Dinuguan (Filipino Pork Blood Stew with Vinegar and Chili)
In short: Pork simmered in a savory, sour sauce of fresh pork blood, vinegar, garlic and long green chilies, a rich dark stew eaten with steamed rice cakes. It takes about 1 h 40 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 40 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 275 kcal
Dinuguan is a dark, glossy stew of pork cooked in fresh pork blood, vinegar, garlic and long green chilies. The name comes from dugo, the Tagalog word for blood. The sauce is rich and savory, with a sharp sourness from the vinegar that keeps it from feeling heavy. It is traditionally eaten with puto, small steamed rice cakes, or with plain rice. Fresh pork blood is sold at Filipino and Asian markets.
Instructions
- Put the pork in a pot with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the ginger, the bay leaves and the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pork is nearly tender.
- In a separate pan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Add them to the pork along with the fish sauce.
- Stir the blood with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar and strain it through a fine sieve into a bowl.
- Lower the heat so the stew is barely simmering. Pour in the blood in a thin stream, stirring constantly in one direction, so it does not clump.
- Add the whole green chilies. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce thickens, turns dark and glossy and no longer smells raw.
- Season with the pepper, sugar and salt to taste. The sauce should taste savory with a clear sourness. Serve hot with puto or steamed rice.
Tips
- Mixing the blood with vinegar before it goes into the pot, and pouring it slowly into barely simmering liquid, stops it from curdling into clumps.
- Buy fresh blood from a trusted source, keep it cold and use it the same day. Cook the stew at a gentle simmer until it no longer smells raw.
Questions and answers
Where can I buy pork blood?
Fresh or frozen pork blood is sold at Filipino, Chinese and other Asian markets, and some butchers will order it if you ask. Strain it before using.
Why add vinegar to the blood?
Vinegar helps keep the blood from clotting into clumps and adds the sour note that balances the richness of the stew.
What do you serve with dinuguan?
Puto, small steamed rice cakes, are the classic partner. Plain steamed rice also works, and the mild sweetness of puto balances the sour sauce.
How long does it take to make Dinuguan (Filipino Pork Blood Stew with Vinegar and Chili)?
About 1 h 40 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 1 h 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Dinuguan (Filipino Pork Blood Stew with Vinegar and Chili)?
About 275 kcal per serving, with 28 g of protein, 5 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 275 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 650 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
