Pork Binagoongan is a hearty stew with tender pork belly in a flavorful sauce made with fermented shrimp paste. If you enjoy the umami-rich taste of shrimp paste, you will love this recipe!
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What is Pork Binagoongan?
Pork Binagoongan, also known as Binagoongan na Baboy, is a Filipino dish with tender pieces of pork cooked in a pungent, savory sauce made with fermented shrimp paste or bagoong alamang. There are many variations; this binagoongan recipe uses coconut milk and plenty of chilies.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Pork: I used pork belly because it has a good balance of meat and fat. You can use pork butt or shoulder if you're looking for less fat, or pork ribs for a different texture.
- Sautéed shrimp paste: This is a savory, umami-rich condiment that will flavor the dish. Get the sautéed variety or ginisang bagoong guisado (typically enjoyed with green mangoes) at your local Asian store instead of the pink/raw version.
- Coconut milk: This is an optional ingredient that makes the sauce richer and creamier. You can use water instead if you want to keep the sauce lighter and more traditional.
- Optional ingredients: You can blanch yardlong beans (or string beans) and okra, or pan-fry eggplant. These veggies are often added to balance the richness of the sauce.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: In a heavy-bottomed pot, add 2 pounds of pork and enough water to partially cover it. Add 1 bay leaf, 2 smashed garlic cloves, a generous pinch of salt, and some ground black pepper.
Step 2: Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes, until the meat is tender and most of the water has evaporated. Check the meat with a fork to see if it's tender.
Step 3: Remove the lid and let the remaining water evaporate. Keep cooking on medium-high heat to melt the fat and lightly brown the meat. Stir often and be careful of splattering.
PRO TIP: For an extra depth of flavor, make sure to brown the meat well. This caramelizes the surface and makes the dish even more delicious.
Step 4: Transfer the browned meat to a plate and drain the excess pork fat from the pot.
Step 5: In the same pot, add 1 small onion and 4 garlic cloves. Sauté them until softened, which takes about 2 minutes.
Then, add 2 fresh tomatoes and continue sautéing until they break down and caramelize, about 3 minutes. Feel free to add more oil, as needed.
Step 6: Add half of the chili peppers and ½ cup of shrimp paste, then sauté for about a minute.
Step 7: Add 1 cup of coconut milk or water, then mix them together while scraping the fond or browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Give it a taste to see if it needs fish sauce or a little sugar to balance the flavors.
Some people like to add vinegar, which mellows the strong aromas of the pork and shrimp paste.
Step 8: When it starts to simmer, add the pork pieces back to the pot and mix them together. Cover it up and let it cook for another 5 minutes to soak up all those delicious flavors.
Step 9: Toss in the remaining chili peppers and mix them well.
Serve your Pork Binagoongan with a side of steamed rice-it's just the way to do it! If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze them to extend their shelf life.
Recipe FAQs
Shrimp paste has a unique flavor profile. It has a strong, pungent taste and aroma with a concentrated shrimp flavor. This umami-rich condiment brings a savory, seafood-like taste to dishes, giving them more depth and complexity.
Pork Binagoongan is a pork dish cooked with sautéed shrimp paste, typically without coconut milk. On the other hand, Bicol Express is a dish made with raw shrimp paste, simmered in coconut milk and packed with chilies.
In some versions, there may not be much pork, and pineapple is sometimes added to balance the flavors. This is especially common in areas like Daet, where there are plenty of pineapples.
More dishes with shrimp paste
- Bicol Express: A creamy, spicy dish from the Bicol region where pork is cooked with raw shrimp paste and coconut milk.
- Bagoong Guisado: Sautéed shrimp paste cooked with aromatics and sometimes with bits of pork.
- Kare-Kare: A peanut-based stew with beef and vegetables, served with shrimp paste on the side.
- Pinakbet: A stew with a medley of vegetables and protein, flavored with shrimp paste.
- Bagoong Fried Rice: Fried rice with umami-rich sautéed shrimp paste and aromatics.
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Pork Binagoongan (with Coconut Milk)
Equipment
- Dutch oven, heavy-bottomed pot, or sauté pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork belly cut into bite size pieces (see note)
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 garlic cloves 2 smashed, 4 minced
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes chopped
- 2-4 red or green chili peppers
- ½ cup sautéed shrimp paste (see note)
- 1 cup coconut milk (see note)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fish sauce, to taste (optional) sub: soy sauce
- Sugar, to taste (optional)
- Neutral oil (for sautéing)
Instructions
- Place the meat in a pot and partially cover it with water. Add the bay leaf, garlic, a generous pinch of salt, and some pepper.
- Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20-30 minutes until the meat becomes tender and most of the water has evaporated.
- Remove the cover and allow the remaining water to evaporate. Render the fat from the pork and cook until golden brown, tossing it constantly. Be careful, as they may splatter.
- Transfer the meat to a plate and remove excess pork fat.
- Saute onion and garlic until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the ripe tomatoes and continue sautéing until they caramelize, about 3 minutes. Add more oil, if needed.
- Add half of the green chilies and the shrimp paste, then sauté for about a minute.
- Add the coconut milk or water, then mix them while scraping the fond or browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Taste to see if it needs fish sauce or a little sugar to balance the flavors.
- When it starts to simmer, return the meat back to the pot and mix them together.
- Cover and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing it to absorb all the delicious flavors.
- Add the rest of the chili peppers, then turn off the heat.
Notes
- Pork: I used pork belly because it has a good balance of meat and fat. You can use pork butt or shoulder if you're looking for less fat, or pork ribs for a different texture.
- Sautéed shrimp paste: This is a savory, umami-rich condiment that will flavor the dish. Get the sautéed variety or ginisang bagoong guisado (typically enjoyed with green mangoes) at your local Asian store rather than the pink/raw version.
- Coconut milk: This is an optional ingredient that makes the sauce richer and creamier. You can use water instead if you want to keep the sauce lighter and more traditional.
- Optional ingredients: You can blanch yardlong beans (or string beans) and okra, or pan-fry eggplant. These veggies are often added to balance the richness of the sauce.
Katrina says
I knew i was gonna love this, and i did! So delicious!
Nora Reyes says
Hi Katrina, That's great! Thank you for trying it out. =)
Vanessa says
This is dinner tonight. Thank you.
Nora Rey says
You're very welcome! I'm excited that you're trying out the pork binagoongan for dinner tonight. I hope you'll enjoy it!