What is Tocino?
Filipino food is seriously delicious!
Out of all the cuisines I’ve tried from around the world, Filipino dishes are definitely ones I crave again and again.
But unfortunately, it’s still not very well known in Japan, and there aren’t many Filipino restaurants here.
Today, I’d like to share one of my favorite Filipino dishes: Tocino – a sweet and tender pork dish that’s usually eaten for breakfast.
It has a distinctive reddish color and is part of a traditional Filipino breakfast called Tosilog.
When you see “24 hours + 1 hour” for cooking time, you might think it’s a lot of work—but don’t worry!
Most of that time is just marinating and simmering. The actual prep is super easy.
Ingredients
| Pork belly | 420g / 15 oz |
| 〇Brown sugar(white sugar is also okay) | 4 tbsp |
| 〇Salt | 1 tsp |
| 〇Vinegar(I used Japanese grain vinegar, but any white vinegar is fine) | 100ml / 3.4 fl oz |
| 〇Soy sauce(I used Kikkoman) | 1 tsp |
| 〇Black pepper | about 4 shakes |
| 〇Red food coloring(optional – it’s just for color) | 1/2 tsp |
| Water(for cooking) | 100ml / 3.4 fl oz |
Note: You can use any brand of the above seasonings—no problem!
How to Make
1⃣ Slice the pork
Use a fork to poke holes in the pork belly block, then slice it into thin pieces (about 1 cm or 1/3 inch thick).
2⃣ Make the marinade
In a bowl or pot, mix the brown sugar, salt, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, and food coloring (if using).
Massage the pork with the marinade using gloves. (Be careful with food coloring—it stains cutting boards and clothes!)
3⃣ Marinate overnight
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for 24 hours.
4⃣ Cook slowly on low heat
Place the pork and all the marinade into a frying pan. Add 100ml (3.4 fl oz) of water.
Simmer on low heat for 40 minutes to 1 hour, checking occasionally to prevent burning.
5⃣ Done!
Once most of the liquid is gone, the pork is tender, and you see some oil released, it’s ready.
Serve the pork only—leave the extra fat in the pan.
In the Philippines, it’s common to eat it as “Tosilog”, which is a combo of:
Itlog (fried egg)
Tocino (sweet pork)
But honestly, even plain white rice goes perfectly with it.
I actually had it for dinner, and it was amazing!
If you’re curious, I’ve shared a no-fry garlic rice (rice cooker method) on my blog too—feel free to check it out.
If I had to describe it in one phrase, I’d say:
“It’s like a sweet version of char siu (Chinese BBQ pork)!”
It’s sweet, tender, and slow-cooked to perfection. Thanks to the vinegar and sugar, it doesn’t feel too greasy and makes you want another bite.
It’s perfect for those days when you’re craving something comforting and a little sweet with your rice.
If it looks delicious, feel free to share it on Twitter/X! And if you try making it, I’d be even happier if you tag me in your post!
