Filipino Savory Pork Tocino

By á-5765

A popular and very savory Filipino dish with the Spanish name, Tocino (bacon, cured pork). Most often served for breakfast with steamed rice and fried eggs, but can be served as the meat for a later meal.

Ingredients

• 1-2 lbs. Pork shoulder cut into filets: 1/4 inch by 4-5 inches
• 1 T kosher salt dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 T vinegar, preferably rice wine vinegar
• 2-3 T soy sauce
• 1/2 cup pineapple or orange juice
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• dash or two black pepper
• 1/4 - 1/2 t curing salt (e.g. Morton’s Tender Quick, Instacure, saltpeter)
• Note: the curing salt will give the meat traditional reddish color. If not available, substitute 1/2 t red food coloring.

Preparation

Step 1

Mix all the marinade ingredients together. Add the meat. Knead in the marinade. Refrigerate in a non-reactive container or gallon-size plastic bag up to three days. If using food coloring instead of curing salt, overnight is long enough.

Fry on medium heat in a non-stick frying pan or cast iron with a little oil added. Fry till the edges of fat crisp up.

Serve with steamed or fried rice and lightly fried eggs. Garnish with sliced tomatoes, roasted green chiles or grilled zucchini.