What is dinuguan?
An unexpected culinary delight, dinuguan is a beloved Filipino pork blood stew that combines savoury pork offal with tangy vinegar and savoury ginger. The dish has been around since pre-colonial Philippines, where it was known as “dinardaraan.” Today, this traditional recipe is still enjoyed by many families in the Philippines and beyond.
The key ingredients to making a great dinuguan include tenderly cooked pork organs, fresh pig’s blood, aromatics such as garlic and ginger, and plenty of vinegar to create its signature sour notes. This hearty stew is usually served with steamed white rice as an accompaniment.
If you’re wondering where to purchase pork blood, try looking in the frozen section of your local Asian grocery store or you can ask your butcher if they’ll sell you some. It comes in a vacuum-sealed pack so you can easily store it for future uses.
Whether you’re a seasoned Filipino food enthusiast or just curious about this unique dish, Dinuguan is an interesting and delicious treat that’s well worth the effort to make. Give it a try! Your taste buds will thank you for it.
How to Make Dinuguan
Note: This recipe comes from Filipinx by Angela Dimayuga & Ligaya Mishan.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 whole star anise
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
- 1 ½ pounds (680g) skin-on pork shoulder or pork belly, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) dice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 (1-inch / 2.5cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely minced
- 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
- ½ cup (120ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 whole fresh long green chile or jalapeno
- 5 ounces (150ml) frozen pork blood, thawed
Instructions:
- Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the salt, anise, and cloves until you achieve a powder consistency.
- Generously season the pork with freshly ground black pepper and your blend of aromatic spices, stirring to ensure even distribution.
- Take a large saucepan and set it over high heat. Pour in the olive oil, then introduce your pork to its new surroundings. Let it develop a fond—those dark caramelized bits that give your dish an extra layer of flavor—over 15 minutes and stir occasionally for optimal results. Rest between stirring sessions so as to allow the fat from the pork mingle with the other ingredients before you serve up something truly velvety!
- Start by adding the garlic, ginger, onion, and bay leaves to a pan. After sautéing them together for around 5 minutes while stirring frequently, add in both the vinegar and water (1/2 cup or 120 ml), followed by fish sauce and chile. Let this mixture come up to boiling point before turning down the heat to medium-low; then cover your pan with a lid so that it can simmer!
- Simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the pork is tender. The fat should be jiggly and easily give way to a spoon. Lower the heat to low, then gradually add in the pork blood while stirring continuously. Within 2 to 3 minutes of stirring, the sauce should become thick and glossy enough to coat a spoon. If it’s too dense for your liking, feel free to add two teaspoons of water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve hot and fresh! Dinuguan also re-heats deliciously as leftovers, like other Filipino dishes. Plus it’ll stay good in the fridge for up to a week too!
Final Thoughts
So what are you waiting for? Gather your ingredients, turn up the heat and get cooking! Dinuguan is a unique and delicious Filipino stew that’s sure to tantalise your taste buds.
Whether you’re looking for something new to add to your weekly meal rotation or just want to try something different this weekend, give this dish a go. You won’t regret it!
