Cooked From the Heart » breakfast, Filipino, pork » Homemade Pork Tocino
Homemade Pork Tocino
(Updated 1/3/2010)
We love this homemade tocino recipe and so have many of our blogging friends who have tried it. There are many different versions of making Filipino tocino out there, but very few of them use cider vinegar like this one. Most of the ones I have seen online and even in most cook books only have salt and sugar as the main ingredient. I kind of like having the vinegar on mine. It’s not a lot so it’s not overpowering, but just enough to balance out all the other flavors and cut the sweetness a bit.
The proportions of the marinade below makes a heck of a lot! So if you’re just making a small portion, make sure you cut it down or you’ll end up with your meat swimming in marinade. When I make a batch of tocino, I usually use two Boston butt roasts that are about 3-4 pounds each. Slice up the roasts to the desired thinness (usually about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices) and let them soak in the marinade in the refrigerator. Ideal time is to let them soak at least overnight and up to 5 days in the refrigerator as mentioned in the recipe below.
However, since sometimes you won’t always have room in the ref or just too hungry to wait before cooking some, I have found out that (1) you can cook them immediately, just cook in some of the marinade with it (2) you can also immediately portion them into freezer bags and let them marinade in the freezer.
When frozen, they can probably stay safely in your freezer for 6 months as recommended for most meats. Let me tell you though, even if you make as much as I do, they probably won’t last more than a couple of months. We eat them for breakfast, but when we’re short on time for dinner, they also come in very handy for dinner. Just steam some veggies and rice to go with them, and they’re good to go!
Like with most of the recipes on this blog, don’t be afraid to play with the proportions to suit your taste. Experiment! That’s what cooking is all about. When you change it up, make sure and come back and share your experiment with me. I just may copy you the next time I make a batch 
- MARINADE for 2-3 lbs. pork:
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons salt
- 2 Tablespoons ground pepper
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- Mix all the ingredients and pour over thinly sliced (an eighth to a fourth of an inch thick) pork with a little marbling of fat. I used a 2-3 pounds boneless boston butt roast and did not trim any of the fat away.
- Mix the meat so it is well covered with the marinade. Let it sit, covered, in the refrigerator for five days before cooking or freezing.
- I usually bag small (quart sized ziplock bags ) portions, enough for breakfast for two or four people, and freeze it.
OTHER BLOGGERS WHO HAVE TRIED THIS RECIPE:
Simply Anne’s Tocino & Langonisa
The Feisty Cook, Dexie’s Homemade Pork Tocino with Onions
Written by Jeanette Moore (JMom)
I am a terrible housekeeper but I do love to cook so it all evens out in the end. I like to try new recipes that I think my family will like. However, I am not one to follow all recipes to the letter. I tend to tweak and change the recipes based on what I have on hand and how I am feeling at the time. Feel free to share your versions, I just might try it out next time I make the dish again.
Filed under: breakfast, Filipino, pork · Tags: breakfast, Filipino, marinades, pork, tocilog
i love this recipe…
i add star anise. i discovered this ingredient gives a beautiful flavor to this already yummy recipe…
[…] originally got the recipe from Cooked from the Heart and reduced the brown sugar and salt plus I added olive oil. I also used pork tenderloin since we […]
[…] breakfast on the weekend or when we have breakfast for dinner. In the photo above, we had it with homemade tocino and scrambled eggs for a very filling […]
thanks for the recipe! it was wonderful! been trying to find this taste for a while. if you can, view my public post in fb. http://www.facebook.com/lskas.pagdanganan.
Hi Oscar, I’m glad you liked the recipe! Share ko ang fb post mo sa fb page ha?
Magandang gabi po! magtatanong lang po sana.. medyo nahihirapan kasi akong mag hanap dito sa Japan ng red beet powder pwede po bang food coloring or annatto ang ipalit ko? alin kaya ang mas maganda gamitin bukod sa red beet powder kasi hirap talaga ako mag hanap dito.
maraming salamat po!
Hi Armie, oo pwedeng gumamit ng food coloring or annato. If you like the really red color, I suggest using only salt instead of soy so the color would stand out more, just like the ones we get at home. Let me know how it turns out for you
Hi! I just tried this recipe tonight. I was debating whether to use this recipe or another one i found. I ended up choosing this coz i was curious about the apple cider vinegar. Glad i did coz it tasted reallly great. The hint of the vinegar made a difference. I followed the recipe almost to the tee. I added 1/4 cup more coz i used sucanat, a raw sugar. It tends to be less sweet. Again it’s a preference. Something different was I used pasture raised pork, sucanat, raw apple cider and added red beet powder to add color. Unfortunately, it’s not as red maybe coz i didnt put enough color or the soy sauce was just really dark. We’ll see how it is in a few days. Oh yea i prefer to use those certain ingredients for more nutrients. After an hour of marinating, i cooked some for my hubby’s lunch and it was tender and yummmy! Thankss!!
Hi Claire, I’m glad you liked it. I like your idea of using beet powder to give it the more traditional red color! I’ll have to try that whenever I find some beet powder. To make the color more pronounced, perhaps you can lessen the soy and add salt instead? The traditional marinade usually only uses salt instead of soy anyway.
what is the secret ingrdients to soften the tocino meat? I tried it at home, the taste is quiet good but the problem is that the meat is very hard. thank u and more power
Thank you so much for this recipe. This is one of my very favorite and haven’t had any for a LONG time. My husband eats not a lot of Filipino food, but this he will eat (a lot :-)). Been craving for tocino and glad I found this one…can’t wait to try it! Thanks again…
I am not Filipino, however I am married to a very beautiful and wonderful one. I have eaten lots of tocino made by my wife, her mother and all of her friends. The tocino that I loved the most was made by Nanay, an 84 year old Filipino woman a long tine ago in Pasadena, California.. I have never forgotten that taste and have never been able to duplicate it. That is, until now. I prepared this recipe, exactly per instructions. This recipe was by far the best that I have ever tasted, bar none. Even better than Nanay’s (and my wife totally agrees). She says that I am now officially, Pinoy. Thank you so much for the recipe. Tocino, doesn’t get any better that this. I really loved It.
