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Home > Filipino Recipes

Tocino Recipe (Sweet Cured Pork)

BY :Bebs | Published: 03/04/ 2015 | Updated:12/22/ 2020 | 183 Comments

RECIPE PRINT
4.88 from 57 votes
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Another Filipino dish that my hometown, Pampanga, is famous for is our Tocino. It is usually served for breakfast together with fried garlic rice.

Tocino Recipe (Sweet Cured Pork) Tocino is a sweet cured meat typically served as Filipino breakfast. Try this easy and simple pork tocino recipe for that sweet, savory and tender tocino.| www.foxyfolksy.com

Tocino is typically a cured meat, may it be pork, beef or chicken. The more popular kind of tocino is sweet, but us Kapampangan have a special kind called 'Pindang' which has added tanginess to it. 

The process of making tocino varies, but to achieve that soft and tender meat, Kapampangans mix all the ingredients together by hand for 3-5 hours then leave it covered overnight at room temperature before putting it in the fridge.

That is how much love and patience Kapampangans put into preparing their food, no wonder they are known to be great cooks all over the country.

This is not me boasting, just talking out of experience, I have been in so many places in the Philippines and more often than not, when people learned that I am from Pampanga, they would expect rather than assume that I know how to cook and that I am good at it! Talk about pressure eh! Good thing my Mama thought a thing or two;-)!

Tocino Recipe (Sweet Cured Pork) Tocino is a sweet cured meat typically served as Filipino breakfast. Try this easy and simple pork tocino recipe for that sweet, savory and tender tocino.| www.foxyfolksy.com

If you have the patience and time to do all that mixing, I suggest you do it sitting down, like while watching TV or reading a book.

And do not forget to use gloves! The longest that I have tried mixing a batch was for an hour and that was me being very patient! But I think it actually works! The meat was really soft and tender!   

Traditionally, Tocino is reddish in color to make it look more appetizing and this is achieved by adding Saltpeter (Salitre) which is also used as food preservative.  But this recipe does not use saltire but rather something more natural and healthier alternative. Alternatively, natural red food color may also be used or just skip it, totally up to you. 

 How to cook Tocino?

The way we cook Tocino in Pampanga is we first boil it in about 1-2 cups of water in a pan. When most of the water is gone and sauce starts to thicken, you can add cooking oil.

If your pork has enough fats on it, then no need to add oil as it will make its own but if not then add 3-4 tablespoon of cooking oil and let it cook over medium heat until the sauce caramelizes and meat is browned.

homemade tocino
homemade tocino
Print Review

Tocino Recipe (Sweet Cured Pork)

4.88 from 57 votes
Tocino is a sweet cured meat typically served as Filipino breakfast. Try this easy and simple pork tocino recipe for that sweet, savory and tender tocino.
Prep Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr
Course :Main Course
Servings =6
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds pork (butt, shoulder, ham or belly) - cut into ¼ inch thin
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons salt
  • 3 cloves garlic - finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup fruit juice, (pineapple, apple) (optional)
  • ½ tablespoons finely ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon rice flour (optional)
  • natural red food color (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a big bowl, combine all ingredients except for the pork slices. Mix until well blended.
  • Add the pork and mix using the hand, use hand gloves to avoid stains. Mix for several minutes to an hour.
  • Transfer to a container with a cover and let it sit overnight on the counter.
  • Mix again for a couple of times before putting in the fridge. Cure for 24 hours or up to 3 days. Can be frozen afterwards and stored longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 19gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1990mgPotassium: 383mgFiber: 1gSugar: 28gVitamin C: 2.2mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1.5mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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  1. Henry says

    January 14, 2023 at 3:32 pm

    5 stars
    Very nice recipe. I followed it. Results was incredible good. Now trying 2nd batch and also with beef.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  2. Genalyn says

    December 19, 2022 at 6:21 pm

    5 stars
    Filipino touched delights

    Reply
  3. Rachel says

    May 03, 2022 at 4:53 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks for sharing this recipe
    It tastes beautifully.Reminds me of home.I live in London and getting complicated ingredients is a fuzz but this is simple easy to make and very tasty. I subtitute the rice vinegar with Chinese cooking rice wine and it work s well.The meat is very tender and soft.Amazing velvety texture.I used organic coconut flour instead of rice flour...yummy

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 09, 2022 at 8:19 pm

      Glad you like it, Rachel, and thanks for your input on the ingredients alternatives. This is helpful for others too, I am sure.

