Pork Tocino

Pork tocino is a caramelized cured pork dish that’s typically served alongside rice and other vegetables as a classic Filipino breakfast.

Welcome back to the third recipe of the Filipino breakfast series, and today we’re making pork tocino!

Check out the other classic Filipino breakfast recipe here: 

• Beef Tapa
• Skinless Longganisa

What is pork tocino?

The word “tocino” was derived from the Spanish word meaning “bacon”.  But contrary to its name, Filipino tocino is not exactly bacon at all. Rather, they’re thinly sliced pieces of pork that’s traditionally cured and marinated in a mixture of spices and sauces.

Similar to char siu, tocino’s most striking characteristic is its bright red color, achieved with the use of either anatto/achuete seeds or standard red food coloring. 

Growing up, the most accessible option was to buy the pre-packaged frozen tocino. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love these (especially when smelling it first thing in the morning), though every now and then I like to re-create some of those childhood classics to see if I can make it my own and control what kinds of ingredients go into it.

What is tocilog/tosilog?

“Tocilog” is a portmanteau for the words “tocino” (cured meat), “sinangag” (garlic fried rice), and “itlog” (egg). It’s a classic Filipino breakfast that’s composed of garlic rice, a fried egg and some sort of protein.

Tangy side dishes, such as fresh tomatoes, atchara (pickled papaya), or mango ensalada (Filipino mango salad) may also be served with the dish to lend some brightness to the overall meal.

In the Philippines, you can find a variety of “silog” meals that exist, each varying in terms of the protein served alongside the rice.

Instructions for pork tocino

Combine together the pork, pineapple juice, sugar, anatto powder, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Let the pork slices marinate for at least 6 hours up to 1 day.

Once marinated, heat oil in a pan. Fry the pork tocino over medium heat until cooked all the way through. Remove the tocino from the pan once the outside begins to caramelize and turn sticky.

Serve the tocino tocilog-style with sinangag (garlic fried rice), a fried egg, and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers on the side. Enjoy!

FAQs

What cut of pork do I use for pork tocino?

Go for pork with a decent amount of fat. The most popular ones include pork shoulder, belly, or butt.

How long should I marinate pork tocino?

I usually marinate my tocino the night before so that it’s ready to cook by morning (around 6-8 hours minimum). You can also go up to 1-2 days to impart greater flavor if you don’t plan on cooking it right away. Just don’t go any longer than 2 days otherwise the pineapple juice in the marinade can begin to break down the pork and alter its texture.

Here’s a couple more recipes you might enjoy:

• Mongolian Chicken
• Thai Crying Tiger Steak
• Crab Rangoon
• Spicy Enoki Mushrooms

Pork Tocino

5.0 from 5 votes

Recipe by Ian Course: MainCuisine: Philippines

Servings

3-4

servings

Pork tocino is a caramelized cured pork dish that’s typically served alongside rice and other vegetables as a classic Filipino breakfast.

Cook Mode

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Ingredients

• 1 lb pork (shoulder or belly), sliced 1/4″ thick

• 1/3 cup pineapple juice

• 1/4 cup sugar _{(brown or white)}

• *1.5 tbsp anatto/achuete powder _{(can be substituted with a couple drops of red food coloring)}

• 1 tbsp paprika

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt _{(change to 1 tsp if using table salt)}

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions

• Combine together the pork, pineapple juice, sugar, anatto powder, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Let the pork slices marinate for at least 6 hours up to 1 day.
• Once marinated, heat oil in a pan. Fry the pork tocino over medium heat until cooked all the way through. Remove the tocino from the pan once the outside begins to caramelize and turn sticky.
• Serve the tocino tocilog-style with sinangag (garlic fried rice), a fried egg, and fresh tomatoes and cucumbers on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

• Achuete powder is not necessary, especially if you’re having difficulty finding this ingredient. While the achuete powder does add a mild earthy, peppery flavor, its main use is for coloring and can be omitted without altering the flavor too much.

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