Popular pork recipes in the Philippines
Here are some well-loved Filipino pork dishes that showcase the rich and diverse flavors of Filipino cuisine:
1. Pork Adobo
Description: A savory and slightly tangy stew made with pork marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices, then simmered until tender.
Ingredients:
- Pork belly or shoulder
- Soy sauce
- Vinegar
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Black peppercorns
- Optional: potatoes or hard-boiled eggs
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Combine vinegar, soy sauce,1 head garlic, bay leaves, garlic powder, black pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons annatto powder in a large bowl. Add pork, stir to coat with marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Step 2: Remove pork from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinade.
Step 3: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork in the hot oil until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove skillet from heat.
Step 4: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir 1 head garlic until browned, about 3 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons annatto powder; simmer for 3 minutes.
Step 5: Pour annatto mixture over pork and add reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until pork is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and cook until sauce has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. Lechon Kawali
Description: Crispy fried pork belly, typically served with a tangy dipping sauce.
Ingredients:
- Pork belly
- Salt
- Pepper
- Water
- Oil for frying
- Optional: bay leaves, garlic
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Gather all ingredients.
Step 2: Combine pork belly, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a skillet; pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until skin is tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
Step 3: Drain and let sit at room temperature until pork has air-dried.
Step 4: Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 5: Fry pork in the hot oil, working in batches, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Step 6: Remove fried pork with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
3. Pork Sinigang
Description: A sour soup with pork, often using tamarind as the souring agent, and various vegetables.
Ingredients:
- Pork ribs or belly
- Tamarind paste or fresh tamarind
- Tomatoes
- Onion
- Radish (labanos)
- Eggplant
- String beans (sitaw)
- Water spinach (kangkong)
- Fish sauce (patis)
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.
Step 2: Stir in ginger, tomatoes, and pork chops. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Turn the pork occasionally, until browned.
Step 3: Pour in water and tamarind soup base. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the pork is tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in green beans and cook until tender.
4. Pork Menudo
Description: A tomato-based stew with pork, liver, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.
Ingredients:
- Pork shoulder
- Pork liver
- Tomato sauce
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
- Garlic and onion
- Soy sauce
- Bay leaves
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add pork chops and return to a boil. Cook pork chops at a boil for 5 minutes, remove, and set aside to cool. Remove 1 cup of broth from the pot and set aside for later use. Once chops are cooled to the touch, cut them into bite-size pieces.
Step 2: Return water to a boil; add pork liver to the pot and cook at a boil until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard liquid. Set liver aside to cool; cut into bite-size pieces.
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in hot oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir pork chops into onion and garlic; cook and stir together for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and reserved broth; cover and cook for 10 minutes. Stir pork liver, garbanzo beans, raisins, and potatoes into the mixture; cover and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Pork Sisig
Description: A sizzling dish made from chopped pig’s head and liver, seasoned with calamansi, onions, and chili peppers.
Ingredients:
- Pork face (or pork belly as an alternative)
- Pork liver
- Onions
- Chili peppers
- Calamansi juice
- Soy sauce
- Mayonnaise (optional)
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Season pork belly slices with salt and pepper. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Grill pork belly and chicken liver until well done. Pork skin should be crispy.
Step 3: Once grilled, chop the pork belly and pork liver into small fine pieces.
Step 4: In a bowl, combine the chopped meat, onions, calamansi juice and chili pepper. Season with soy sauce and pepper. Add Mayonaise.
Step 5: Warm it in a pan with a bit of oil if desired. Alternatively, heat a sizzling plate and add a some butter or margarine. Add the Sisig and serve while still sizzling hot.
6. Bicol Express
Description: A spicy stew made with pork, coconut milk, shrimp paste, and lots of chili peppers.
Ingredients:
- Pork belly
- Coconut milk
- Shrimp paste (bagoong)
- Chili peppers
- Garlic and onion
- Ginger
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Start by taking out your pan. Proceed by combining minced ginger, crushed garlic, chopped onion, sliced pork belly, chopped chili pepper, and coconut milk. Mix everything together before turning-on the heat.
Step 2: Once the mixture boils, you may add a cup of coconut cream and half of the bagoong alamang. Let the mixture cook using low heat until it reduces to a quarter.
Afterwards, we will add the rest of the coconut cream and adjust the flavor by adding more bagoong if necessary. Also add the chili peppers. Continue cooking in low heat until the sauce thickens. Make sure to serve this nice and hot, and you now have enough Bicol Express. Also try serving it the traditional manner– with some steaming, white rice.
7. Paksiw na Pata
Description: A stew made with pork hocks (pata) cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic, often with banana blossoms.
Ingredients:
- Pork hocks
- Vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Garlic
- Bay leaves
- Banana blossoms
- Peppercorns
Cooking Method:
Step 1: Combine the pig’s feet, vinegar, water, soy sauce, onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar, and salt together in a stockpot; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 2: Reduce heat to medium-low; allow the stew to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat pulls easily from the bones and the liquid has thickened, about 1 hour. Serve hot.
These dishes highlight the versatility of pork in Filipino cuisine, from savory stews to crispy fried delights, each bringing a unique flavor and experience to the table. Enjoy trying these traditional recipes!