Dinuguan Recipe
Best known as the ultimate companion to the beloved puto, this pork dinuguan recipe will satisfy your hunger pangs.
Loosely translated as pork blood stew, dinuguan features pork blood, giving it its unique dark color. However, don’t be followed by its appearance because this unique dish is bloody tasty!
What Is Dinuguan?
Dinuguan refers to a savory Filipino dish made with diced pork offal. These include the pork’s heart, liver, and intestines. In a popular dish variation of this Pinoy ulam, cooks add pork meat to the offal. Due to this, diniguan is considered a Filipino delicacy.
People quickly recognize the stew for its rich, dark sauce made of vinegar, soy sauce, and pig’s blood. Some cooks add diced potatoes and/or chilies to the dish. However, chilies are a more popular addition to dinuguan.
Some people call pork dinuguan “chocolate meat” thanks to its unique dark sauce. While this name sounds confusing (sounds like a dessert and savory dish), locals fondly call dinuguan that way.
Additionally, Filipinos love to serve it with steamed white rice or puto, a popular Filipino kakanin. When served as an entrée, dinuguan usually comes with rice. Otherwise, it mostly comes with puto.
Fun fact: locals love to serve the dish with puto because the sweetness of the rice cake balances diniguan’s sour flavor.
Where Did Dinuguan Come From?
Pork dinuguan is a traditional Filipino dish with a long history. Many believe the dish originated in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.
The earliest version of this dish involved slowly simmering diced pork offal in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and pig’s blood. Cooks then thickened the sauce using flour or cornstarch. Lastly, they seasoned it with garlic, onion, black peppercorns, and bay leaves.
Many variations exist (you can even make yours). But at the end of the day, it remains a hearty, savory stew.
Despite its unusual main ingredient (pig’s blood), the stew has become popular and well-loved in the Philippines and beyond. The dish became a staple of Filipino cuisine, widely enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. So whether you’re a fan of bold flavors or simply looking for a food adventure, dinuguan is worth trying!
Dinuguan Cooking Tips
Before you dive into the wonderful world of dinuguan, keep these tips in mind:
1. Choose the right cut of meat.
Cooks traditionally use pork offal, such as heart, liver, and intestines, for dinuguan. But if these parts don’t impress you, you can use pork shoulder or belly instead. Additionally, you can use both pork offal and meat.
Should you choose the pork shoulder or belly, trim any excess fat for a healthier dish. Otherwise, make sure to thoroughly clean and cook the pork offal.
2. Season the meat before putting it in.
Season the pork with salt and pepper. You can also use spices you prefer, such as bay leaves or black peppercorns. Doing so helps enhance the flavor of the meat and make it tastier.
3. Cook the sauce with tender loving care.
Stir the sauce frequently to prevent clumping or burning. In addition, adjust the heat as needed. The sauce should be thick and smooth, not too runny.
4. Use high-quality vinegar.
Always use high-quality vinegar, such as cane vinegar, to improve your dish. If possible, avoid using distilled white vinegar, since it usually has a harsh and artificial flavor.
5. Use fresh pig’s blood.
Pig’s blood is the heart of this dish. So, use fresh pig’s blood for the sauce if possible. Doing so gives the dish the best flavor and texture.
6. Make a large batch.
If you’ve been behind fiesta scenes, you’d have noticed that people make dinuguan in large batches. The dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week and reheated as needed. You can also freeze it for up to a month, making it a perfect one-time, big-time dish.
7. Adjust the recipe to your taste.
You can customize the dinuguan recipe to suit your taste. Use different cuts of meat, add more or less heat, or use different spices until you find the perfect flavor.
How to Serve Dinuguan
Wondering how you can make your stew extra special? Do these:
Serve it with puto.
Puto and dinuguan often come together because they complement each other well.
Puto’s fluffiness and sweetness contrast with the stew’s rich and savory flavor. It also balances out the intense flavors of the stew, making it a more well-rounded dish.
Serve it with steamed white rice.
Dinuguan is often served with steamed white rice. The rice balances out the rich and savory flavor of the dish. It also helps soak up the sauce and make it more filling.
Offer dipping sauces.
You can also offer dipping sauces, such as vinegar with chopped onions and chili peppers or soy sauce with sliced ginger. These dipping sauces help balance the dish’s richness and add extra flavor.
Serve it with vegetables.
The stew can also be served with steamed or pickled vegetables.
How to Store Dinuguan
Here;s how to sore this rich Filipino pork blood stew:
1. Allow it to cool.
Let the stew cool to room temperature before storing. This will preserve the flavor and prevent bacteria from forming.
2. Transfer to an airtight container.
Once cooled, transfer the stew to an airtight container. Doing so will prevent it from drying out. It also keeps the remains fresh for as long as possible.
3. Store in the refrigerator.
Place the airtight container in the refrigerator at the part with the most consistent temperature. If you want to store it for weeks, put it in the freezer.
4. Reheat thoroughly.
Heat the stew thoroughly to kill any bacteria that may have formed. You can reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Dinuguan Recipe
Dinuguan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly cut into small pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup pork blood
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion chopped
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup scallion chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat some oil over medium heat.
- Put in the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent.1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the pork belly to the pot and cook until browned on all sides.1 lb pork belly
- Put in the bay leaves, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Stir to combine.2 bay leaves, 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sugar
- Add the flour to the pot and stir to incorporate it into the sauce.1/4 cup flour
- Gradually add the water to the pot. Stir continuously until the sauce becomes thick.2 cups water
- Add the pork blood to the pot and stir gently to combine.1 cup pork blood
- Decrease the heat and let the dish simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the meat becomes tender.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard them. Transfer the dinuguan to a serving dish and garnish with chopped scallions.1/4 cup scallion
- Serve the dinuguan hot. Enjoy!
Cuisine: Filipino
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly, cut into small pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup pork blood
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup scallion, chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat some oil over medium heat.
- Put in the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Add the pork belly to the pot and cook until browned on all sides.
- Put in the bay leaves, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add the flour to the pot and stir to incorporate it into the sauce.
- Gradually add the water to the pot. Stir continuously until the sauce becomes thick.
- Add the pork blood to the pot and stir gently to combine.
- Decrease the heat and let the dish simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the meat becomes tender.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard them.
- Serve the dinuguan hot. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Dinuguan is not healthy because of the pig’s high-fat content. However, you can consume it in moderation without worrying about your health.
Dinuguan is made of pork offal (intestines, lungs, ears, heart, kidneys, and snout) and/or pork meat (shoulder and belly).
Dinuguan means pork blood stew in English.
Clean pork blood for dinuguan by boiling it and adding vinegar.
Conclusion
Dinuguan is a classic Filipino dish with the likes of pork sinigang, chicken curry, and pork menudo. It always steals the hearts of everyone around, especially when paired with puto.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your kitchen tools and try this dinuguan recipe now!
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perfect for lunch!!
I love this recipe especially with puto!