Recipes 4 min read
Make-Ahead Filipino Tocino Recipe: Sweet Cured Pork for Meal Prep
UPDATE: The National Pork Board has extended the deadline for The Foodbank donation partnership because you’ve been asking great questions. Every question you leave for pork producers in the comments on this post, on the Foodie With Family Facebook page, or on Twitter with the hashtag #sustainablepork will translate to one pound of pork donated to The Foodbank of Ohio, up to 1,000 pounds. No strings attached!
Pork is a frequent choice at our table — in many forms. We’re a pork-centric household, as you may have noticed from the many pork recipes I’ve shared here, including bacon, chops, roasts, Cuban pork, pulled pork, and more. So when the National Pork Board invited me to tour a sustainable pork farm, I accepted right away. They also offered something meaningful: for every question you send me to ask the farmers, they will donate one pound of pork to The Foodbank in Ohio, up to 1,000 pounds.
Imagine how many families we can help if enough people ask questions.
Before I go to Dayton, here are a few facts the National Pork Board shared with me about sustainability in pork production. Over the past 50 years, pig farmers have reduced their carbon footprint by 35%, cut water use by 41%, and decreased the land needed to grow feed by 78%. Farmers are also producing more meat from fewer animals, which reduces the natural resources required to raise pigs.
The Pork Checkoff has recognized pig farmers’ sustainability efforts for 18 years with the Pork Industry Environmental Steward Award. The farm I’ll visit on July 24 was recently honored with this award.
How you can help: leave a question in the comment area below or tweet one with the hashtag #SustainablePork by July 13th. Every qualifying question or tweet will result in one pound of pork donated to help families in need.
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Of course I couldn’t talk about pork without sharing a favorite recipe. Here’s one of my go-to freezer-friendly dishes: Tocino (pronounced toe-see-no).
Tocino is a Filipino cured pork that’s been a longtime favorite. Using an inexpensive pork shoulder, thinly sliced and quickly cured with sugar and spices in a resealable bag, you get sweet-and-salty pork that crisps up like super-meaty bacon. It’s easy to prepare: mix the cure, toss the pork, and store the bag in the freezer for up to six months. The sugar in the cure prevents the pieces from freezing solid, so you can scoop out just what you need.
The classic way to serve tocino is with garlic fried rice and a fried egg for the Filipino breakfast known as tosilog. It’s also excellent for lunch, dinner, or a snack.
Traditional cures sometimes use red food coloring or pink curing salt. I prefer beet powder to achieve a natural red color without artificial dyes — it adds color but not a beet flavor.
Tocino (Filipino Cured Pork) | Make Ahead Mondays
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork shoulder sliced into 1/8-inch thick pieces
- 3/4 cup raw or granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons beet powder you can substitute about 15 drops of red food colouring if you prefer.
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
For Cooking:
- Vegetable peanut or canola oil for pan frying
Instructions
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Combine both sugars, the garlic, salt, beet powder (or food colouring), and soy sauce in a very large resealable zipper-top bag (2 gallons) or a stain-proof container with a tight-fitting lid. Close the bag or container and shake to combine the ingredients evenly. Open it, add the pork slices, and reseal. If using a bag, squeeze it to coat all the pork thoroughly. If using a container, use your hands to move the pork so it’s evenly coated, then close it tightly.
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Refrigerate and let the pork cure for at least 2 days, up to 4 days, before using. Alternatively, place the bag or container directly in the freezer and let it sit at least one week before cooking; it will keep frozen for up to 6 months.
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To cook the tocino:
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Whether fresh from the fridge or straight from the freezer, remove the amount you want to cook and let it sit in a colander for a few minutes to drain excess liquid.
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You can grill tocino over high, direct heat, or pan-fry in batches. For pan frying, heat about 2 teaspoons of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until cooked through and browned with small charred bits, about 2–3 minutes per side.
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Serve with garlic fried rice and a fried egg for a traditional Filipino meal, or enjoy it as a savory addition to any meal.
Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use and your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your photos!
Don’t forget to leave your question for the pork farmers and the National Pork Board below. Every question will provide a hungry family with a pound of pork.
From July 23–24, I will tour an Ohio family’s pig farm with the National Pork Board focused on sustainability efforts. NPB is covering the cost of my trip; all opinions are my own.
