Sisig (Sizzling Chopped Pork with Onion and Chili)
In short: Boiled and crisped pork belly chopped and sizzled with red onion, chili, garlic and calamansi, the Filipino bar snack best eaten with rice or beer. It takes about 1 h 35 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 35 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 530 kcal
Sisig is a specialty of Pampanga, north of Manila, and now a favorite across the Philippines. The most common home version uses pork belly that is boiled, grilled until crisp, chopped fine and tossed on a very hot pan with red onion, chili and calamansi. It arrives sizzling, often topped with an egg, and is eaten with rice or as a snack with cold beer.
Instructions
- Put the pork belly in a pot with the bay leaves, peppercorns, salt and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 to 50 minutes, until a knife slides in easily. Drain and pat completely dry.
- Heat a broiler or grill to high. Cook the pork for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until the skin is blistered and crisp and the fat is browned. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Chop the pork, skin and all, into pieces about 5 mm (1/4 in) across.
- Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until it smokes. Add half the onions, the garlic and the chilies and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped pork and spread it out. Leave it for 1 minute to sear, then toss. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until sizzling and crisp at the edges.
- Stir in the soy sauce, calamansi juice, pepper and the remaining onions. Toss for 1 minute, keeping the fresh onions crunchy. Stir in the mayonnaise if you like.
- Serve sizzling, topped with fried eggs, with calamansi halves and steamed rice.
Tips
- Dry pork is what makes sisig crisp. Pat it dry after boiling and, if you have time, chill it uncovered for an hour before grilling.
- Pork jowl and ears are the traditional meats. Chicken liver, about 100 g chopped and cooked with the pork, is a common addition. If you have no calamansi, mix 2 parts lime juice with 1 part orange juice.
Questions and answers
What cut of pork is best for sisig?
Pork belly is easy to find and gives a good mix of fat, meat and crisp skin. Pork jowl is the traditional choice if your butcher has it.
Can I make sisig ahead of time?
Boil, grill and chop the pork a day ahead and keep it in the fridge. Sizzle it in a very hot pan just before serving.
Is sisig spicy?
It has a medium heat. Use fewer chilies for a milder version, and serve extra chopped chili on the side for those who want more.
How long does it take to make Sisig (Sizzling Chopped Pork with Onion and Chili)?
About 1 h 35 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Sisig (Sizzling Chopped Pork with Onion and Chili)?
About 530 kcal per serving, with 22 g of protein, 8 g of carbohydrates and 46 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 530 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Fat | 46 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
