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Overview

Ceviche de Chicharrón

Antioquian Pork Belly Ceviche, Chicharron in Lime Cure

This ceviche de chicharron recipe starts with pork belly simmered until tender, then fried until the skin crackles, and finishes it the ceviche way: tossed hot with lime juice, thin-sliced red onion, sweet mango and red pepper. The sharp, fresh cure cuts straight through the richness of the pork, and golden patacones on the side give you something crisp to scoop with. One serving is about 368 g.

Chicharron, crisp fried pork belly, is one of the defining foods of Antioquia, the mountain region of north-west Colombia, and the centrepiece of its bandeja paisa. Cooks there also love ceviche-style dressings of lime juice, red onion and salt, and this ceviche de chicharron brings the two together: the hot, just-fried pork is tossed in the sharp lime cure so the acid cuts the richness instead of cooking raw fish. Sweet mango and fried green plantain patacones are everyday Antioquian partners on the plate, and the photograph was taken in Hispania, a small town in Antioquia.

Pairs well with: Extra patacones and a cold lulo juice or a light beer.

Provenance

Colombia flag Colombia

Antioquian Heritage

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 10m

25m prep • 45m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

939 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 368 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Two Fries)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Weekend lunches, family gatherings, game-day snacks, Antioquian food nights Cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home
Tags: Pork Sour Savory Fried
A black bowl of ceviche de chicharron with crisp pork belly, red onion ribbons, red pepper and diced mango, with golden patacones on the side, on a wooden table

Antioquian Heritage

Photo: Xemenendura, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)

Made the Antioquian way: pork belly simmered until tender, fried until the skin crackles, then tossed hot in a lime and red onion cure with mango.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 10m
P

Prep Stage: Pork, Cure & Plantains

25 Mins • Cutting & Curing

Cut the pork belly into strips about 3 cm wide. Slice the red onion into fine half-moons and toss it with half the lime juice, the vinegar, a pinch of salt and the black pepper, then leave it to cure while the pork cooks. Peel the plantains, cut them into rounds about 3 cm thick, dice the mango, slice the pepper and crush the garlic.

Maestro Tip: Slice the onion as thin as you can: paper-thin onion softens in the lime in minutes, while thick slices stay raw and harsh.

  1. 1

    Cure the Onion

    15 Mins Room temperature

    Put the sliced red onion in a bowl with half the lime juice, the white vinegar, half the salt and the black pepper. Toss well so every strand is coated, then leave it to cure for 15 minutes while the pork cooks. The onion will soften, turn bright pink and lose its raw bite.

    Do not skip the cure: raw red onion is harsh, but 15 minutes in lime turns it sweet, soft and pink.

    Done when: Onion soft, glossy and bright pink, with a sharp lime smell.

  2. 2

    Simmer, Then Fry the Pork

    35 Mins Simmer, then fry in oil at 175°C (350°F)

    Put the pork strips in a pot with the crushed garlic and the remaining salt, cover with cold water and simmer gently for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well and pat the strips very dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175°C (350°F) and fry the pork in batches for about 10 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the skin blisters into crackling. The pork must reach at least 63°C (145°F) inside. Drain on paper towels and rest 3 minutes.

    Dry skin is the whole secret: any water left on the pork will spit in the oil and stop the skin crackling. Pat it dry twice.

    Done when: Deep golden skin that crackles when pressed, meat juicy inside, at least 63°C (145°F).

  3. 3

    Fry the Patacones

    12 Mins Fry in oil at 180°C (350°F)

    While the pork rests, fry the plantain rounds in the same hot oil for about 3 minutes until lightly golden. Lift them out, smash each round flat with the bottom of a glass to about 1 cm thick, then fry again for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp and deep golden. Drain and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

    Smash the rounds while they are still hot: cold plantain cracks instead of flattening.

    Done when: Flat, crisp and deep golden on both sides, firm in the middle.

  4. 4

    Toss the Ceviche

    5 Mins Room temperature

    Cut the hot pork into bite-size pieces and put them in a large bowl. Add the cured onion with all its lime juices, the red pepper strips, the diced mango, the remaining lime juice and the chopped cilantro. Toss gently so the pork stays crisp and the mango does not crush.

    Toss at the last moment and serve at once: the lime juice softens the crackling if it sits.

    Done when: Pork still crisp, onion and mango evenly mixed through, everything glossy with lime juice.

  5. 5

    Serve at Once

    2 Mins Serve hot

    Pile the ceviche into wide bowls and set the hot patacones alongside, not on top, so they stay crisp. Serve right away, while the pork is still crackling and the onion is bright.

    Put the patacones beside the bowl, never under the ceviche: trapped steam makes them soggy in seconds.