      Reply
  4. Dennis says

    February 04, 2022 at 10:02 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe and have made it for my family for two years. They are from outside Davao and love it. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Katie says

      June 18, 2022 at 12:34 am

      5 stars
      Better than store bought Tocino!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! My husband and I really enjoyed this tocino! The 1 hr of mixing it by hand was so worth it!!

      Reply
  5. Gin says

    November 21, 2021 at 11:46 pm

    4 stars
    Cooked this yesterday and it was really good. Although, it was way too sweet for me..I will adjust the sigar next time..Taste wise, it taste good.
    I did not put the rice flour.

    Reply
  6. Rose says

    October 31, 2021 at 12:44 am

    5 stars
    Can I substitute the rice flour with cornstarch?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 01, 2021 at 3:57 pm

      it is not the same...you could just skip it.

      Reply
  7. marissa says

    August 02, 2021 at 7:05 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Bebs, I followed your recipe but had to substitute Splenda for sugar....it's really good!
    Do you have a keto version? I'm thinking of using Balsamic vinegar
    (it's naturally sweet and sour). Have you tried that?

    Reply
  8. marissa says

    July 27, 2021 at 5:01 pm

    Hello! I'm also from Pampanga. Thank you for the tip on tocino - mixing by hand. Will try that!

    Reply
  9. Robs says

    July 12, 2021 at 10:29 am

    5 stars
    Hello Bebs, thank you for your recipe. I'm also learning a lot from your responses, I would like to use chicken instead of pork but i'm afraid it might get spoiled if i leave it over night at room temperature. Any thoughts on this? thank you!

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      July 13, 2021 at 10:14 am

      Same thing if you are using beef, but if it makes you more at ease, then refrigerate right after. Just let it cure longer.

      Reply
  10. Grace says

    June 24, 2021 at 8:35 am

    Hi Bebs. What would be the difference if I don’t put rice flour?? Thanks

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      June 24, 2021 at 10:56 pm

      The rice flour gives it that velvety-sticky texture.

      Reply
  11. Meghan says

    June 02, 2021 at 2:41 am

    Can i use lemon juice instead of pineapple juice?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      June 02, 2021 at 2:02 pm

      Lemon juice might be a bit too sour for this, You can also try apple juice or just skip it.

      Reply
  12. Den says

    May 12, 2021 at 7:27 pm

    Used the ever reliable Kitchen Aid Mixer to do the mixing for me.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 13, 2021 at 6:02 pm

      It is a good investment, I would say😉.

      Reply
  13. Jana says

    March 25, 2021 at 6:57 am

    Hi Bebs,

    I love your recipes! I've done this tocino recipe a lot of times and it is on point 🙂 My partner loves this so much so I plan to cook it, portion it then freeze it so he could bring them to lunch at work, would this be possible?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 27, 2021 at 11:49 pm

      Absolutely! But don't cook and freeze, just cook it when you need it.

      Reply
  14. SJ says

    March 22, 2021 at 7:40 pm

    Hi Bebs! Love all your recipes on here. I was wondering could I substitute the rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 23, 2021 at 12:53 am

      sure you can.

      Reply
  15. Yanie says

    March 19, 2021 at 4:12 am

    Since I am using pork meat, if I leave it in the counter overnight in room temperature -- would the meat still be safe to consume since it has been left out of fridge overnight? I just want to be sure since raw pork and chicken are said to be unsafe for consumption if left outside the fridge for a long period of time due to the bacteria that can go to the meat.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 23, 2021 at 1:15 am

      Hi Yanie, the sugar and vinegar would act as a preservative but if you are not too comfortable with that then you can just place it in the fridge but it may take longer to cure.

