Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork) | Panlasang Pinoy Meaty Recipes (2024)

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by Manny

Tocino or pork tocino is one of the popular pork dish for Pinoys but this dish, or maybe just the name was one of the Spanish influence that we inherited. Actually “tocino” is a Spanish word for “bacon” but when it comes to our cuisine, it is sweetened cured pork.

When it comes to Filipino cuisine, pork tocino is a classic dish that has been enjoyed by generations. This sweet cured pork is a popular breakfast food in the Philippines and can be served with rice, fried eggs, and tomato slices. While you can easily buy pre-packaged tocino in supermarkets, making it at home is not only healthier but also allows you to adjust the flavor to your liking.

Table of Contents

Ingredients:

The first step in making pork tocino is to prepare the meat. You will need half a kilo of pork shoulder or kasim, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, red food coloring or annatto powder, pineapple juice (optional), and salt. Mix well to form a marinade.

Curing Process:

Next, rub the marinade all over the pork, making sure to cover all sides of the meat. You can either place the pork and marinade in a ziplock bag or a Tupperware container for curing. Put the container in the refrigerator and let it cure for 2 to 3 days.

Cooking:

After the curing process, you can either fry or grill the pork tocino. Heat at least 4 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over medium to high heat. Fry the tocino for 3 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the meat, as it can become tough and dry.

Serving Suggestions:

Once done, you can serve the pork tocino with fried rice and fried eggs for a hearty breakfast. The sweetness of the pork pairs perfectly with the saltiness of the eggs and the acidity of the tomatoes.

Customization:

Making your own pork tocino at home is a great way to enjoy this classic Filipino dish without the added preservatives and unhealthy ingredients found in pre-packaged tocino. Plus, it’s a fun and easy way to get creative in the kitchen and experiment with different flavors. Try adding some spices like black pepper or chili powder to give your tocino an extra kick. You can also try using different cuts of pork to see which ones work best for you.

Wrap-Up:

Pork tocino is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that you can enjoy any time of the day. Making it at home not only ensures that you know exactly what’s in your food but also allows you to customize the flavor to your liking. So why not give this recipe a try and impress your family and friends with your culinary skills?

Notes on The Ingredients:

Pork shoulder or kasim

This cut of pork is often used in Filipino cuisine as it has a good balance of meat and fat, which helps keep the meat juicy and tender. When sliced thinly, it also cooks quickly and evenly.

Brown sugar

The sweetness of brown sugar is what gives tocino its distinctive flavor. It also acts as a natural preservative, allowing the meat to last longer without the need for chemical preservatives.

Soy sauce

Soy sauce adds a savory, umami flavor to the marinade. It also helps to tenderize the meat by breaking down its proteins.

Garlic

Garlic adds a pungent flavor and aroma to the marinade. It is also believed to have several health benefits, such as boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation.

Red food coloring or annatto powder

This ingredient is optional, but it is often added to give the tocino its distinctive red color. Annatto powder is a natural food coloring made from the seeds of the achiote tree and is commonly used in Filipino cuisine.

Recipe Update: This blog post is updated with more text and added with recipe notes, notes on the ingredients and cooking tips. The calorie value is also corrected based on the calorie counter from Verywellfit.com

Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork) | Panlasang Pinoy Meaty Recipes (1)

Print Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

How To Make Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork)

Learn how to make delicious and healthy pork tocino with this easy homemade recipe. No preservatives, just natural ingredients for a classic Filipino dish.

Prep Time3 days d

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Total Time3 days d 6 minutes mins

Course: Pork Recipe

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: pork tocino, tocino

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 445kcal

Author: Manny

Ingredients

  • 1/2 kilo pork shoulder or kasim slice into 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp of red food coloring or annatto powder
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/8 cup pineapple juice optional
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

How To Make Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork):

  • Combine the ingredients: brown sugar, food coloring, soy sauce, garlic, pinepple juice and salt in a mixing bowl.

  • Put the sliced pork in the bowl and rub the mixture liberally on all sides of the pork.

  • You can either use a zip bag and put all the pork and mixture or in a tupperware container for curing the pork.

  • Put inside a refrigerator and cure for 2 to 3 days.

  • After curing the pork, you can either fry or grill it. Heat at least 4 tablespoons of cooking oil.

  • Fry the tocino at least 3 minutes on each sides until browned on medium to high heat or until cooked.

  • Don't overcook because it will become too dry and tough.

  • Serve with fried egg and fried rice or java rice

Video

Watch the Video on How to Make Pork Tocino:

Notes

Nutrition notes:

Calorie is derived from VeryWellFit.Com recipe nutrition calculator.

Cooking Tips:

  1. Make sure to slice the pork shoulder or kasim thinly, around 1/4 inch thick. This will help it cook evenly and quickly.
  2. When curing the pork, make sure to use a container that can be tightly sealed, such as a zip bag or Tupperware container. This will help the meat absorb the flavors of the marinade more effectively.
  3. If you don't have red food coloring or annatto powder, you can omit this ingredient. The tocino will still taste delicious without it.
  4. When frying the tocino, make sure to heat the oil over medium-high heat. This will help the meat cook quickly and evenly without burning.
  5. Don't overcook the tocino, as it can become dry and tough. Cook each side for around 3 minutes or until browned, and remove from the pan as soon as it is cooked through.

Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork) | Panlasang Pinoy Meaty Recipes (2)

Try Other Delicious Recipes:

  • Sweet and Spicy Pork Belly
  • Pork Caldereta (Kalderetang Baboy)
  • Sweet and Spicy Pork Ribs
Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork) | Panlasang Pinoy Meaty Recipes (6)

About Manny

Manny Montala is the creator and webmaster of this blog. I'm also an engineering graduate who is keen in culinary arts especially on the realm of Filipino dishes and recipes. Read More...
Please visit this blog often and bookmark. Thanks for visiting!
One of My Favorite Bible Verse: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

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Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork) | Panlasang Pinoy Meaty Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the seasoning in tocino? ›

In making tocino in the Philippines, the pork belly meat is first sliced into thin strips. Anise wine, annatto, water, sugar, and salt are combined in a container, and the meat strips are sprinkled with the mixture and stacked in a container, which is covered and refrigerated for three days to cure.

How to cook packaged pork tocino? ›

Cook
  1. Turn the stove on and set it to medium and warm up the skillet.
  2. Add pork tocino to the pan and spread it out a bit.
  3. Add 1/4 cup of water and cover the pan.
  4. Let it cook until the water evaporated. ...
  5. Add a little oil.
  6. Cook the pork until it turns reddish.
  7. Remove from the pan.
  8. Cook the egg sunny side up.
Aug 31, 2020

How long does pork tocino last in the fridge? ›

For cooked tocino, store the meat in an airtight container so you can refrigerate it for up to three days. You can also store uncooked tocino in your refrigerator for up to three days.

How to cook Pampanga's Best pork tocino? ›

Add about 2 cups of water (or just enough to cover the meat) and 1/4 cup of cooking oil into a large frying pan together with the pork tocino slices. Boil over high heat. The process of boiling further tenderises the meat while cooking. When the water evaporates, the cooking oil will be left, instantly frying the meat.

What is tocino called in English? ›

The word “tocino” is a Spanish term for “bacon,” something I hope all of us are very familiar with. In short, it's cured pork belly and was originally introduced to the Philippines during Spanish colonization.

What is the best pair for tocino? ›

Pair the tangy grilled tomato with a slightly salty tocino. Mekeni offers Classic Sweet Pork Tocino for those who like their tender pork slices sweet, while the Tamis-Alat Pork Tocino is for those looking for a balance of sweet and salty.

What pairs with tocino? ›

Everyone loves bacon, Tocino is a Filipino style of caramelized, sweet cured bacon. This dish is popular with +Silog breakfasts or brunch and typically served with garlic rice, salad and fried egg on the side.

Do I need oil to cook tocino? ›

Thaw the pack or you can also cook them straight from the freezer and thaw while cooking. 3. Remove the tocino from the pack and put them on your frying pan. No need to use cooking oil.

Do you cook tocino in oil? ›

first up, you have to boil the meat with some water. and start cutting them into smaller pieces. then after about 5 minutes, drain the water and put it back, adding a little bit of oil and turn down the heat. and fry it slowly until caramelized.

Can you eat 12 day old pork? ›

USDA recommends using cooked pork within three to four days, kept refrigerated (40 °F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. USDA recommends using cooked leftovers within three to four days.

Is it OK to eat pork 3 days out of date? ›

After the use-by date, the food is unsafe to eat, even if it has been stored correctly and looks and smells fine. It's best to use up food in your freezer within 3 to 6 months, but it's worth checking the packaging for any freezing guidelines specific to that product.

Can I eat pork 2 days out of date? ›

The sell-by-date is a non-negotiable situation, the use-by-date offers a little more flexibility in terms of when your pork can actually be consumed. As long as your refrigerator is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less, you should be able to tack an extra one or two days onto your use-by consumption date for fresh pork.

Can I cook tocino in air fryer? ›

😅 When it comes to sticky food, you're going to want t...

What is the pink powder in tocino? ›

Pink Salt (a.k.a. Prague Powder or Curing Salt) is a mixture of table salt with sodium nitrite. It's a food additive used to cure meats, which inhibits the growth of microbes during the curing process while giving this Filipino bacon a unique taste and a pinkish red color (even after being cooked).

Do you boil Pampanga's Best tocino? ›

What is the best suggested cooking instruction for most Pampanga's Best products? Most of our products are ready to fry. Boiling is not necessary since tenderness is ensured from the manufacturing process.

What flavor is tocino spam? ›

SPAM® with Tocino Seasoning

As a token of our love for this country, we have created a Filipino Flavor — SPAM® Tocino! It has just the right mixture of sweet and meaty to satisfy your craving for Filipino cuisine. Limited availability in stores.

What are the ingredients in spam tocino? ›

Ingredients : 'PORK WITH HAM, SUGAR, WATER, MODIFIED POTATO STARCH, SALT, SODIUM PHOSPHATES, FLAVORING, SPICE, OLEORESIN OF PAPRIKA, SODIUM NITRITE. '

How do they make tocino? ›

Easy Tocino Recipe
  1. Cut the pork shoulder or loin into ¼ inch (0.6 cm) slices.
  2. Cover the pork with salt, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, onion powder, and soy sauce.
  3. Refrigerate the meat for 3 days, then pan fry or grill it for 2-3 min. on each side.

What is spam tocino made of? ›

Pork with ham, sugar, water, modified potato starch, salt, sodium phosphates, flavoring spice, oleoresin of paprika, and sodium nitrite. Sign-up & GET 10% OFF your first order! Tocino is sweet cured pork that is often used in Filipino cuisine.

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