    Done when: Hot pork, bright pink onion, crisp patacones on the side.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the moment it is tossed, while the pork crackles and the lime is bright — this is a dish that waits for no one.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

939

kcal / serving

Protein

15g

Complete AA

Carbs

54g

Complex

Fats

74g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 368 g)
Energy939 kcal
Protein15 g
Carbohydrates54 g
Fat74 g
Fibre5.0 g
Sugar14.2 g
Sodium532 mg
Per 100g
Energy255 kcal
Protein4 g
Carbohydrates14.8 g
Fat20.2 g
Fibre1.4 g
Sugar3.9 g
Sodium145 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Red pepper, lime and mango supply vitamin C, the pork adds thiamin and vitamin B12, and the plantain adds potassium and vitamin B6.

Vitamin C from Pepper & Mango

The red pepper, lime and mango bring a good amount of vitamin C to the plate, which the body uses for normal immune function and healthy skin.

Protein for Staying Power

The pork belly supplies protein that helps the meal feel satisfying, so one rich serving keeps you full until the next meal.

Potassium & Fibre from Plantain

The green plantain patacones add potassium and fibre, which balance the richness of the pork with slower, steadier energy.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Patacones on the Side

Crisp fried plantain is the classic Antioquian partner: it scoops up the lime juices and gives a salty crunch against the soft, rich pork.

Plain White Rice

A small mound of plain white rice soaks up the lime and onion juices and stretches the rich pork into a fuller lunch.

Vegetables

Avocado Slices

Creamy avocado cools the sharp lime and the rich pork, and its soft texture contrasts with the crackling skin.

Drinks

Lulo Juice

Cold lulo juice, tart and fragrant, is a Colombian favourite with fried food: its acidity refreshes the palate between bites of rich pork.

Complete menu

Serve the ceviche de chicharron with white rice, avocado slices and a cold lulo juice for a full Antioquian lunch.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Mayonnaise-Heavy Sides

The pork is already very rich, so mayonnaise-based salads or sauces pile fat on fat and leave the meal heavy. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Letting the Dressed Pork Sit

Once the hot pork meets the lime juice, the crackling softens fast and the patacones go soggy, so do not dress the dish ahead of time; toss and serve at once. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA rich, satisfying lunch for most adults; one serving is plenty, and the onion and mango keep it from feeling too heavy.
  • ChildrenChildren often enjoy the sweet mango and crisp patacones; give a small portion of pork, cut it into small pieces, and keep the black pepper light.
  • ElderlyThe pork is rich and the crackling is hard to chew, so serve a small portion with the meat cut small and the patacones softened with a spoonful of the lime juices.
  • Pregnant womenThe pork is fully cooked and there is no raw fish, which makes this safer than a seafood ceviche; keep the salt as written and eat it freshly made.
  • Breastfeeding womenA satisfying, energy-dense lunch that covers protein and calories; pair it with rice and avocado for a fuller meal.
  • AthletesHigh in energy and protein after hard training; add white rice for extra carbohydrate to refill energy stores.
  • Weight gainThe fried pork, plantain and oil make this very energy-dense, which helps when more calories are needed.
  • Weight lossThis is a rich dish, so take half a portion, load the plate with extra onion, pepper and salad, and skip the second patacon.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesMango and plantain are starchy and sweet, so a half portion with extra onion and pepper is a better choice than a full one. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureThe pork and the salt add up, so keep the salt as written and take a small portion. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Kidney diseasePork and salt are both best kept modest here, so take a small portion and skip extra salty sides. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • GoutPork is moderately high in purines, so treat this as an occasional small portion rather than a regular meal. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Stomach issuesFried pork with lime and raw onion can feel heavy, so take a small portion, chew well, and skip it on a bad day. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Cardiovascular diseasePork belly is high in saturated fat, so this is an occasional treat in a small portion with plenty of vegetables. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Fatty liverThe fried pork and oil make this very energy-dense; a small portion with salad fits better than a full one. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Food allergiesContains pork. Mango is related to cashew and pistachio, so people with a tree-nut allergy should be careful. Ask your clinician about allergies.
  • Special therapeutic dietsThis dish is high in fat and salt as written, so it does not fit low-fat or low-sodium diets without cutting the pork and oil back. Ask your clinician about portions.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool the pork and the onion cure separately and store in sealed containers; keep patacones apart so they stay crisp.
In the fridge
Cooked pork and cure keep 2 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below.
In the freezer
Cooked pork freezes up to 1 month, but the crackling softens; the onion cure and patacones do not freeze well.
How to reheat
Reheat pork in a hot oven or air fryer at 190°C (375°F) until hot through, to 74°C (165°F); it crisps up again.
Freezing recommended
No — the crackling and the fresh cure lose their texture.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy pork, or mould on the onion.

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