretty memory. In Cebu, one of the most popular lechon can be found in the pits of Talisay, Cebu. The lechoneros roasted their pigs with coal made of a local wood. The woods’ fragrance permeated the cooked meat and you have this feeling that you were not eating a roasted pig, but one that was smoked.
Then my entrepreneurial brother started a lechon business right by Mango Avenue near the Redemptorist Church in Cebu. It was called “Oca’s Lechon” and was quite a hit especially after mass when families wanted to bring home a dish of Cebu Lechon.
When I studied in Manila, I got to taste Manila style Lechon. I was in for a disappointment. I had to dip my tasteless lechon meat in some sauce to get the most out of my lechon experience. It had none of the flavorful taste of the Cebu Lechon.
For me the test of an excellent lechon is whether one would require any sauce to make it tasty. Visayan lechon can be eaten alone, sans sarsa, except maybe for a little dipping vinegar to counter the too-rich taste after awhile.
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