Hi Don, I’m thrilled that you tried the recipe and very flattered at your glowing review! I’m glad it worked out well for you. And yes, if you can make this complete with the garlic fried rice and sunny side eggs for breakfast, you are officially Pinoy
this was amazing! thank you so much! I had been craving filipino food for weeks now but the closest market is 60 miles away! I remember having tocino with my mother in the morning and it was always so yummy though the color always got me….cooked food just does not come out that red. This was much better than the store bought version. I fed my boyfriend the stuff from the store and he did not like it he loved this! Also I made it with venison but added a tablespoon of butter to fatten up the lean venison and it was DELICIOUS! Thank you so much!
[…] of SiLog breakfasts in our kitchen. First, my husband’s favorite Filipino breakfast meat, Tocino which is pork marinated in soy, sugar, vinegar, salt and […]
Can i use this recipe with chicken, since I don’t eat red meat
Chef T.J., yes, you certainly can use chicken with this marinade. I recommend using chicken thighs for optimum flavor. I usually use the boneless, skinless variety, and don’t overcook it so it stays moist and juicy.
Hope you like it!
*Hello, make… correcting typo’s
Nello, I was wondering can I use this marinade for Chicken Tocino or would I have to manke any changes? I look forward to trying this out!
hi ycell, yes, you definitely can use fresh garlic instead of powder.
can i use regular garlic instead of garlic powder…. tnx!
wow i’m so glad i found this recipe.. i will try this soon.
My anti-spam word was “porker”
I miss tocino. I’ve only made it once so thanks for the reminder!
I like anything that you can marinade and then cook. Looks so delicious. Your photos are very good too.
Looks absolutely delicious and sounds wonderful. Only question is, 5 days to marinate? I would be worried about the freshness of the pork, but I am kind of a stickler about buying and cooking meat with in a couple days.
I have seen a few of your recipes now and they have all looked great, just got to convince the wife to cook a few now.
yummy! for breakfast lunch and supper!
kastoy met la gayam ti agaramid tocino.
hi Mrs.G, you’re welcome. I’m really glad to hear it turned out well for you.
You just reminded me, I should make some more too.
Your tocino recipe was a hit here at home! I’m making our own tapa and tocino from now on. THANKS JMOM!
P.S. I used regular vinegar.
this recept hier up for haw much KG meat (tocino) is this ?????
cane samebody tell me WAT IS 1 CUP ???
Our tocino turned out great. Thank you for this recipe! I’ll never buy the chemical-laden store-bought kind again.
hi LadyCess, I look forward to your version. I’m flattered you want to use the recipe
hi jmom. i’m looking for homemade tocino recipes and i found this page on google. i’ve never made tocino before and i find your recipe interesting.
hope you don’t mind me using your recipe. will post my finished work on my blog and of course, i’ll give credit and link to this site.
thanks in advance!
chase,
nagugutom na lang noon ko dah….lol
my favo gyd ni, if mama makes this ay di lut-an di mahurot…..
tahnsk for sharing, i do this, i try this….hmhmhmhm
Yummy!!! How are you, Jmom? Still cooking delicious food, I see. Has school started yet in your area? Just wanted to say HI:D haven’t visited in a while:) take care – stef
I like this one, new for me using apple cider vinegar. For sure, mas masarap iyan. Thanks.
Musta na.
Yes, I used breast. Must use chicken thighs nga next time. I read they are a healthier alternative to red pork/beef meat anyway.
hi newbie cook, sure, you can use white vinegar. There is only a slight difference in taste between the two vinegars. It shouldn’t matter much when you use it for this recipe. The apple cider has a slightly milder, sweeter taste, I think. The white is more acidic and straight forward.
I hope you try making your own tocino. Just remember to cook it slow so it doesn’t burn on you. Good luck!
hi chateau, oh, that’s too bad
Did you use breast meat? Maybe try using thighs next time? We’re just all into chicken thighs right now. hehe!
hi tita thessie! no, haven’t had a chance to make the eggplant/hummus. Husby wanted the eggplant in curry instead, so I have to wait to try the one with hummus.
Hey, I’ve tried making spring rolls though, it was a success! Will post soon
hi! can i use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar? what’s the difference between the 2 of them anyway, in terms of taste? thanks for sharing this recipe =)
Ayayay, it was a bit on the dry side. Will have to tweak on my recipe first hehe. Good thing my critics are very honest – hub and the 2 kids haha
Ala eh! Tocino din entry ko…tocinado to be exact.
though never tried tocino using your ingredients…cge next time, I will try
tita J, nasubukan mo yung talong w/ hummus?
hi chateau! yep, great minds in synch
I have yet to try chicken tocino. You should post your recipe!
Hi iska! Truthfully, there have been times when my family just can’t wait that long and we’ve cooked it almost immediately after the marinade is poured over the meat
It just tastes better the longer it sits in the flavoring.
Wow! This is very similar to how I do my home-made tocino, except I don’t marinate it for 5 days. Hmmmm… will do it that way next time. Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Jeanette! What a coincidence – i just made chicken tocino the other day and was thinking of blogging about it. Great mommy minds think alike eh? hehe
hey jules! hope you like it
AYAYAYAYAYAY! Thanks for posting this recipe! My heart sings for Tocino.