Ground Pork Sisig
Sisig ng mga Tamad·(see-sig nahng mah-gah tah-mad)
Pulutan: Friday Night Hangs & Cold Drinks
If there is one dish that universally signals a Friday night in the Philippines, it is sisig. While the canonical version involves boiling and charcoal-grilling pig faces, this pragmatic, native-born adaptation uses ground pork and an undisturbed cast-iron sear to replicate that unmistakable street-food char. A hit of liver pâté melts into the rendered fat to provide the deep, gamey richness that mayonnaise simply cannot mimic, making this the undisputed king of drinking food for a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
- ground pork (80/20 blend)1 lb
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- red onion1 large
- garlic cloves3 med
- Thai bird's eye chilies2 med
- jalapeño pepper1 med
- canned liver pâté2 tbsp
- soy sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- Knorr liquid seasoning1 tbsp
- black pepper1 tsp
- fresh calamansi or lime juice2 tbsp
- unseasoned cane vinegar1 tbsp
- egg1 large
- pork rinds1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the ground pork in a single, even layer and press it down flat with a spatula. Do not touch it for 4 to 5 minutes; this undisturbed sear is crucial to developing the deep, dark, crispy crust of a true Pampanga grill.
- 02
Aggressively chop the seared meat with your spatula to break it into small, uneven crumbles.
Add the minced garlic and exactly half of the diced red onion, sautéing for another 2 to 3 minutes until the pork is fully cooked and the onions just begin to soften.
- 03
Reduce the heat to medium-low, create a well in the center of the pork, and drop in the liver pâté.
Let it heat through for 30 seconds, then vigorously stir it into the pork. The liver will melt into the rendered fat, creating the thick, savory, emulsified coating that defines authentic sisig.
- 04
Stir in the soy sauce, liquid seasoning, and black pepper, then turn off the heat entirely.
The residual heat of the cast-iron pan is all you need from here on out.
- 05
Pour in the calamansi juice and cane vinegar off the heat to preserve their bright, fresh punch.
Stirring the acid in off the heat prevents it from turning bitter and cutting harshly against the rich fat.
- 06
Toss in the remaining raw red onions, Thai chilies, and jalapeño.
The raw onions will gently warm but retain their sharp bite, providing the essential textural contrast to the heavy pork.
- 07
Top the mixture with a raw egg and crushed pork rinds, serving immediately with hot white rice and an ice-cold beer.
If using a cast-iron sizzling platter, the diner mixes the raw egg in to create a final custard-like binder; if eating from a regular plate, fry the egg sunny-side up first.
From Cook Filipino in America.