Calamansi Barbecue Liempo

There’s nothing like the smoky, sweet, and tangy smell of liempo grilling on a roadside in the Philippines. The unmistakable aroma of charred fat and calamansi floats in the air like that little flying koopa from Super Mario. I remember riding in a tricycle through my mom’s hometown in Cavite, and the scent would hit before you even saw the ihawan. It didn’t matter if you’d just eaten. The sizzle of pork belly over hot coals, the vendor fanning flames with a piece of cardboard, and the sticky-icky barbecue glaze dripping onto the charcoal.

Liempo is the Filipino word for pork belly, and it’s a staple at any Filipino cookout or ihawan. Traditionally marinated in a mix of calamansi juice, soy sauce, garlic, and sugar, liempo is grilled until smoky, charred, and irresistibly juicy. This recipe simplifies things by using TasteBud’s Calamansi Barbecue Sauce, which captures all the classic flavors—citrusy, garlicky, sweet, and tangy—in one bottle. No need to mix a dozen ingredients from scratch.

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork belly (sliced into ½-inch thick strips)
1 cup Tastebud Calamansi Barbecue Sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce (optional, for extra depth)
1/2 tsp black pepper
Calamansi or lemon wedges, for serving

1. In a large bowl or zip-top bag, mix TasteBud Calamansi Barbecue Sauce, garlic, and black pepper. Add the pork belly slices and toss to coat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. Grill method: Preheat your grill to medium-high. Grill pork belly for 6–8 minutes per side, basting with extra sauce until nicely charred and caramelized.

Air fryer method: Preheat to 375°F. Air fry liempo for 10 minutes, flip, baste with sauce, and cook for another 8–10 minutes until browned and crispy on the edges.

3. Slice and serve hot with steamed rice, spiced vinegar (sawsawan), or ensaladang kamatis. Don’t forget extra sauce for dipping!

Pork belly get in my belly