In almost every Philippine town fiestas or gatherings, Pork Menudo can be seen in the dining table. This is one of the favorite “putahe” (dish) served and this was the reason why different variations of this dish existed. Many Pork Menudo recipes include hotdogs (pinoy red hotdogs), green peas, or garbanzos and others would add sun dried raisins too. I think that it is a regional thing because almost different provinces have their own version. I must admit that all variation tastes as good as everyone else but I prefer the version that I grew up eating, “Ang lutong bahay ni nanay” (my mom’s cooking).
This pork menudo recipe requires the meat to be marinated in soy sauce and lemon first before cooking. Combine the pork, soy sauce and lemon in a bowl. Mix well and let it stay for at least 1 hour. It will be better to store the bowl inside the refrigerator while you marinate to avoid contamination. Make sure to cover the bowl before doing this.
Take the pork out of the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Start to saute the garlic and onion. You will notice that this method is common in Filipino cuisine. Most Filipino foods are cooked starting with sauteing garlic and onion.
Once the onions are soft, add the marinated pork and cook until it browns. Add tomato sauce (you can also use crushed tomatoes), water (or beef broth), and bay leaves. We are using dried bay leaves for this recipe. Cover and simmer until the meat gets tender — which is usually 40 to 60 minutes depending on the quality of the meat. Once the meat is done, it is time to add the sliced liver. You can add the liver fresh or you can saute it first in ginger and garlic to make it less gamey. Add the veggies after this step and continue to cook for a few more minutes.
There are some people asking if they can use Filipino spaghetti sauce as an alternative for tomato sauce. I do ! Actually this is the secret of my menudo...the spaghetti sauce !
Try this menudo specially for family dinners. Kids will surely love it too.
