I have lots of memories when it comes to Dinuguan or Pork Blood Stew. Growing up as a child, just seeing the sight of white rice covered in that thick dark brown sauce is confusing.
At first, you are going to think that it is chocolate sauce covering the rice, which is definitely weird, but also kinda interesting for a child.
And then you find out from your parents that it’s pig blood, and you’re like whaaaat? But thankfully, you’re just glad you had the chance of tasting it because now, you can’t stop eating it!
So why not learn this recipe altogether, so you can make it at home anytime you want?
What is Dinuguan?
Dinuguan is basically the Filipino dish version of blood stew or blood soup, and is quite famous. For those of you who don’t know, the term dinuguan comes from the root word dugo, which literally means blood. This dish is named this way because—well—it is a stew made with the blood of a pig.
Using pig blood and chicken blood might seem off but it is very popular in many places all around the world.
The pork is cooked and sautéed with the onion, garlic, ginger, and is then combined with the pork blood. Sometimes, unusual pork parts such as the small and large intestines along with other internal parts of the pig or even other meat types are added.
The traditional cooking of this dish uses a mixture of pork belly, pork cheeks, lungs and intestines.
In this recipe, we are only using pork belly, as an entry-level type of dish for those who want to try this for the first time, but you can always add other pork parts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Pork Blood
Pork blood is a common discarded ingredient when you are making whole lechon, but you’ll also find this in the wet market.
Pork Meat
Traditionally, pork innards like heart, lungs, and intestines are used as meat in this dish. But since we’re making it special in this recipe, you can use pork belly or pork cheeks.
Vinegar
We will be using vinegar in this recipe but you’ll also find other recipes that use other acids like tamarind, kamias, and tomatoes.
Aside from these, you will also use regular pantry ingredients like onion, garlic, ginger, chili, fish sauce, sugar salt, black pepper, and cooking oil . If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Cooking Pan (Kawali)- We will do a simple stewing to cook this dish and you will be needing a regular kawali or cooking pan to do this. You can also use any shallow skillet or casserole for this.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Cook Dinuguan
Making the dinuguan is just like how you make other types of stew, if you’re familiar with other Filipino stews such as chicken afritada or pork menudo, you can also easily cook this one at home. This only involves tossing the ingredients in one cooking pot as we cook, and make all the flavors blend in.
As with many types of other Filipino dishes, it always starts with the garlic, onions, and ginger. Start by sauteing these.
Once you get that down, you are going to add in the pork belly, along with the other usual taste-enhancing stuff such as vinegar and fish sauce. Pour in the pork broth or water and bring that to a boil.
Add the rest of the recommended ingredients and once the pork becomes tender, at that point, it’s just a matter of waiting for the bloody but delicious sauce to be thick.
Cooking Tips
- Make sure to not skip on the vinegar, because it is an important ingredient when it comes to cooking the pig blood.
- The acidity of the vinegar serves a purpose aside from giving a nice sourness to the dish, it prevents the pig blood from forming into lumps as you are cooking it.
- At least a tablespoon of the vinegar is good enough, and if you don’t want the vinegar to have a strong taste, just leave it in the pot to boil for a bit.
How to Serve Dinuguan
Now that you’re very much familiar with this dish, you may be wondering how it is eaten in the Philippines and what goes well with it.
Dinuguan is commonly served as a main course paired with white steamed rice. It is often served with other pork dishes like lechon during special occasions. Pairing it with rice cake or puto for snack is another popular practice.
How to Store and Reheat Dinuguan
Pork dinuguan is at its best when it’s freshly cooked. However, if you do have any leftovers, it’s recommended that you store them in a clean food container and cover it properly. When refrigerated, your food can last for up to 3 days.
There are two ways to reheat your food: you can use a microwave oven or heat in a cooking pan over low to medium heat.
Other Pork Recipes
- Pork Adobo (Adobong Baboy) Recipe
- Traditional Pork Humba Recipe
- Pork Hamonado (Hamonadong Baboy) Recipe
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Easy Dinuguan Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup pork blood
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) pork belly, or pork cheeks
- 1 pc medium-sized onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 pcs chili peppers
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ cup vinegar
- 1 cup pork broth, or water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp cooking oil, for sauteing
Instructions
- In a cooking pan, pour in and heat oil over medium heat.
- Add in the garlic, onions, and ginger. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant and translucent.
- Add in the pork belly, and fish sauce. Cook until lightly browned.
- Pour in the pork broth, and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until pork is tender.
- Add in the pork blood. Cook while stirring continuously for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add in the sugar, and then add in the chili peppers. Simmer for another 10 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving plate or serving tray. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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