Skinless Filipino Longganisa

Skinless longganisa is a sweet and savory sausage served as the main dish for a hearty Filipino breakfast.

Welcome back to our second recipe of the Filipino breakfast series, and today we’re making a classic savory and sweet Filipino sausage!

Check out the other classic Filipino breakfast recipe here: Filipino Beef Tapa

What is Longganisa?

Longganisa refers to a variety of Philippine sausages that are typically cured, smoked, and seasoned with spices.

Like with most Filipino food, there may be hundreds of variants of this dish due to the widespread of regions that exist in the Philippines. Some areas may make theirs with chicken, beef, or even tuna. Other variants may also taste slightly more sweet, savory, or garlicky in taste.

This recipe is a (somewhat) easier version than the traditional longganisa since we’re not casing the meat filling at all!

Longsilog

“Longsilog” is a portmanteau for the words “longganisa” (Filipino sausage), “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 longganisa

Combine all the ingredients together for the longganisa.

Shape the meat mixture into sausages, worth about 1/4 cup each. Let the sausages refrigerate for at least 1 hour to overnight to firm up and to let their flavors develop.

To cook, pour in just enough water to cover the longganisa, then let it boil over medium-high until all the liquid has evaporated.

Once all the water has evaporated, continue cooking the longganisa in its rendered fat until slightly caramelized on the outside, frequently turning to avoid burning (if not much fat has rendered, you may add ~1 tbsp of oil).

Note: Cooking with water is a more traditional method to cook the longganisa. Other methods you can experiment with could be simply pan-frying the sausages with some oil until cooked all the way through, smashing the meat until flattened into a patty, or even crumbling the longganisa and stir-frying.

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

FAQs

How long can I store longganisa?

Longganisa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. If freezing, be sure to store them in an airtight container or in a vacuum-sealed bag. Frozen longganisa can last for up to 4 months.

Can I customize my longganisa?

100% yes. Feel free to add more minced garlic if you prefer to intensify the garlic flavor. You may also add more brown sugar if you like your longganisa more on the sweet side. Other variations include using different types of protein (e.g., mixes of beef or chicken), or adding extra spices (e.g., oregano, or star anise).

Is the achuete powder necessary?

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