BBQ at Legal Beans!

[MCA™]

I can personally vouch for the


Lechon Cebu roasted to perfection in New Jersey
By Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau
Posted at 12/26/2011 10:05 AM
Updated as of 12/27/2011 7:14 AM

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – The Filipino Noche Buena became even more special with the Pinoy favorite charcoal-roasted authentic Cebu Lechon served on Christmas Eve dinner gatherings.

Cebu lechons are roasted to perfection at a Bar-b-q & Cafe place called Legal Beans in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Mimi Paloma-Escudero, owner of Legal Beans said, “It’s our Philippine tradition, if you really want to have a bongga party you better have a lechon, if you want the who’s who to come over.”

It took Paloma-Escudero – a Filipina chemist turned business-owner – a little bit of science and research to bring the traditional authentic Cebu Lechon to New Jersey.

First, she made a trip to her cousin in Cebu in the Philippines to learn how to make lechon from the master.

“I spent a very very hot summer there, squatting, measuring the pig, I tried to do it as scientific as possible,” Paloma-Escudero said, “I have to apply some science in addition to the art that we need, to get the Cebu Lechon going.”

After experimenting on about 20 lechons in her quest to roast the perfect Cebu Lechon, Paloma-Escudero found out that only freshly butchered pigs will do.

Using her chemistry background, Paloma-Escudero concocted a special mixture of vinegar, salt and spices that she generously rubs all over the pig’s insides to achieve the maximum desired flavor.

Paloma-Escudero said, “We wanted it to be vinegar-based so the flavor is able to enter the meat all throughout, when you bite, it doesn’t matter what part of the pig, it’s filled with flavor, malasa masyado because of the ability of the seasoning to get through not only inside, but all throughout.”

Then a mixture of lemongrass, bay leaves and scallions are stuffed inside the pig’s stomach to give the lechon its distinct Cebu flavor.

The sutured pig then gets a soy sauce bath before it is thrown into the fire pit to roast for about 3 hours.

Roasting the pig in charcoal gives the lechon a characteristic ashy aroma with flavors that permeates the roasted pig.

“The best lechon in the world!” exclaimed Vivian Cruz.

A 40 to 50-pound Cebu Lechon sells for $250.

Paloma-Escudero has only been in the pig-roasting business for about a year, yet her Litsunan is already making a name as home of the best authentic Cebu Lechon in the Tri-State area.

[Mr_Grieves]

Restaurant people are generally nuts...perhaps this was no exception??

No comment.

[redmonster]

Where is redmonster to weigh in on this? I'm sure he/she would have the inside scoop.

I'm depressed.  It seems like Larry is looking for another...hopefully better place.  Restaurant people are generally nuts...perhaps this was no exception??

[RB]

Where is redmonster to weigh in on this? I'm sure he/she would have the inside scoop.

[porkchopsoda]

Did take out today from LB and they had the full BBQ menu. We ordered the brisket and mashed sweet potatoes. My friend asked about the rumor of them closing or closed and was told that "Larry the chef quit but it's business as usual

Was it good, better or worse compared to what they had before? 

[jc_insomniac]

Larry's old brisket? Frankly, I wasn't impressed with Larry's brisket (and I told Larry this)

Size isn't everything, you know.

Sure, that's what YOU'D like to believe! 

[fasteddie]

Larry's old brisket? Frankly, I wasn't impressed with Larry's brisket (and I told Larry this)

Size isn't everything, you know.

[jc_insomniac]

Pinx, how did today's brisket compare with Larry's old brisket? Frankly, I wasn't impressed with Larry's brisket (and I told Larry this) but his espresso-rubbed ribs, pulled pork, and chopped beef sandwich were the bomb diggity! 

Did take out today from LB and they had the full BBQ menu. We ordered the brisket and mashed sweet potatoes. My friend asked about the rumor of them closing or closed and was told that "Larry the chef quit but it's business as usual

[Pinky]

Did take out today from LB and they had the full BBQ menu. We ordered the brisket and mashed sweet potatoes. My friend asked about the rumor of them closing or closed and was told that "Larry the chef quit but it's business as usual

[mission.remission]

 think somewhere in this thread we were warned that this would happen. Sooooooooo bummed out. Very un-düde. FTW

[Frank M]

A long shot, but that's also what my imagination came up with!

typical Jersey City, we can't have anything nice here   

Who knows?  Maybe Larry will resurface at the long-rumored Sand Bar location.

