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Dinuguan (pork blood stew)
Pork simmered in a dark, tangy sauce of pig's blood, vinegar and long green chillies
Dinuguan is cooked all over the Philippines whenever a pig is prepared for a town fiesta, a way of honouring the animal by using every part; here it is made with diced pork shoulder and belly. The pork is simmered with garlic and vinegar, then finished with fresh pig's blood, which turns the sauce smooth, almost black and rich, with a sharp, savoury tang and the heat of long green chillies. It is eaten with soft white puto (steamed rice cakes) or rice, and children are sometimes told it is 'chocolate meat'. Chef's tip: buy fresh pig's blood from a butcher on the day you cook, keep it cold in the fridge and use it the same day.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the pork
- 1 ⅓ lb pork shoulderin 2 cm dice
- 10 ½ oz pork bellyskin removed, in 2 cm dice
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 6 cloves garlicchopped
- ½ oz fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 cups water
For the sauce
- ½ cup cane vinegaror white wine vinegar
- 2 cups fresh pig's bloodfrom a butcher, kept cold and used the same day
- 3 long green chillieswhole
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium-high heat and cook the 10 ½ oz pork belly until the fat runs and the pieces are golden, about 6 minutes.
6 minStep 2: Add the 1 ⅓ lb pork shoulder, 1 onion, 6 cloves garlic and ½ oz fresh ginger and stir-fry until the pork is browned outside and the onion soft, about 6 minutes.
6 minStep 3: Add the 2 tbsp fish sauce, 2 cups water and 2 bay leaves, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over a low heat for 35 minutes, until the pork is tender and well past 160°F.
35 minStep 4: Pour in the ½ cup cane vinegar and do not stir for 3–4 minutes, letting it simmer so the sharp raw edge cooks off; then stir.
4 minStep 5: Take the 2 cups fresh pig's blood from the fridge, stir it and pour it through a sieve to remove any clots.
2 minStep 6: Turn the heat to medium-low and pour the blood in slowly in a thin stream, stirring all the time. Common mistake: tipping it into a fast boil without stirring; it sets in grainy lumps instead of a smooth sauce.
3 minStep 7: Add the 3 long green chillies, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt and bring back to a full simmer, stirring constantly, then cook 8–10 minutes until the sauce is thick, smooth and dark brown-black with no red streaks left.
10 minStep 8: Serve hot with puto or rice. Cool any leftovers quickly, keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat until bubbling.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 410 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dinuguan (pork blood stew) take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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