Pork Igado Recipe
“Pork Igado is a well-known Ilocano dish made from pork tenderloin and pig’s liver. A hearty, flavorful and delicious dish that goes well with steamed rice that the whole family will enjoy.”
I enjoy this pork igado with steamed rice. If you love menudo and adobo, you might also appreciate this recipe. They are somehow similar with each other, although they have their own distinct flavors. Once upon a time, I thought they were the same but believe me, you can taste the difference. You can enjoy this recipe with the whole family for lunch or dinner.
What is Igado
Igado is a version of pork stew of the Ilocanos. It is made with pork tenderloin and liver with vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, bell peppers and green peas and slowly stewed in soy sauce and vinegar concoction. Some common additions are pork innards such as kidney, heart, lungs etc. I leave these additions out but you are free to add those as you desired.
Igado is somehow similar to pork adobo but with a milder taste of vinegar and the sauce is a bit thick because of the added liver.
It is also comparable to menudo because of few common ingredients without tomatoes/ tomato sauce. Though, cut of pork and vegetables are different as menudo cuts are in the form of cubes while igado cuts are strips.
Tips on preparing the innards/ liver
Since liver has a distinct odor, you have wash it properly before slicing it. Soak liver with vinegar for about 30 minutes to reduce odor and eliminate some impurities. After 30 minutes, drain from the vinegar and wash thoroughly with water. Caution, please don’t soak more than 30 minutes or it will lose its flavor. I suggest to do this step as well if adding other innards.
Additional tips in making igado
Use pork tenderloin if you want a leaner meat or switch with pork belly if you prefer a fattier meat. Other option is to combine the tenderloin and belly to achieve balance taste. It’s totally up to you.
Cut the pork and liver in uniform strips to make sure to evenly cook. Also cut the vegetables in strips to complement the cut of the meat.
Marinating the pork for around 1-2 hours creates savory and garlicky flavor into the pork. You can skip this step if you are time pressed, but I definitely recommend it.
When you put the vinegar, allow it to boil without stirring for few minutes to remove the strong acid taste. Stirring it after addition will make a difference in the taste.
Do not overcook the liver as 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.
If you find it a bit tangy, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to balance the taste. This also adds sweetness to the dish.
I didn’t add any water on this recipe due to the water content coming from the meat and liver. But if you find that it a bit dry and preferred to have a saucy igado, you can add a bit of water.
Enjoy this pork igado paired with steamed rice, your family and friends will definitely love it! Happy tummy!
Pork Igado Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Large wok/ skillet with cover or pot
- Wooden spoon and tongs
Ingredients
For Pork Marinate/ Innard preparation:
- 1 kilograms pork tenderloin, cut into strips
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ kilograms pork liver, cut into strips
- ½ cup vinegar
Other Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium onions, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 pieces bay leaves/ laurel
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 medium carrots, cut into strips
- 1 medium potato, cut into strips
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 1 small red bell pepper
- 50 grams green peas
- 2 tablespoons sugar, optional
- water, optional
Instructions
- Marinate the pork. In a bowl, combine pork with soy sauce, garlic and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Cover and marinate for about an hour or overnight.
- Prepare the innards. Soak liver in vinegar for 30 minutes, drain then wash thoroughly. This is to remove the odor of the liver.
- In a pan over medium heat, add oil. Saute garlic and onion until fragrant and translucent.
- Add marinated pork, mix and cook for a minute.
- Add bay leaves, cover and stir occasionally to let the pork cook evenly.
- Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until meat becomes tender
- Once the pork is tender, add liver and stir to combine.
- Add vinegar and let it cook for about a minute before stirring.
- Put in carrots and potatoes. Mix and cook for around 2 minutes, cover if needed.
- Toss in red and green bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Pour the fish sauce and mix until well blended.
- Add the green peas and cover for another minute to cook.
- Taste and adjust salt or pepper as needed, add sugar if desired.
- Transfer to a serving plate.
- Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- When you put the vinegar, allow it to boil without stirring for few minutes to remove the strong acid taste.
- Do not overcook the liver as it will turn tough and rubbery.
- If you find it a bit tangy, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar to balance the taste.
- I didn’t add any water on this recipe due to the water content coming from the meat and liver. But if you find that it a bit dry and preferred to have a saucy igado, you can add a bit of water.
