Description
Delight in this sweet, garlicky Filipino pork tocino, perfect for breakfast served with garlic fried rice and a fried egg.
Ingredients
Scale
- 700g pork shoulder, sliced ¼-inch thin
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon annatto powder (achuete), optional
Instructions
- Make the cure and coat the pork. Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and annatto powder if using in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the pork slices and mix thoroughly using your hands until every piece is evenly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to 3 days.
- Cook the tocino. Arrange the cured pork in a single layer in a wide pan, work in batches if needed. Pour in just enough water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a steady simmer, turning the pork occasionally, until the water has fully evaporated, about 8–10 minutes.
- Caramelize. Once the water is gone, the marinade remaining in the pan will start to thicken and coat the pork. If the pork has enough fat, no extra oil is needed. Cook over medium heat, stirring and turning the pork constantly until the sauce caramelizes to a sticky glaze.
- Serve immediately. Transfer to a plate and serve hot as part of a tocilog, alongside garlic fried rice and a fried egg, with sliced fresh tomatoes on the side.
Notes
Tocino freezes beautifully uncooked for up to 3 months. Marinate a double or triple batch and freeze portions in the marinade for convenience.
- Prep Time: 1440 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan Frying
- Cuisine: Filipino
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg