Pork Binagoongan

I want to think that we are always trying to be healthy eaters and cutting down on our meats and pork, but this recipe comes to mind along with a lot of Filipino recipes that cannot be avoided like Sinigang, Lechon, Crispy Pata among countless others. Yes, most pinoy recipes are unhealthy but they taste so good that it is a challenge to avoid them at parties, get togethers, and fiestas. And we Filipinos just LOVE to eat. We celebrate, socialize, have meetings almost 99% of time over food so let’s make the best out of it– choose which foods you will have your cheat days for!

This pork recipe uses the much loved liempo (pork belly) so choose the part that has a good meat to fat ratio. This is very fatty and will render a lot of oil but that is where all the juicy flavor comes from. Next will be what type of bagoong to use– alamang or balayan. We used the thick pasty shrimp kind which is alamang and widely available at supermarkets or wet markets. Our bagoong is homemade- clean, tasty, fresh and I haven’t really found a commercial alternative which is as good. The flavor of this dish will depend greatly on the quality of bagoong to be used, so find a really good homemade supplier in your local wet markets. The green mango vendors usually sell their own homemade bagoong.