Delicious Pork Menudo Recipe
“A favorite menu during celebrations! This pork menudo is made with pork meat and liver in rich tomato sauce; simply delicious, it will definitely delight your guests!”
Pork menudo is one of the popular dish served during fiestas, parties, family get-togethers or any other Pinoy celebrations.
It can also be seen on the menus of carinderias (budget-friendly eateries). And why not? It’s tasty, filling and economical. It is also easy to prepare with simple ingredients.
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What is Filipino Pork Menudo
Pork menudo is a tomato-based stew typically paired with steamed rice or sometimes bread.
Generally, menudo uses pork meat, liver, tomato sauce, hotdogs, potatoes and carrots. However, this recipe have many variations in different parts of the Philippines.
The ingredients used in each dish are determined by what is available in each locale. Some people will also add more ingredients to make it more unique for special occasions, in order to distinguish it from the way it is usually prepared for ordinary meals.
Some recipes may call for other colorful vegetables such as green peas, bell peppers, and garbanzo beans. Others use raisins to make it a bit sweet.
Although using other ingredients might slightly affect the overall flavor, they still taste just as good as everyone else.
Fond memories…
Being raised in Pampanga, I grew up celebrating special occasions. One of the big one is our town fiesta.
I remembered that we would prepare everything before that day. We would cut the meats and vegetables. And to prevent the meat from being spoiled, we usually pre-cook the meats in bulk to be used the following day or what we called sangkutsa. That is what we will do in this recipe.
So if you are planning for a menu in your special event, this recipe will work at your advantage.
Tips on How to cook pork menudo
Before doing anything else, it is a good idea to marinate the pork liver in lemon or calamansi juice, soy sauce and ground pepper. This is ideal so that while you are cutting or pre-cooking your meat, your liver will also be ready at the time.
Set it aside it covered container in the refrigerator to avoid contamination.
Then, we will pre-cook the pork meat. Combine meat, water, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Let it cook for around 15 minutes or until meat is slightly cooked.
If you are preparing this in advance, this is a good step because the meat will absorb all the flavors. Another thing is that it will shorten the cooking time when you cook it the next day.
Next step is to sauté garlic, onion, and the pre-cooked meat (without the broth, save it for later use.
Add the tomato sauce, fish sauce, ground black pepper and some broth. Simmer until pork is tender around 15-20 minutes.
Add the carrots, potatoes and cook until tender.
Drain and wash pork liver thoroughly with water to remove the distinct odor and taste.
Combine the washed liver, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and hotdogs. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until pork liver is cooked through but DO NOT overcook.
Lastly, season with salt and pepper as needed.
Additional tips
- You can use any pork cuts for this recipe. Commonly used parts are pork shoulder (kasim), and ham/leg cut (pigue). You can also use pork belly (liempo) if you prefer to have a fattier content.
- To ensure equal cooking, cut your vegetables into uniform size pieces.
- For faster cooking and less simmering time, cut your meat into bite-size cubes. This will also make your meat quickly absorb all the flavor of the sauce.
- You can use fresh tomatoes if you prefer instead of using tomato sauce.
- Same with pork igado, do not let your liver overcook. If it is overcooked, it will turn tough and rubbery. Add it in the last 5-7 minutes of cooking. You will notice that the sauce will thicken, this is because of the blood from the liver.
How to store left overs
Pork menudo is a delicious dish but more often there are plenty of leftovers. But do you know that this dish actually gets better when stored for few days. As the flavors seep deep into the meat, it gets richer and tastier overtime.
Proper storage is necessary in order for this dish to last longer. After it has cooled down, place in an air tight container or resealable bags.
It will be good for around 2-3 days in the fridge. But if you have more leftovers and want to consume it a bit later, then you can freeze it and it will last for up to 2 months.
How to reheat
There are 2 ways to reheat.
Stovetop. Pour menudo in a saucepan and let it cook over low heat until heated through.
Microwave. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2-3 minute intervals.
If you are planning for an event, consider adding this recipe in your menu, it will always be a crowd pleaser. Happy tummy!
Pork Menudo Recipe
Equipment
- Chopping board and knife
- measuring cup and measuring spoons
- pan or wok
- wodden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram pork meat — kasim, pigue or liempo
- 2-3 pieces dried bay leaves
- 1-2 cups water
- 200 grams pork liver
- ¼ cup lemon or calamansi juice
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 250 grams tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 large carrots, cut into cubes
- 2 large potatoes, cut into cubes
- 1 small green bell pepper, cut into cubes
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into cubes
- 5 pieces hotdogs, sliced into 1/2 inch thick
- salt and pepper, as required
Instructions
- Marinade pork liver with lemon juice (or calamansi juice), soy sauce and ground black pepper. Cover and set aside.
- In a medium pan, combine pork meat, water, dried bay leaves, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium and pre-cook for about 15 minutes or until meat is slightly tender and all side are no longer pink. Stir occasionally. Separate meat from the broth and set aside.
- In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic and onion and cook until translucent.
- Add the pre-cooked pork meat and mix to incorporate. Then add the tomato sauce, fish sauce and pepper. Mix to fully combine.
- Pour about 1 cup of pork broth and bring to boil.
- Lower heat, cover and cook for around 15-20 minutes or until pork meat is tender. Add more broth if needed.
- Add carrots and potatoes. Simmer for another 5 minutes or until becomes tender.
- Add liver, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and hotdogs. Note: Drain and wash pork liver thoroughly with water.
- Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until pork liver is cooked through but not overcook. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Transfer in a serving plate. Serve with rice or bread.
- Share and enjoy!
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