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Table of Contents
What is Pork Sisig
Pork sisig is a humble delicacy from Pampanga, Philippines and now a national and international sensation.
Leaving nothing to waste, this traditional dish uses pork cheeks, head and liver to create a sizzling dish called sisig.
Sizzling sisig, also called spicy sisig, or just sisig, is the most famous Kapampangan dish in the Philippines.
Pork sisig is made from boiled and grilled chopped pig’s face, cheeks and ears, plus chicken liver. Then it is seasoned with soy sauce, calamansi, and chopped chili peppers.
There are many versions of sisig, but pork sisig is the most famous.
Pork sisig is usually served as an appetizer or can be eaten as a meal.
It is a popular drinking food or pulutan, and many claim that it tastes excellent with a cold beer.
This beloved food has earned its reputation as the unofficial national dish for Filipino beer drinkers.
The late Anthony Bourdain praised sisig and described it as the Filipino dish that “will win the hearts and minds of the world.”
RELATED: Filipino Food Guide – 15 Authentic Filipino Dishes You Want To Have
What Pork Sisig is Made Of?
Sisig has a combination of savory and fatty flavors coming from different cuts of a pig’s head.
Traditionally, it includes the cheeks, jowls, and snout, with the addition of chopped chicken liver and onions.
It’s sweet and sour flavors from chili peppers and calamansi, a citrus fruit that resembles a lime.
In recent years, the term sisig has been used to describe dishes served on a sizzling plate. And, there are many iterations of the recipe.
For instance, in Manila, sisig is served with an egg, which it would never be in Pampanga. While others have created variations like chicken sisig, tuna or even squid sisig.
However, the original version by Lucia Cunanan, the “Sisig Queen” remains the most popular.
For this pork sisig recipe, we use pork belly and chicken liver which are more easily available. The flavors are similar, just not as fatty.
What is Pork Sisig in English?
The name sisig comes from “sisigan,” an old Tagalog word that means “to make it sour.”
It was first recorded in a Spanish-Kapampangan dictionary dating back to the early 1700s.
At the time it referred to a salad of green papaya or green guava eaten with a dressing of salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar.
The sourness suppressed the urge to vomit making it a cure for nausea and hangovers.
Why Is It Called Sisig – History of Pork Sisig
The earliest documentation of the word “sisig” dates back to the early 1700s. The records at the time define sisig as anything fermented in vinegar.
The term was generally used to describe a pregnant woman’s hunger cravings for sour food. And over the years it became a favorite drinking food or pulatan amongst the men.
Luciana Cunanan, of Angeles City, Pampanga, in the mid-1970s, is credited to have invented the modern sisig.
Prior to that, US Air troops stationed at Clark Base in Angeles City, played a role in the creation of the dish.
Discarded pig heads and innards not used in preparing meals for American troops were sold cheaply to nearby restaurants.
These discarded pieces were incorporated into sour salads which were served with beers.
Luciana Cunanan adopted this dish and transformed it into a culinary sensation.
At her restaurant Aling Lucing, she added more parts of the pigs head, chicken liver, onions and grilled it for extra crunch.
Served on a sizzling plate, the dish took off and became famous throughout. Locals from Manila would travel all the way to Angeles City, just to bite into the delicious concoction.
This creation by Lucia Cunanan earned Angeles City the title “Sisig Capital of the Philippines.” And, there is even a festival dedicated to the Sisig in Angeles City, Pampanga.
Discovering Pork Sisig in The Philippines
We couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to experience pork sisig for the first time.
In collaboration with the Philippines Tourism Board, we took a Gastronomic Heritage Tour to the Culinary Capital of Pampanga.
And, on that trip we had the opportunity to meet Claude Tayag, renowned Filipino chef at his restaurant, Bale Dutung.
Chef Tayag specializes in traditional Kapampangan cuisine. His restaurant reached celebrity status when Anthony Bourdain featured it on, No Reservations in 2008.
The culinary highlight on that trip was lechon, or whole roasted pig cooked 6-ways. And, pork sisig was the star.
Prepared in the traditional Kampanga style, the sizzling sisig was made up of chopped pig’s ear, snout, cheeks, and face, grilled and mixed together with chicken liver.
Prepared as an appetizer, it was served on a sizzling hot platter. And, garnished with chopped onions, chili peppers, and slices of calamansi, a Filipino citrus fruit..
While flavorful and very well prepared, it took us some time to appreciate this Kapampangan delicacy. and textures. The ingredients, especially the pig ears, took some getting used to.
Later, while visiting other regions in the Philippines, we had other opportunities to try sizzling sisig again.
The versions of pork sisig we enjoyed the most were those cooked with pork belly and topped with an egg.
This recipe for pork sisig uses pork belly and maintains the balance of sour, salty and savory flavors that are integral to sisig.
RELATED: The Best of Pampanga Cuisine in the Footsteps of Anthony Bourdain
What does Pork Sisig Taste Like?
The flavors are what make pork sisig so special. The calamansi, a small citrus fruit that looks like a lime, adds exquisite flavors.
The texture with the traditional pig ears and parts does take some getting used to. This really depends on one’s familiarity with non-traditional cuts of pork and one’s sense of adventure.
The taste of pork sisig is an interesting mix of sour and sweet flavors from calamansi combined with savory and fat from grilled pork.
Anthony Bourdain described sisg as “casual, accessible, [and] exactly what you need after a few beers.”
In his opinion, “sisig is perfectly positioned to win the hearts and minds of the world as a whole.”
Sisig is one of the most popularly exported dishes from the Philippines. Local and foreign chefs are championing Filipino cuisine on the global dining scene.
For example, Maharlika, a modern Filipino restaurant in New York City, received the “Best New Food” award from Time Out New York. Sizzling sisig, their speciality is what draws the people in.
Pork Sisig Recipe – How To Make Pork Sisig at Home
This recipe for pork sisig makes a great appetizer or accompaniment to rice. Using chopped up pork belly grilled to perfection and combined with chilis and citrusy calamansi, bring the tastes of the Philippines home.
- Pork belly
- Vegetable oil
- Pineapple juice
- Water
- Unsalted butter
- Chicken liver (fresh) or store bought liver pate
- Red onion
- Red or green chilies
- Calamansi juice, can substitute with lemon or lime juice
- Soy sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
Pork Sisig Recipe Tips
Which Pork Cuts To Use
Instead of making this pork sisig recipe using the traditional ingredients of pig ears, snout and cheeks, we use pork belly.
Pork belly, meat from the abdomen of the pig is succulent and richly flavorful. It is perfect for sisig for it’s fatty, yet meaty textures.
Finding pork belly is also available at most butchers and meat stores. It is also easy to prepare and does not sacrifice the flavors of authentic pork sisig experience.
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: Get all-natural pork belly raised without hormones delivered to your home. Snake River Farm offers 100% Kurobuta pork from Berkshire, a heritage breed of pigs. For your pork sisig recipe, enjoy juicy and flavorful Kurobuta pork raised by small family farmers.
How To Make Crispy Pork Sisig
To give pork sisig its delicious crunchy textures, you can either grill or pan fry the pork.
In this pork sisig recipe, we first boil the pork belly until tender and let it dry.
We then pan-fry the pork belly in a cast-iron skillet until it turns brown and crispy. Once we add the cooked chicken liver and seasonings we cook everything together in butter for even more crispy textures.
Pork Sisig Sauce and Condiments
The delicate balance between the sweet and sour flavors is what gives pork sisig it’s unique taste.
The Calamansi fruit, also known as kalamansi or calamondin, is a small citrus fruit used liberally in Filipino food.
The small, round, green and tart-tasting fruit does pack a punch of flavor.
The fruit juice cuts through rich flavors and makes fatty dishes like sisig feel lighter and bright.
Calamansi juice is available on Amazon and can be shipped directly to your home. Alternatively, you can substitute using fresh lemon or lime juice.
What To Serve With Pork Sisig
Typically in the Philippines, pork sisig is eaten as an appetizer accompanied by cold beer. We enjoyed a version with an egg cracked over the sizzling hot plate.
You can enjoy pork sisig like the Filipinos with a simple rice dish and vegetables.
If you are feeling creative, you can also stuff the pork sisig into tacos for a twist on this Filipino food.
Can Pork Sisig Be Stored and Reheated?
Pork sisig leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days if it’s well conserved in an airtight container.
To re-heat this recipe, simply place the container in a microwave or reheat in a pan over medium heat.
You can also freeze this dish to extend its shelf life. Just place it in freezer bags or an airtight container and freeze. Thaw before reheating.
Cook The Chicken Liver
Over medium heat, saute the chicken liver until brown, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken liver over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The chicken liver should be brown and pink in the middle.
