📝 About This Recipe
Often referred to as 'Chocolate Meat' for its deep, dark hue and rich consistency, Dinuguan is a cornerstone of Filipino celebratory cuisine. This recipe honors the traditional slow-cooked method, transforming humble offal and pork belly into a savory masterpiece balanced by the sharp tang of cane vinegar and the aromatic heat of long green peppers. It is a soulful, umami-rich stew that challenges the palate and rewards it with a complex depth of flavor found nowhere else.
🥗 Ingredients
The Meat & Offal
- 500 grams Pork belly (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
- 250 grams Pork snout or ears (boiled until tender and chopped finely)
- 200 grams Pork liver (diced into small cubes)
The Blood Base
- 2 cups Fresh pork blood (strained to remove clots)
- 1/2 cup Cane vinegar (mixed into the blood immediately to prevent curdling)
Aromatics & Braising Liquid
- 6 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 large Red onion (chopped)
- 1 thumb-sized piece Ginger (julienned to remove gaminess)
- 3 tablespoons Fish sauce (Patis) (plus more to taste)
- 2 cups Beef or pork broth (or water)
- 3 pieces Bay leaves (dried)
- 3-4 pieces Siling Haba (Finger chilies) (whole)
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar (to balance the acidity)
- 2 tablespoons Cooking oil (for sautéing)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
In a bowl, combine the fresh pork blood and the cane vinegar. Stir gently for a minute to ensure the blood doesn't coagulate into large lumps. Set aside.
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2
Heat the cooking oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
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3
Add the pork belly cubes to the pot. Sear until the fat renders and the meat turns a beautiful golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
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4
Lower the heat to medium. Toss in the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until the onions become translucent and the aromatics fill the kitchen with fragrance.
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5
Add the pre-boiled pork snout/ears and the raw liver. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liver is browned on the outside.
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6
Pour in the fish sauce and add the bay leaves. Stir for 2 minutes to allow the saltiness to penetrate the meat.
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7
Pour in the broth or water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the pork belly is fork-tender.
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8
Once the meat is tender, slowly pour in the blood and vinegar mixture while stirring constantly. This constant stirring is crucial to achieve a smooth, velvety sauce.
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9
Increase the heat slightly to bring the stew back to a gentle simmer. Do not cover the pot at this stage to allow the harshness of the vinegar to evaporate.
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10
Add the whole green finger chilies and the brown sugar. Let the stew simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
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11
Taste the sauce. Adjust with more fish sauce or salt and pepper as needed. The final flavor should be a balance of savory, tangy, and slightly spicy.
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12
Remove from heat and serve hot, allowing the flavors to settle for a few minutes before eating.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always mix the vinegar with the blood immediately after purchasing to prevent unmanageable clotting. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of broth; if too thin, continue simmering uncovered to reduce. For a cleaner flavor, you can parboil the pork offal with ginger and lemongrass before the main sautéing step. Do not cover the pot immediately after adding the vinegar, or the sauce will taste 'raw' and overly acidic. If you prefer a milder version, keep the chilies whole; for more heat, prick them with a fork before adding.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside warm, fluffy Puto (Filipino steamed rice cakes) for the classic sweet-savory pairing. Pour generously over a bowl of hot jasmine rice for a comforting meal. Pair with a side of Atchara (pickled papaya) to cut through the richness of the pork fat. Enjoy with a cold glass of calamansi juice or a crisp lager to balance the heavy umami flavors.