Barbequed Spareribs

INGREDIENTS:

4 pounds spareribs 1/2 cup catsup 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup pineapple juice or apple juice 3 tbsp. vinegar or lime juice 1 tsp. dry mustard (or 1 tbsp. prepared mustard) 1/2 tsp. ground pepper

DIRECTION:

1. The secret in making juicy spareribs is to precook them before barbequing. Cut ribs into 1-rib pieces, place in a large saucepan, add enough water to cover, do not add spices to the water, parboil ribs for 30 minutes
2. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients for marinade. Remove ribs from water and drain. Place on a roasting pan large enough for all ribs. Brush the ribs on both sides with the marinade. Place ribs on a rack to drain.
3. Set a well greased grill on medium heat, grill ribs about 5” about heat, for about 15 minutes on one side, basting with leftover marinade before turning them over to cook the other side. Grill 10 minutes more.
4. Spareribs may also be frilled in the middle rack of a 350ºF oven, basting every 15 minutes, for an hour. Or brush ribs with marinade, wrap in heavy duty foil, seal ends, road an hour in a 350ºF oven, uncover last 30 minutes.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Serves: 4 – 6

Barbequing Tips

Anisado with Fried Plantain

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds pork hocks or butt, cut up 1-1/4 cups water 2 bay leaves 1 star anise 1 pound green beans, sliced diagonally 2” long 1 tbsp. cornstarch in 1 tbsp. water 1 tbsp. oil 2 ripe plantain or saba bananas

Marinade: 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce 2 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. soy sauce 1 tsp. salt 1/4 pepper

DIRECTION:

1. In a saucepan, combine marinade ingredients (garlic, tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper), marinate pork hocks in mixture for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Transfer pork hocks to a roasting pan. Set marinade aside. Roast hocks until golden, about 1 hour, turning them over after 30 minutes to roast the other side.
3. Return roasted hocks to marinade in saucepan. Add 1-1/4 cups water to roasting pan and deglaze, scrapping bits from the bottom, add to marinade.
4. Lower heat to low, add bay leaves and anise, simmer for 30 minutes until pork hocks are tender. Add green beans last 15 minutes, then add cornstarch mixture. Stir until thick, about 5 minutes.
5. Peel very ripe plantain or saba, cut in half lengthwise, cute each half into three. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a nonstick fry pan, fry the pieces, in a single layer, until golden on each side, about 5 minutes.
6. Transfer pork hocks to serving dish and arrange fried plantain or saba bananas around the dish. Pour sauce over meat. Instead of plantain or saba bananas, fried slices of potatoes or sweet potatoes may be used.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Serves: 4 - 6

Baked Pork Adobo

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds pork shoulder or butt cut into 1-1/2 cubes 1/3 cup vinegar 1/4 soy sauce 5 garlic cloves, pounced 2 bay leaves

1/8 tsp. dried oregano 1/4 peppercorns, cracked 1 tbsp. sugar 1/4 cup water 1 tsp. salt

DIRECTION:

1. Combine all ingredients (except 1/4 cup water) and marinate overnight in a tightly sealed plastic bag or covered container in the refrigerator.
2. When ready to cook, arrange pork cubes in a 9”x13” baking pan, pour marinade over it and bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until pork is done. Transfer pork to a rack in a roasting pan. Broil for 2 minutes to brown meat. Transfer to serving plate. Add 1/4 cup water to roasting pan where pork was broiled.
3. Heat over medium heat, scraping bottom and sides of pan for browned bits.
4. Cook until liquid is reduced to half, and pour it over the pork in serving plate.

Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes plus marinating time
Serves: 4 – 6

Sweet and Sour Pork

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound pork butt 2 tbsp. cornstarch 1 tbsp. flour 1 egg, slightly beaten 1 tsp. salt 4 tbsp. milk

4 tbsp. canola oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, sliced 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1/4 cup pineapple juice

Garnishes:

1 cup pineapple chunks, drained 1/4 cup diced green bell peppers

1/4 cup diced carrots 1/4 cup diced red bell peppers

DIRECTION:

1. Cut pork into 1-inch cubes. Beat egg, add cornstarch, flour, salt and milk and stir to blend thoroughly. Set aside.
2. Heat nonstick skillet on medium high heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp. oil to skillet and heat for 30 seconds. Dip a few pork cubes in egg mixture and stir fry them in hot oil until browned all over and well cooked, about 5 minutes. Cook for only 5 to 8 pieces at a time. Transfer them to a plate when done and cook the rest of the pork pieces the same way. Set aside.
3. Sauté garlic in remaining oil until brown, add onions and caramelize for about 3 minutes. Add carrots, bell peppers, soy sauce, and water; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in pineapple chunks and set aside.
4. Prepare the sweet and sour sauce.
5. Arrange garnishes on top of pork cubes and pour sweet-sour sauce over all just before serving. 

Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Pork Afritada (Braised Pork in Tomato Sauce)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound pork cut into serving pieces 1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 tbsp. canola oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, sliced thin 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1/2 cup water

1 tbsp. soy sauce 1 small red or green bell pepper, cut into strips 2 medium potatoes pared and cut into 6 pieces each 2 tbsp. fine bread crumbs or flour or cornstarch

DIRECTION:

1. Season pork pieces with salt and pepper. Let it stand for 10 – 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in skillet, and fry pork slices until light brown for about 5 minutes. Pour off excess oil.
3. Add garlic, onions, tomato sauce, water and soy sauce. Cover and let is simmer for 30 minutes or until pork is tender.
4. Add potatoes and sweet pepper. Cook another 20 minutes or until potatoes are done. Taste and correct the seasoning.
5. Thicken sauce with bread crumbs or flour or with cornstarch.

Preparation and cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4

Binagoongang Baboy (Pork with Shrimp Paste)

INGREDIENTS:

1-12/ pounds pork shoulders or butt cut into 2” cubes 2 tbsp. canola oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, sliced

1/2 cup tomato, chopped coarse 1 tsp. ginger, grated 1/2 cup water 4 tbsp. bagoong 1/2 tsp. sugar

DIRECTION:

1. Sauté garlic, onions, tomatoes and ginger in hot oil.
2. Add pork and sauté until pork is no longer pink, or for about 5 minutes.
3. Add water, cover and cook for about 30 minutes or until pork is tender. Uncover and continue cooking until almost dry.
4. Add bagoong and sugar and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally over low heat. Add one red chili pepper, seeded and sliced if you want it hot.

Note: According to the Philippine Heart Center, a tbsp. of bagoong has about 1000 mg of sodium although some brands may have as much as 5000 mg because sodium content of bagoong is not standardized in the Philippines. Some highly salted bagoong may not even taste salty but sweet. Most binagoongan recipes call for a cup of bagoong. This recipes uses only 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp. Rinsing bagoong in a fine strainer, before cooking, also makes it less salty. If available, it is healthier to use homemade bagoong made from fresh alamang that is lightly salted and fermented.

Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4

Menudo (Sautéed Pork and Liver)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp. cooking oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium onion, diced 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 pound pork, diced 1 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1 tbsp. patis 1tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup canned chick peas, skinned 1 tbsp. paprika 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1 tsp. ginger, chopped 1 cup water 2 potatoes, pared and diced 1 tbsp. sugar 1/4 pound beef or pork liver,  diced 1 tbsp. lemon juice

DIRECTION:

1. In hot oil, sauté garlic, onions, and tomatoes.
2. Add pork, and sauté for 5 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in color.
3. Season with salt, patis, and pepper.
4. Add all other ingredients except liver and lemon juice. Simmer and cover for 30 minutes or until pork and potatoes are tender.
5. Add liver and lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes more. Correct the seasoning with patis.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Serves: 4 – 6

Adobong Baboy (Pork in Vinegar and Soy Sauce)

In Filipino cuisine, adobo refers to a common cooking process indigenous to the Philippines. Adobo has been called the quintessential Philippine stew, served with rice both at daily meals and at feasts.


INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds pork shoulder cut into 1-1/2' cubes 1/3 cup vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 5 garlic cloves, pounced 1/8 tsp. dried oregano

2 bay leaves 1/4 tsp. peppercorns, cracked 1 tbsp. sugar 1/4 cup water 1 tsp. salt

DIRECTION:

1. Combine all ingredients, in all non-corrosive pot, let stand at least 30 minutes. Put on medium heat, bring to a boil without stirring, lower heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Stir, continue cooking for another 30 minutes uncovered, until sauce is slightly reduced and thickened.
2. In the traditional adobo, the meat is removed from the sauce and fried in skillet to brown on all sides. Although it improves the taste and appearance a little, this is optional. The dish is tasty enough even without browning. An easier way to brown the meat is to transfer it to a shallow dish and broil in the over for 2 minutes or until slightly toasted on top. Add sauce to meat.
3. The traditional adobo uses pork with a little fat and some pork skin which makes the sauce thicker but high is saturated fat.