Sizzling Ground Pork Sisig
Sisig Giniling·(see-sig gee-nee-ling)
The Weeknight Ulam (Fast, Unapologetic Dinners)
Purists will tell you that authentic sisig demands a pig's face, hours of boiling, and an outdoor grill. They aren't wrong, but they also aren't cooking dinner on a Tuesday in Ohio. This is the diaspora’s brilliant, unapologetic workaround: a furious, smoking cast-iron sear on fatty ground pork that mimics the char of a Pampanga street stall, bound together with mayonnaise and liver spread to replace the traditional pig brains. It's fast, it's resourceful, and when that sharp blast of citrus hits the sizzling pork fat, it smells exactly like home.
Before you start
Have your ingredients staged and ready.
This dish moves incredibly fast once the pork hits the pan. Mix your mayonnaise, liver spread, Knorr, and oyster sauce in a small bowl beforehand to avoid scrambling at the stove while your pork overcooks.
Ingredients
- 80/20 ground pork1 lb
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- red onion1 large
- garlic4 clove
- ginger1 med
- bird's eye chilies2 med
- jalapeño1 large
- Kewpie mayonnaise3 tbsp
- Reno liver spread2 tbsp
- Knorr liquid seasoning1 1/2 tbsp
- oyster sauce1 tbsp
- coarse black pepper1/2 tsp
- fresh calamansi juice2 tbsp
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- egg1 large
- pork rinds1/2 cup
- green onions2 med
Method
- 01
Obliterate the pork in a smoking hot skillet.
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat until lightly smoking, then add the neutral oil. Press the ground pork into an even, flat layer across the entire pan and do not touch it for 4 to 5 minutes. You want a dark, crusty brown sear on the bottom to simulate the char of an outdoor grill before breaking it apart and letting it fry in its own rendered fat until crispy.
- 02
Sauté the aromatics in the rendered pork fat.
Push the crisped pork to the perimeter of the pan. In the center pool of rendered fat, add the garlic, ginger, and half of the diced red onions. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until softened and fragrant, then toss everything together.
- 03
Build the emulsion to coat the meat.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the jalapeño, half of the bird's eye chilies, Kewpie mayonnaise, liver spread, Knorr liquid seasoning, oyster sauce, and black pepper. Toss continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the mayonnaise and liver spread melt into a rich, glossy glaze that clings to the pork.
- 04
Blast the pan with citrus.
Push the meat aside and melt the butter directly on the hot pan. Pour the calamansi juice over the top, letting the acid hit the hot iron to create an intoxicating, sour steam. Turn off the heat.
- 05
Garnish aggressively and mix at the table.
While the pan is still furiously sizzling, crack the raw egg directly into the center of the meat. Scatter the remaining raw red onions, bird's eye chilies, crushed pork rinds, and green onions over the top. Serve immediately in the hot skillet on a trivet alongside steamed white rice, mixing the raw egg and fresh onions into the hot meat right before eating.
Notes
Sourcing the secret sauce ingredients.
If you can't find Reno Liver Spread at your local Asian market, substitute with 1 1/2 tablespoons of smooth chicken liver pâté from an American deli. If fresh or frozen calamansi is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice mixed with 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar.
The mayonnaise is non-negotiable.
While traditionalists use boiled pig brains for the creamy binder, Kewpie mayonnaise is the accepted modern alternative. Its yolk-heavy, MSG-enhanced profile provides the crucial richness this quick weeknight version demands.
From Cook Filipino in America.