← Nouns Cooking · Indonesian & Filipino

Ingredients

• 1 kg pork shoulder (kasim) or belly, sliced 5 mm thick
• 150 g Brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 60 ml pineapple juice
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 tsp sweet paprika, for colour (optional)
• 125 ml Water
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil

Method

1. Mix the sugar, salt, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, pineapple juice, pepper and paprika (if using) in a bowl. Add the pork and massage the cure into every slice.
2. Pack into a covered container or zip bag and refrigerate for 1–2 days, turning once a day.
3. To cook, put a single layer of slices in a frying pan with the water and simmer over medium heat for 8–10 min, turning once, until the water has evaporated.
4. Add the oil and fry for 2–3 min per side, watching closely, until the edges are caramelised and the pork is cooked through. The sugar burns quickly, so lower the heat if it darkens too fast.
5. Serve with garlic fried rice, a fried egg and a little spiced vinegar or atchara.

Tips

• Freeze the cured slices flat in portions; they cook straight from frozen with a splash more water.
• Commercial tocino gets its pink colour from curing salt and food colouring; this home version is paler but just as tasty.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Foxy Folksy Panlasang Pinoy