Pork Binagoongan

This delicious pork binagoongan will surely tickle your palate. The aroma and taste of shrimp paste mixed with the tomatoes and other spices makes this dish bursting with flavors and makes you grab for more rice.

What is Pork Binagoongan

Pork binagoongan is a delicious and popular pork recipe that is usually made with pork belly. It is mixed with shrimp paste locally known as bagoong or alamang.

Pork Binagoongan Ingredients

pork belly – I am using pork belly for this binagoongan because it has a nice layer of lean meat and fats. You may use other cuts such as pork shoulder.

shrimp paste – For this dish I am using store bought shrimp paste. You can opt to use fresh alamang sold in the wet markets or supermarkets.

Thai chili pepper – this adds aroma and flavor to the binagoongan.

tomato – this gives delicious flavor to this dish.

onion – for aroma and flavor

garlic – for that garlicky flavor.

black pepper – to taste

cooking oil – use to cook and stir the spices (optional). You may use the oil from the fats rendered from the meat if it has some fats like pork belly.

sugar – to balance the saltiness of the shrimp paste

vinegar – adds flavor and taste to this dish

Vegetables you can Add

If you love vegetables you may add some to it. Some of which are the following:

1.Eggplant (talong) . The mild and neutral taste of the eggplant perfectly compliments with this binagoongan. You can fry the eggplant first and set it aside. Then just add it later when you are almost done cooking.

However, you may add the freshly sliced eggplant when you simmer the binagoongan or around 3 minutes before it is done.

2.Long Beans/ Green Beans (Sitaw). Another yummy vegetable to add to this dish is sitaw or green beans. It absorbs the flavors of the shrimp paste and works well with this dish.

3. Okra. Another option for you to use is the okra. Add it 3 minutes before the binagoongan is fully cooked and ready to serve, just like the eggplant,

Instructions

There are various ways pork binagoongan is cooked. However, this style is a simple way of cooking this dish. Another advantage for this is that it is a one pot cooking which minimizes the dishes that need washing.

So here is how to cook pork binagoongan.

1. Place the pork in a pan and sear the pork until golden brown and oil is rendered.

Since I am using pork belly, I just let the fats of it render the oil. Then I used it to sauté the onion, garlic and tomatoes. You can do the same just as I did if you are using pork with some fats like pork belly. But if you are using mostly lean meat, you need the cooking oil to sear it.

2. Move the pork on the other side of the pan. Cook and stir the onions, garlic and tomatoes until translucent and aromatic.

To give space for the spices, move the seared pork on the other side and cook the spices. You can just mixed everything once the spices are already cooked.

3. Add black pepper and shrimp paste (alamang/bagoong) and mix well.

It is now time to add the shrimp paste. Taste first how salty the pork shrimp you have so that you can determine how much to add to your cooking. You don’t want your dish too salty.

Remember that there are many kinds of shrimp pastes being sold in stores. There are spicy and sweet flavored. If you are buying shrimp from the market, those are usually salted. You may washed them with running water before adding to your binagoongan.

If you are using the sweet flavored shrimp paste, then adjust the sugar that you will add to this dish.

So adjust accordingly based on the shrimp paste you have.

4. Put in 2 cups of water and simmer for 5 minutes.

Put water to the binagoongan and simmer it so that the meat will be fully cooked and the goodness of shrimp paste absorbed.

5. Add sugar and vinegar. Simmer until desired thickness of sauce is achieved.

We are adding sugar to balance the flavors of the shrimp paste. However, if you are using the sweet flavored one, you may not need this anymore. The vinegar also adds flavor and aroma to this dish.

6. Transfer to a serving dish and serve. It is best served with rice.

Filipinos often pair this dish with rice as this is a savory dish.

Is this dish meal-prep friendly?

Absolutely. You can put it in sealed food container and just reheat it when it is time to eat again. It can last up to 3 days when placed inside the fridge, a week if placed in the freezer.

Other Pork Dishes You May Try

Crispy Pata

Pork Steak

Air Fryer BBQ Pork Chops

Pork humba

Lechon Paksiw