How to cook Pork Tocino

The Filipino Pork Tocino is also called ‘burong babi’ or ‘pindang babi’ in my Kapampangan province. It is cured pork slices which has a sweet savory flavor. I grew up enjoying pork tocino in my childhood home, for breakfast. It was always a treat to enjoy it with garlic fried rice, eggs made sunny side up and chopped tomatoes on the side. My parents served this for breakfast all the time. They believed it was the most powerful meal of the day. In turn, I have raised my own sons on tocino for breakfast and they devour it. The folks at Google had the same thoughts and served us with pork tocino for breakfast the day our group of the awardees visited the San Francisco office. Here is my own version of homemade pork tocino which was similar to what was prepared by Google’s Chef Jefferson Sevilla. My recipe was adapted from ‘Atching Lillian’s Heirloom Recipes’ by Lillian Borromeo. This serves 4 if served with garlic rice.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time5 20

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: Asian, Filipino

Keyword: Pork Tocino

Servings: people

Calories: 224kcal

Author: Asian in America

Equipment

Large Skillet: 10 inches or 12 inches in diameter

Ingredients

1 pound pork belly or pork shoulder sliced thin (liempo or casim in the Philippines)
4 Tablespoons salt
1 3/4 cups cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika powder
1 cup canned pineapple juice
2 Tablespoons white wine
1/2 cup water for cooking pork tocino
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil for cooking pork tocino
2 cloves garlic minced, for garlic rice
3 cups cooked rice at least 1 day old; refrigerated; preferably white rice
1 teaspoon salt for garlic rice
1 teaspoon ground black pepper for garlic rice
1 whole large tomato sliced, for serving

Instructions

To cure pork tocino: Around 3 to 5 days before, combine salt, sugar, paprika in a small bowl and set aside. Prepare the sliced pork pieces in a non reactive bowl by pouring the pineapple juice and wine. Pierce the meat with a fork all over so the liquid penetrates. Add the dry rub mixture and using your hands, mash the pork pieces making sure to incorporate ingredients well. Store the marinated meat in resealable plastic bags and freeze till ready to cook.
How long to cure: Pork tocino needs to be marinated in these ingredients for at least 12 hours or 3 to 5 days before cooking. It will also keep frozen up to three months. Make sure plastic bags are air tight to avoid freezer burn.
To prepare pork tocino for cooking: Thaw the meat at room temperature just before cooking. Do not thaw in the microwave. Allow to meat to get to room temperature on the counter.
*Tip: Sometimes, if I'm in a rush, I soak the entire plastic bag of uncooked, frozen tocino in a tub of water to thaw.
To cook pork tocino: In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add the pork slices and half a cup of water (for the amount of meat in this recipe). The pork pieces will turn brown and water evaporates in 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir the pieces around for even cooking. When the water evaporates completely, add the cooking oil to the skillet. The pork pieces will turn a red-dark brown hue and have a shiny glaze. Lower the heat to medium or low. Stir pieces around the skillet and cook for 8 to 10 minutes more till the insides are thoroughly cooked.
(Note: for safety reasons, pork must be completely cooked to a well done at all times). When pork tocino is done, transfer to a serving platter.
To cook garlic rice: Using the same skillet where pork tocino was cooked, use the pork drippings and add the garlic. Mash the garlic with the back of a cooking spoon to flavor the skillet.
Add the day old cooked rice, salt and black pepper powder. Mix well to make sure the drippings coat the rice grains well.
Serve the pork tocino and garlic rice warm, with chopped tomatoes on the side.
Cook's comments: Traditionally the pork is sliced in thin, fillet sizes. When I cured pork for this tocino recipe I already had pork belly cubes in my freezer and it's what I went with for affordable reasons. You can also ask your butcher to slice your meat for uniformed pieces if preferred.

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