Pork Pochero

Pork Pochero
Pochero is a Spanish influenced Pinoy dish, It is a tomato sauce base dish which is typical with the other Pinoy dish with Spanish sounding name like the menudo, kaldereta, mechado ect. Pochero is a stewed beef, pork or chicken in tomato sauce with chorizo and the must have ingredient saba, plantain banana and of course vegetables like cabbage, green beans and pechay. In addition garbanzos or cheek peas is also added. Our pochero has evolved to countless versions. In some parts of the country particularly in the South their pochero do not use tomato sauce or paste, some pochero versions also are similar to the usual nilaga (click here and here) or bulalo.

I have here a simple very Pinoy version of pochero which has been adapted to the present Pinoy palate. This version uses baked beans as substitute for garbanzos. Remember the canned pork and beans that was very popular. If it’s available at your location then I would recommend to used them otherwise the regular canned baked beans in tomato sauce is fine. Saba is another ingredient that is not readily available if you are outside the country. Frozen saba should be available at any Pinoy store if there is one at your neighborhood. Otherwise as an alternative use the banana used in Indian cooking this is similar to our saba, with starchy texture. You can visit your neighborhood Indian vegetable store and ask for this banana, they are normally made into banana chips. I have chosen pork instead of the usual beef, I though it would be the best combination with the baked beans. I have to make the pork really tender, like melt in your mouth. But be careful not to overcook the meat, you want it soft but firm with out disintegration. With pork and beans you would not go wrong, enjoy...

Pork Pochero - Frozen Saba


Ingredients:

1 kilo pork liempo, belly
1/2 head garlic, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
4 pcs. saba, plantain banana, sliced diagonally
2 small size potato, quartered
1 small bundle, green beans, trimmed
1/2 small cabbage, quartered
1 bundle pechay, trimmed
1/4 cup patis, fish sauce
1 big can baked beans
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp. peppercorns
salt
cooking oil

Cooking procedure:

Cut pork belly into serving pieces, wash thoroughly. In a sauce pan suttee garlic and onion, add in pork and stir cook until color changes and start to sizzle. Add in fish sauce and tomato sauce, stir cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add in 2 to 3 cups of water and peppercorns, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until pork is tender, add more water as necessary. Add potato and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes or until potato are tender. Add in banana and the other vegetables, cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are cooked. Season with salt to taste if required. Add in baked beans and cook for another minute. Serve hot.



Comments

  1. hello...
    i believe that you're in abu dhabi now? just want to know where in abu dhabi did you buy the frozen saba? i've been looking for it al over here in carrefour al ain. found it once but only bought a few then when i returned it was all gone. i would like to know what's the store name you bought that saba. we might be able to visit our friends there this april and i wish to buy saba.
    tnx so much.
    ingat... :p

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi iNG, Al Maya Supermarket I believe there's one in Al Ain. But they sell fast, hindi na inaabot talaga ng matagal. Good luck sana matiyempuhan mo.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This I really like. Ilonggo also cooks Pochero but we dont use tomato sauce. I will be trying your recipe next time...thank's

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Cecila MQ, I have to try also other versions of pochero including the Ilongo version.

    ReplyDelete
  5. very good,salamat po

    ReplyDelete
  6. more post po ng recipe nyo..i love it..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Years ago my mama substituted canned pork and beans for the more traditional garbanzos since I didn't like them as a child. Up to now, I thought we were the only family who made pochero this way. Also, the tomato sauce in the pork and beans eliminated the need for additional tomato sauce. We always served this with eggplant sauce. I have never heard of using pork in pochero but I might try it now. My daughter just declared she is not eating beef. We'll see how long this lasts.

    Salamat!

    Susan in California

    ReplyDelete
  8. this is what i grew up with -thank you very much for proving my point. besides i don't care so much for pochero with garbanzos or chick peas. i think its too spanish or morrocan.

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  9. Now this is what i grew up with. thank you very much for proving my point.I don't care so much for puchero with garbanzos or chick peas. seems a bit too spanish or morrocan for my taste.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi benjamine manansala,
    Thank you for valued comment and support.

    ReplyDelete

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