Pork humba is a sweet and savory stew cooked with pineapple and black beans.
This Visayan pork dish is often compared to adobo, but it's sweeter and richer.
It's easy to make, great with rice, and even better the next day.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Pork belly: I used pork belly for the extra fat and flavor. You can also use pork shoulder, butt, or ribs for a leaner option. Pork hock adds more collagen and makes the sauce richer.
- Salted black beans: Also called tausi, these are fermented soybeans that a lot of umami flavor. Rinse them well becauce they can be quite salty.
- Dried banana blossoms: Also called bulaklak ng saging or kinchamsay, these are dried banana blossom flowers. They have a chewy texture and soaks up the sauce.
How to Make Pork Humba (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Sear pork
Sear 3 pounds pork belly (cut into chunks) in a little oil over medium-high heat until nicely browned.
Transfer to a plate and blot any excess fat with a paper towel.
Step 2: Sauté aromatics
Add 1 head garlic (smashed) and 1 medium onion (chopped), then sauté until softened.
Add 1 teaspoon peppercorns (cracked or whole) and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
Step 4: Simmer
Lower the heat to medium.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced slightly.
Skim off any excess fat from the top if needed.
Step 5: Add banana blossoms and black beans
Add ½ cup banana blossoms (rinsed) and ¼ cup black beans (rinsed). Mix well.
Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the banana blossoms are tender.
If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered a bit longer. If it gets too thick, add a little water.
Taste and adjust as needed, then turn off the heat.
Serve and enjoy your pork humba with steamed rice or sinangag!
Cooking Tips
- Brown the pork well at the start for better flavor.
- Simmer low and slow so the pork turns tender.
- Skim off excess fat if it looks too greasy.
- Soy sauce brands vary, so taste before adding more salt.
- Add water if the sauce gets too thick, or simmer longer if it's too thin.
Recipe FAQs
Humba is usually sweeter and richer than adobo. It also has ingredients like pineapple, tausi, banana blossoms, and saba bananas that give it a different flavor.
Salted black beans, also called tausi, help give humba its distinct flavor. You can make it without them, but it won't taste quite the same.
Yes. Pork belly is a common choice, but pork shoulder, ribs, and pork hock are also used in different versions of humba.
They add a chewy texture and soak up the sauce really well. Some recipes leave them out, but they're a classic addition to humba.
More Stews and Braises to Try
- Adobo: Chicken or pork cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and black peppercorns.
- Kare-kare: Beef and vegetables in peanut sauce, served with bagoong.
- Caldereta: Beef stew cooked in a tomato-based sauce with liver spread.
- Afritada: Chicken or pork stew with potatoes, bell peppers, and carrots.
- Menudo: Pork and liver stew with vegetables in a tomato-based sauce.
- Pochero: Meat stew with vegetables, saba bananas, and chickpeas.
- Igado: Pork and liver stew cooked with vegetables in a savory sauce.
Other Pork Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Pork Humba Recipe (Sweet and Savory Stew)
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork belly cut into chunks
- 1 head garlic smashed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon whole or cracked peppercorns
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 1½ cups pineapple juice
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar adjust to taste
- 2 star anise
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cup dried banana blossoms rinsed
- ¼ cup salted black beans rinsed
- Neutral oil for searing and sautéing
Instructions
- Sear the pork in a little oil over medium-high heat until browned. Set aside.
- Add garlic and onion, then cook until softened. Add peppercorns and cook until fragrant.
- Return the pork. Add soy sauce, vinegar, pineapple juice, sugar, star anise, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pork is tender. Skim off excess fat if needed.
- Add the banana blossoms and rinsed black beans. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Adjust the sauce as needed, then turn off the heat.
Notes
- Pork belly: I used pork belly for fat and flavor. Pork shoulder, butt, or ribs work for a leaner option. Pork hock adds more collagen.
- Salted black beans: Also called tausi. Rinse well to remove excess salt.
- Dried banana blossoms: Also called bulaklak ng saging or kinchamsay. They have a chewy texture and soaks up the sauce.
- Brown the pork well for better flavor.
- Simmer gently so the pork turns tender.
- Skim off excess fat if needed.
- Soy sauce brands vary, so taste before adding more salt.
- Add water if the sauce gets too thick, or simmer longer if it's too thin.
Lynn says
Sooooo delicious! My kids enjoyed this so much. I did not have the banana blossoms but it tasted amazing. I have to say i like it better than adobo. It has more flavor!
Mark Reyes says
Hi Lynn! Thank you so much!
Mark says
Soo gooood!
Nora Reyes says
Thank you so much, Mark!