Pork menudo
Posted on 05-10-03 · Mighty meaty Tags: Asian, Filipino, pork
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Spanish in origin, menudo is similar to cocido, except that no chorizo de bilbao, (spanish sausage) is added. Menudo is a rich dish with sauce thickened and flavored by finely chopped onions, tomatoes and bell peppers. The acidity of the tomatoes and tomato paste is tempered by the sweetness of raisins.
Unlike pork meat, pork liver becomes tougher with longer cooking. It is always advisable to add the liver towards the end of the cooking time. When liver is cut in small pieces, as with pork menudo, they are fully cooked within minutes. To test for doneness, take a piece of liver from the casserole after about 3 minutes of cooking. Pierce the liver through the center with a fork. If blood runs out, cook for another 30 seconds.
The potato cubes can be pre-cooked by frying, boiling or steaming. However, pre-cooking them is not absolutely necessary. You can add them to the casserole about 15 minutes before cooking time is up. But you have to watch your dish carefully after adding them. Be sure that there is enough liquid to cook the potatoes. Bear in mind too that too much liquid will result in a soupy menudo. You will need to add more salt if you cook the potatoes this way as they will absorb much of the salt. The advantage is that they will also absorb flavor.
Menudo can also be cooked using boneless chicken thighs.
Ingredients :
3/4 k. of pork belly or loin
1/4 k. of pork liver
1 tbsp. pf minced garlic
2 onions
4 tomatoes
2 bell peppers
3 potatoes*
1 carrot*
3 tbsp. of raisins
1/2 c. of sweet peas
1/2 c. garbanzos (chick peas), optional
1/4 c. of tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. of olive oil
1/4 c. of vegetable oil (if you’re going to fry the potatoes; see notes below)
meat broth or water
salt and pepper to taste
How to :
Cut pork meat, liver, carrot and potatoes into 1″ x 1″ cubes. Finely chop onions and tomatoes and 1 bell pepper. Dice remaining bell pepper.
*** There are three ways to prepare the potatoes and carrots for your menudo:
1) Fry them:
Heat a skillet. Pour in vegetable oil and and heat to smoking point. Fry the potato and carrot cubes, in batches, until the edges are lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2) Boil them:
Boil the carrot potato cubes in a little water for about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3) Steam them:
Place the carrot and potato cubes in a steamer rack or wire basket. Cook over steaming water for about 20 minutes. ***
In a heavy saucepan or casserole, heat the olive oil. Over medium-high heat, brown pork pieces until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and chopped onions, tomatoes, bell pepper. Cook until vegetables start rendering water (liquefy). Add the raisins, tomato paste, bay leaf and 1 c. of water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for an hour or until pork is tender. Check the amount of liquid once in a while. Add more broth or water, if necessary, about half a cup at a time.
When the pork is tender, increase the heat to medium-low and add the liver cubes. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add cooked potato and carrot cubes, sweet peas and diced bell pepper. Adjust the seasonings. Stir to distribute ingredients. Lower heat, cover and simmer for another minute.
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Hi Connie,
Happy new year!
I’ll be hosting dinner again this weekend and was wondering what would go with menudo. Are you able to suggest a chicken dish and a vegetable entree?
Your recipes are truly very tasty.
Thanks!
Omar
can i use chicken livers? can i boil the carrots and potatoes with the pork towards the end instead of boiling them separately? thanks connie. i think i did good with the bistek and beef with broccoli.
chicken livers are much much better, felixberto. instead of boiling the carrots and potatoes, try pan-frying them. they acquire better texture that way.
bakit wala po yung recipe tyaka procedure
nasa page 2.
What is the yield of this recipe? How many servings?
Unless otherwise stated, recipes are for 4 persons.
For a person who is working alone or as OFW this particular information is very helpful to all of us. And since i left my country without any knowledge in cooking your information is very very important to me.
God Bless and have a Healhty Life now and Forever
Very Truly Yours;
Robert Llantero Loquillano
Microbiology Specialist
I’ve done the recipe twice already and it was phenomenal. Though I skipped the pork liver the second time around. I preferred without it after having the first attempt. But the recipe is definitely delicious. My hubby who’s “Puti” did really liked it too.
Thanks for the recipe!