[Binky]

typical Jersey City, we can't have anything nice here   

Who knows?  Maybe Larry will resurface at the long-rumored Sand Bar location.

[shahaggy]

typical Jersey City, we can't have anything nice here   

[dragonaut]

That is unfortunately of little to no interest to me.

[jc_insomniac]

So I just got off the phone with Chris, the owner of the Legal Beans cafes. The good news is that BBQ at Legal Beans is not closing. Chris/Legal Beans and Larry amicably parted ways, but they are still offering smoked BBQ meat (ribs, chicken, pulled pork, etc) but not in Larry's proprietary Kansas style. And as mentioned previously, the awesome Cebu lechon and other Filipino dishes are still being served.

So good luck to Larry wherever he takes his Kansas-style BBQ. I do hope to come across his BBQ again in the future, but I'm also looking forward to trying the new BBQ/smoked meats at Legal Beans. I think this town's big enough for two BBQ places, yeah?

[fasteddie]

Maybe we can start a letter writing campaign or start picketing their premises....

You can thank BP, I'm fairly certain the oil spill had a lot to do with this.

[jehu]

Maybe we can start a letter writing campaign or start picketing their premises....

[dragonaut]

He wasn't imported, he lives here, he's lived here for a while, I'm pretty sure.  He plays guitar in Any Day Parade.

[gordonh]

BBQ @ Legal Beans es no mas.   Ay dios mio!!!  NO Comprende! 

MIERDA!!   

Say what?!  You're positive?

Very cryptic messages over on their Facebook page, the last of which reads: "the filipino stuff, the lechon continues on. the kc style slow smoked bbq is over." No explanation yet as to why.

Say it isn't so!  I had the brisket over the weekend and it was really good!  The guy who did the BBQ was 'imported' from the midwest.  Maybe he was homesick?

[Binky]

He who hesitates is lost.
Unfortunately I never quite got around to trying this BBQ.  Now I can't.   

[MCA™]

BBQ @ Legal Beans es no mas.   Ay dios mio!!!  NO Comprende! 

MIERDA!!   

Say what?!  You're positive?

Very cryptic messages over on their Facebook page, the last of which reads: "the filipino stuff, the lechon continues on. the kc style slow smoked bbq is over." No explanation yet as to why.


W.C.H.N.T.

[Frank M]

BBQ @ Legal Beans es no mas.   Ay dios mio!!!  NO Comprende! 

MIERDA!!   

Say what?!  You're positive?

[dragonaut]

BBQ @ Legal Beans es no mas.   Ay dios mio!!!  NO Comprende! 

MIERDA!!   

[jc_insomniac]

I went back yesterday and unfortunately, they didn't have any of their new smoked portobello. Per Larry's rec, I tried the chopped beef sandwich, which is similar to a Sloppy Joe, but ten times the awesomeness. I also took home a rack of the (now famous) espresso-rubbed ribs, and a side of the spicy mashed sweet potatoes and buttahmilk cornbread. The sweet potatoes were off (it had a weird sourness but not from being spoiled, just not as amazing as when I had it for the first time), but the cornbread and rubs more than made up for it.

I told Larry that my brisket was kinda dry last week and he took the criticism very well and said they are using higher quality meat now. When asked about the changing prices, he said that they are done making changes (yay!) and that they were actually losing money with their old pricing structure. Well, if they truly are using better ingredients now, then I have no problem paying a little more. Also, though I don't know if they've gotten smaller from when BBQ @ Legal Beans first opened, to me the servings are huge.

Anyway, I had so much meat yesterday, I'm really looking forward to trying the smoked portobello sandwich today

[redmonster]

Well, I dunno it looks like the prices have fallen a bit on the chicken, a whole chicken with 2 sides was 20, now with one side it's 15.  I love this place, and as you can tell from my previous posts, it is worth the money.  I would love to try the portobello sandwich next.  I had a ton of food delivered to a meeting on Tuesday, it was pretty quick.  I talked to the chef (Larry) and they are done fiddling with the menu.  It's only been open for 2 weeks and I've been there 3 times, got delivery once.  I hear they are sprucing up the back patio for special parties and a VIP room.  hmmm, my birthday is coming up.