Tocilog
(toh-see-log)
Almusal at Any Hour (The Silog Rhythms)
If you grew up in a Filipino household, the smell of sweet pork caramelizing in a pan on a Saturday morning is practically hardwired into your DNA. But turn over a packet of frozen supermarket tocino, and you'll find a science experiment of chemical preservatives and artificial red dye. This is how the grandmothers did it—the true lutong bahay way. A natural tenderizer of pineapple juice, real annatto for that deep red stain, and a slow, patient cure in the fridge. Toss it together on a Sunday night, and by Wednesday, you're rewarded with a plate of intensely sticky, charred pork, pungent garlic rice, and a runny egg that tastes exactly like home.
Before you start
Freeze the pork briefly before slicing.
Pork shoulder can be unruly to slice evenly. Place the whole roast in the freezer for about 30 minutes before taking a knife to it; the firmed-up fat will allow for perfect, uniform quarter-inch strips.
Ingredients
- pork shoulder2 lb
- dark brown sugar1/2 cup
- 100% pineapple juice1/4 cup
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- coarse kosher salt1 tbsp
- garlic cloves5 med
- ground black pepper1 tsp
- annatto powder1 tsp
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- water1/2 cup
- cane vinegar1/2 cup
- garlic cloves2 med
- red onion1/4 small
- Thai bird's eye chilies2 med
- salt1/4 tsp
- sugar1/4 tsp
- large eggs4 large
- prepared garlic fried rice4 cup
Method
- 01
Massage the cure into the pork.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, kosher salt, minced garlic, black pepper, and annatto powder until mostly dissolved. Add the sliced pork, put on a kitchen glove, and aggressively massage the marinade into the meat for a few minutes before sealing it in a bag to refrigerate for at least 24 hours, or up to three days.
- 02
Steep the spiced vinegar dip.
Combine the cane vinegar, smashed garlic, diced onion, chilies, salt, sugar, and a pinch of black pepper in a small bowl. Let it sit on the counter to meld while you cook.
- 03
Simmer the pork until tender.
Do not drop sugary meat into hot oil. Instead, place the cured pork, any residual marinade, and the water into a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- 04
Fry the meat in its own rendered fat.
Remove the lid and let the water evaporate until a bubbling syrup of fat and sugar remains, turning the heat down to medium-low. Stir continuously for 5 to 8 minutes as the pork fries in its own fat—adding a splash of neutral oil if the meat is too lean—until deeply caramelized, sticky, and charred at the edges.
- 05
Assemble the silog.
Serve the hot tocino alongside a generous mound of garlic fried rice, top with a runny sunny-side-up egg, and use the sharp, spiced vinegar to cut right through the glorious fat.
Notes
Choose the right cut of pork.
Standard American supermarket 'stir-fry pork' is typically loin, which is far too lean and will dry out immediately when cooked with sugar. Buy a small pork butt (shoulder) and slice it yourself for the essential balance of connective tissue, meat, and fat.
Respect the simmer-to-fry transition.
Dropping sugar-cured meat directly into hot oil guarantees a burnt, bitter mess. Simmering in water first tenderizes the tough pork shoulder and ensures a perfect, sticky caramelization once the liquid naturally evaporates.
Don't skip the vinegar.
The sawsawan (spiced vinegar dip) is not optional. The acidic bite is a necessary palate cleanser that cuts directly through the intense sweetness and heavy richness of the pork and egg yolk.
From Cook Filipino in America.