Filipino Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork) is all about that perfect blend of sweet and savory, with a lovely reddish color from annatto. When you make it at home, you get to pick the best ingredients and adjust the sweetness just how you like it. Go for pork belly to get that super tender and juicy meat that crisps up and caramelizes beautifully in the pan.
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What is Tocino?
Tocino, a Filipino breakfast staple, is similar to bacon in other cuisines. This pork tocino recipe doesn't contain any preservative, unlike store-bought versions that often include salitre or saltpeter.
It's traditionally made with pork belly or another pork cut, marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sugar, and garlic. Annatto is used to give it its signature reddish color, although some recipes may use red food coloring. Chicken Tocino is a variation with boneless chicken thighs.
Tosilog is among the most popular "silog" breakfasts in the Philippines. It is a portmanteau of the Filipino words tocino, Sinangag (Garlic Rice), and itlog (fried egg). It's typically served with achara and a spiced vinegar dipping sauce.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Pork: I used thin slices of skinless pork belly because they have a nice balance of meat and fat, and they stay juicy even after pan-frying. You could also use a well-marbled pork butt or shoulder.
- Garlic: This recipe uses a lot of garlic because tocino traditionally contains a lot of it. If you're not a fan of strong garlic taste, feel free to reduce the amount or use garlic powder as a milder alternative.
- Pineapple juice: I used pineapple juice because it sweetens, tenderizes, and boosts the overall flavor of the meat. Apple or orange juice can also work in a pinch.
- Annatto powder: It is a natural food coloring that gives that distinct reddish color. It has no flavor, so you can skip it if you are not particular about the color.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Finely chop 4 garlic cloves, then pile them together and sprinkle a pinch of salt over them. The salt acts as an abrasive that breaks down the garlic.
Then, use the flat side of your knife blade to press down on the garlic, sliding it back and forth to mash it into a smooth paste.
PRO TIP: Mashing your garlic into a paste with a little salt works like sandpaper, smoothing it out perfectly. This paste blends better into your marinade and penetrates the meat evenly. Plus, it prevents those tiny bits from burning when you cook, making every bite delicious!
Step 2: Warm up ⅓ cup of pineapple juice in the microwave, then stir in 1-2 teaspoons of annatto powder until dissolved. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients: your mashed garlic, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, ⅔ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt (use half for table salt), and ½ teaspoon of ground pepper. Mix everything well.
PRO TIP: Always taste the marinade before adding the meat to make sure it's just the way you like it.
Step 3: Place the meat into a container or a resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the meat, making sure each slice is evenly coated.
Let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least overnight, or up to 3 days for a deeper flavor. If you're not planning to cook it soon, you can freeze it to keep it fresh longer.
Step 4: Arrange the marinated meat in a single layer in a skillet. Add about ¼ inch of water and cover the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 5: Take off the cover and let any remaining water evaporate. As the meat dries, the fat will start to render. If the meat is lean, you might need to add more oil to help it cook properly.
Step 6: Keep the slices moving in the pan to caramelize the outside without burning. Do this for about 3-5 minutes.
Cut the tocino into bite-sized pieces and serve it alongside garlic rice and a fried egg for a delicious Tocilog!
Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. Be sure to enjoy them within a day or two to keep the flavor and texture at their best.
Recipe FAQs
Tocino has a sweet, savory flavor with a nice touch of garlic. When it's cooked, it gets this tasty, slightly sticky glaze from the sugar caramelizing. It's really delicious!
The best meat for tocino is usually pork. Pork belly is amazing because it's flavorful and tender, though it can be a bit fatty. Pork butt and shoulder are also great choices; just make sure to slice and cook them right so they're not too tough. If you prefer chicken, go for thighs-they stay juicy and really take in the marinade well.
More silog-breakfast options
A silog is a Filipino dish that includes sinangag (garlic fried rice), itlog (fried egg), and a protein variety. Here are some popular choices:
- Longsilog: Savory garlic sausages known as longganisa.
- Bangsilog: Crispy-fried milkfish (bangus) marinated in vinegar and garlic.
- Tapsilog: Grilled or pan-seared slices of beef (tapa) marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic.
- Spamsilog: Fried slices of the popular canned meat, SPAM.
- Hotsilog: These are Filipino red hotdogs, usually paired with banana ketchup.
- Cornsilog: Ginisang corned beef with onions and sometimes potatoes.
- Lechon Kawali Silog: Fried pork belly, served with lechon sauce..
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Pork Tocino (Sweet Cured Pork)
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless pork shoulder or belly thinly sliced (see note)
- 4 garlic cloves minced & mashed to a paste
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice (see note)
- 1-2 teaspoons annatto powder (see note)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar sub: brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (use half for table salt)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Cooking oil as needed
Instructions
- Finely mince the garlic, gather them into a pile, and sprinkle a pinch of salt over them. Place the flat side of the knife's blade on top of the garlic and glide it back and forth, mashing it into a paste-like consistency.
- In a bowl, warm the pineapple juice in the microwave, then dissolve the annatto powder.
- Add the remaining marinade ingredients: mashed garlic, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and ground pepper. Mix well.
- Place the sliced pork in a container or a resealable bag. Pour the mixture over the meat, coating each slice evenly.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for at least overnight or up to 3 days. If you plan to cook it later, keep it in the freezer for longer storage.
- To fry them, arrange them in a single layer in a skillet. Add about ¼ inch of water and partially cook them covered over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Flip them halfway.
- Remove the cover and allow the remaining water to evaporate. As the meat dries, the fat will start to render. If the meat is lean, you might need to add more oil to help it cook properly.
- Constantly move the slices while caramelizing the outside for 3-5 minutes to prevent burning.
- Cut them into bite-sized pieces. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pork: I used thin slices of skinless pork belly because they have a nice balance of meat and fat, and they stay juicy even after pan-frying. You could also use another cut of pork, like pork butt or shoulder.
- Garlic: This recipe uses a lot of garlic because tocino traditionally contains a lot of it. If you're not a fan of strong garlic taste, feel free to reduce the amount or use garlic powder as a milder alternative.
- Pineapple juice: I used pineapple juice because it sweetens, tenderizes, and boosts the overall flavor of the meat. Apple or orange juice can also work in a pinch.
- Annatto powder: It is a natural food coloring that gives that distinct reddish color. It has no flavor, so you can skip it if you are not particular about the color.
Linda says
I like that this doesn't have food coloring. Most tocino sold in restaurants or even frozen ones in the supermarket are dyed red! I will definitely give this a try!
Nora Rey says
I totally get you – natural ingredients always make a difference.