Cook Sizzling Pork Sisig
Chop up the cooked pork belly and chicken liver and place in a bowl. Mix together with chopped onions, lemon juice, soy sauce and chilies.
Place everything in a skillet and cook with butter. Transfer to a plate or sizzling platter.
Pork Sisig Recipe
This easy pork sisig recipe is for one of the most popular Filipino foods. A combination of crunchy pork belly, citrusy calamansi juice, soy sauce and chilies will transport your taste buds to the Philippines. In about 30 minutes, enjoy this mouthwatering specialty bursting with flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 pound or 450 grams pork belly
- 2 tbsp or 30ml vegetable oil like Canola
- 16.9oz or 500 ml pinealpple juice
- 16.9oz or 500 ml water
- 1 tbsp or 15g of butter (unsalted)
- 4 pcs chicken liver
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp or 1 red or green chilies, minced
- 2 tbsp or 30ml of calamansi juice or ½ lemon or lime juice
- ½ tbsp or 8ml of soy sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine water with the pineapple juice and pour into a pot. Boil the pork belly in the liquid, until tender (about 30 min) Set aside and let it dry.
- Grill or pan fry the pork belly until the skin turns crispy and golden brown. Chop into small pieces and set aside.
- Heat oil in a skillet and pan fry the chicken liver until cooked through. Chop the liver into small pieces.
- In a bowl combine the chopped meat, the onions, lemon juice, soy sauce and chilies. Warm it in a pan with the butter.
- Transfer it to a plate or a sizzling plate!
Notes
- If fresh chicken liver is unavailable, use store bought Liver paste, also known as liver pate.
- If you cannot get calamansi, you can substitute with lemon or lime. However, there will be a flavor difference.
- For more velvety flavors you can also add an egg but by cracking one open when the mixture is still sizzling hot.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 583Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 350mgSodium: 444mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 38g
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information is generated by an online API and makes calculations based on serving sizes. These figures are only estimates and results may vary.
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Claire is a culinary explorer who travels the world in search of the best local foods. She is always looking for her next culinary adventure to bring you the best bites while exploring new places.
Ooo this looks so good!!! I would love to make this. I have have never tried chicken liver before!!!
You would love it, Bella. Chicken liver is quite tasty and good for you. Give it a go 🙂 Cheers
Great to hear, Bella. Chicken liver is so good for you. Hope you try this recipe soon. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Wow this sounds so good! I’ve never tried anything similar, so I’ll have to give it a go
For sure, Mimi, highly recommend trying this tasty and traditional Filipino food. Cheers.
Great to hear, Mimi. When you do make pork sisig, please don’t forget to tag #authenticfoodquest so we can see how it turns out. Cheers 🙂
This is a new recipe to me. However, I love trying new recipes, and need to give this one a try. It looks and sounds so good.
Thanks, Michele. This is a Filipino favorite and great dish to try. Do let us know how it turns out. Cheers.
I’ve been looking for new recipes to try and this one fits the bill. I have a Filipino friend and sure he’ll love this!
Wonderful to hear, Matt. Do let us know how it turns out. Cheers.
I love that you shared the history of this dish! I’d never heard of it, so knowing how it came to be was a cool piece of information I didn’t expect. 🙂 And combining the dish with a cold beer sounds great for a summer meal!
So glad you enjoyed learning about pork sisig, Alex. And, yes it marries perfectly with beer on a hot day. Thanks for stopping by!!
I skipped the chicken liver – but made the rest and it was delicious – i served it with basmati rice – so delicious!!!!
Great to hear, Heather. Absolutely, the beauty of this recipe is that you can use your prefered cuts of meat. Sounds delish with basmati rice. So, glad you made it. Cheers.
I’ve never heard of pork sisig before but this seems like such a fantastic combination of flavors and textures. Filipino food is something I don’t have much experience with, but I’ll definitely be trying this recipe!
Wonderful to hear, Nathan. Indeed, Filipino food is a wonderful array of textures and flavors. Can’t wait for you to make pork sisig. And, please do let us know how it turns out. Thanks for stopping by.
This sounds like a delicious meal! I really like anything that goes well with a cold beer for sure.
This sounds like a great dish with a great history! I will definitely have to try it!
I’ve got to say I have never had any dish made from pig’s face. I would love to be adventurous and try this out!
Great to hear, Monica. You can also enjoy the less adventurous version with pork belly instead 🙂 Hope you make pork sisig at home soon 🙂 Cheers.