Wide view of lechona cut open to show its pork and yellow-pea filling

Yield 10 generous servings

Active preparation about 1 hour 30 minutes

Passive preparation overnight soaking, about 8 hours

Cooking about 6 hours, including the peas and roast

Total time about 15 hours 30 minutes, including the overnight soak

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Lechona tolimense from Tolima, Colombia

Lechona is closely associated with Tolima, especially Ibagué and El Espinal. This version follows the Ministry of Culture’s documented smaller cojín de lechona: pork, yellow split peas and seasonings enclosed in pork skin and roasted in the oven. Its filling does not include rice. Other documented Tolima preparations do use rice, so the recipe reflects one regional formula rather than claiming there is only one way to make lechona.

A butcher-prepared skin-on pork-belly sheet makes the parcel manageable at home while retaining the defining enclosed shape. Ask for a broad, intact sheet with an even layer of skin and fat. The pork shoulder inside gives the filling substantial meat; cooked peas provide the other main layer. The source recipe calls for the peas to be cooked separately before assembly.

The Tolima government describes insulso, a sweet corn preparation, and arepa as accompaniments. They are optional and are not included in the ingredients or nutrition estimate here. El Espinal’s local tourism description also highlights browned skin and serving lechona without rice. Keep the sides separate so the parcel remains the center of the meal.

Ingredients

Pork parcel

2.27 kg skin-on pork belly, with an even layer of fat and skin, prepared by the butcher as a broad intact sheet about 35 × 40 cm
1.59 kg boneless pork shoulder, cut into long pieces
1.13 kg dried yellow split peas
5 L water for cooking the peas; more if needed to keep them covered
227 g scallions, finely chopped
15 g fine salt
10 g ground cumin
6 g ground achiote or food-grade annatto

To wrap and serve

Banana leaves, as needed to cover the browned parcel
Food-safe cotton twine, as needed for stitching
Insulso or a white-corn arepa, optional for serving

Method

Soak and cook the peas Soak the dried peas overnight in the refrigerator in plenty of water. Drain and discard the soaking water. Put the peas in a large pot with fresh water, adding more if needed to keep them covered. Bring to a boil, then simmer until fully tender, about 60 minutes depending on the peas. Drain them very well so excess water does not weaken the parcel.
Season the pork Mix the scallions, salt, cumin and achiote or annatto. Coat the pork shoulder pieces with this seasoning. Fold the cooked peas into the remaining seasoning, keeping the meat and peas distinct enough to build even layers.
Fill and stitch the parcel Lay the pork-belly sheet skin-side down on a clean work surface. Spoon on a layer of peas, arrange the seasoned pork over them, then cover with the remaining peas. Leave a clear border around the edges. Bring the skin around the filling and stitch the seam firmly with food-safe twine, closing any gaps so the filling cannot escape. Place the parcel seam-side down on a rack in a roasting pan.
Brown the skin Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Roast the parcel uncovered for about 2 hours, until the skin has browned. Oven performance and parcel shape vary, so watch the surface and shield any area that darkens too quickly.
Cover and roast through Cover the browned skin with banana leaves and return the parcel to the oven for about 3 hours. Near the end, insert a clean probe into the center of the pea filling and into a thick piece of pork. Both must reach at least 74°C. If either reading is lower, continue roasting and check again in short intervals. Spoon off rendered fat from the pan as needed; do not pour hot fat into a sink.
Rest, cut and serve When the filling and pork reach 74°C, remove the parcel from the oven and rest it briefly. Cut away the twine with kitchen shears, then slice carefully with a sharp knife. Serve the pork, peas and browned skin together. Offer insulso or a white-corn arepa separately if desired.

Practical guidance

Practical

Full recipe heading

Tolima pork-and-yellow-pea roast wrapped in crisp pork skin

Excerpt

This Tolima-style lechona adapts a documented cojín de lechona for a home oven: seasoned pork and tender yellow split peas are enclosed in a broad skin-on pork-belly sheet and roasted slowly. It is served with its browned skin, with insulso or a white-corn arepa offered separately if desired.

Practical guidance

Ask the butcher for a broad skin-on pork-belly sheet that can wrap the filling without thin spots or tears. Keep it refrigerated at or below 4°C until assembly. If the sheet has a loose edge, overlap it and stitch the seam closely; an open seam can let the peas escape and dry the center. Use food-safe twine, not plastic or decorative string. The overnight soak is best done in the refrigerator. Discard that water and cook the peas in fresh water until fully soft before filling. Drain them thoroughly. Do not assemble the parcel far in advance: keep the raw pork and cooked peas chilled and combine them shortly before roasting. Clean hands, knives, boards and counters after handling raw pork. The source roast uses a two-stage oven sequence: first brown the skin, then cover it with banana leaves for the longer cook. A thermometer is essential because the parcel is dense and the browned outside can finish before the center. Check both the center of the filling and a thick pork section for 74°C. If one is below that point, keep roasting; the clock and skin color do not confirm safe doneness. Let the roast rest only briefly before slicing. For leftovers, cut the parcel into smaller portions and transfer them to shallow containers within 2 hours. Refrigerate at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days. Reheat portions to 74°C. The pork-belly sheet releases fat as it roasts; spooning some away is both practical and consistent with the documented preparation. Nutrition is approximate because the skin-to-fat ratio and rendered fat discarded vary.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens: no major regulated allergen is inherent in the listed ingredients. Check packaged annatto and cross-contact statements; optional sides may contain additional ingredients. Food safety: Keep raw pork at or below 4°C and separate from ready-to-eat foods. Soak peas under refrigeration and cook them fully in fresh water. Clean hands and equipment after handling raw pork. Use a clean thermometer to verify at least 74°C in the center of the filling and a thick pork piece. Refrigerate sliced leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, hold at or below 4°C for 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C.

Final notes

At the table: Serve slices of pork, peas and browned skin together; insulso or a white-corn arepa may be offered separately. Texture: Drain the cooked peas thoroughly and stitch the skin parcel closed so the filling stays moist and contained during the long roast.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: one-tenth of the finished pork-and-pea parcel
Energy: about 1,580 kcal
Carbohydrate: about 69 g
Protein: about 76 g
Fat: about 110 g
Fibre: about 25 g
Sodium: about 700 mg

Lechona tolimense from Tolima, Colombia

Ingredients

Pork parcel

To wrap and serve

Method

Practical

Full recipe heading

Excerpt

Practical guidance

Allergens and food safety

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

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