      Reply
  16. Jhe says

    March 17, 2021 at 1:52 am

    Hi there. I am just wondering for the freshly made tocino (uncook) , how many days can sit in the fridge and how about frozen?

    Reply
  17. Peter says

    March 10, 2021 at 10:35 pm

    5 stars
    I followed a similar receipt once with Pineapple juice and it didn’t taste right.

    I tried this received but substituted the fruit juice for Sprite (recommended by my Auntie) and I can say that it works great!

    Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 23, 2021 at 8:09 pm

      That is a great tip, Peter!

      Reply
    • Stella says

      May 17, 2021 at 4:46 am

      5 stars
      Thank you again for your amazing recipe!

      Reply
  18. Lila says

    March 05, 2021 at 7:18 am

    5 stars
    I have made this recipe with orange juice and pineapple juice and either way it is AMAZING. I crave it pretty regularly and make it about once a month! It takes some patience but it's worth every single second! Thank you for sharing this recipe (:

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 27, 2021 at 5:38 pm

      YOU, Lila, are amazing for giving us 5 stars! Thanks for the tip too! 😘

      Reply
  19. Jennifer Saunders says

    February 17, 2021 at 7:47 am

    5 stars
    Hi Ms. Bebs! I followed mostly of your recipes! I never disappointed! I just wanted you to know, thank you so much! I make the tocino today and looking forward to try it!! And no doubt, this is gonna be delicious again as always!!😊

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 21, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      Thanks for your lovely comment, Jennifer and for the 5 stars. Hope you liked it.

      Reply
  20. Nancy says

    February 06, 2021 at 5:05 am

    Hi. I am completely new to cooking Tocino. I had it at my sister-in-law‘s and loved it. The package that I bought at the Asian store says “cured Tocino pork” on it. Therefore do I need to let it sit out on the counter and then in the fridge? Or can I just make the marinade and then cook it as you instructed? Ty!!

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      February 11, 2021 at 3:57 pm

      If you bought tocino then usually you just have to cook it.

      Reply
  21. Marissa C says

    January 31, 2021 at 6:12 am

    5 stars
    Five ⭐️ Stars! I followed your recipe but since I don’t have pineapple juice, I purée pineapple chunks and added 3/4 cup of olive oil. Viola! My bf is a pinicky eater and when he tasted it, requested for rice! We Love It!!! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      February 10, 2021 at 1:24 am

      Thanks for the 5 stars Marissa. Glad you both like it!

      Reply
    • Adrian says

      March 16, 2021 at 8:45 pm

      5 stars
      Great simple recipe Bebs, and great that no harmful chemicals are used (amazed so many online still use nitrate). What's the reason for leaving it on the counter overnight to start with?

      Reply
      • Bebs says

        March 23, 2021 at 8:04 pm

        It speeds up the curing process of the meat.

        Reply
  22. S. Cayabyab says

    December 11, 2020 at 12:26 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe, chose to use this one because you were the first person not to suggest red food coloring to get that signature red color. To get the red I added annatto powder, a tip I learned from my Lola’s and Lolo’s.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 13, 2021 at 7:19 pm

      Yes, it is not really that important because it will have that nice brown coating once the sugar turns to slightly charred caramel anyway. Much more appetizing, I think. 😉

      Reply
  23. Frances Castanar says

    December 08, 2020 at 2:05 am

    Hi! One question on curing. Leaving it out on the counter overnight won’t make it go bad or spoiled? And does it matter what kind of salt? I usually use diamond kosher salt. Thank you and can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 06, 2021 at 1:25 am

      I've done it several times and it always turned ok, think of how sourdough starters is made. But if you do not feel comfortable with it, then just refrigerate it. Yes, any salt will work.

      Reply
  24. Khia says

    November 08, 2020 at 4:00 am

    Will this recipe work with chicken?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 18, 2020 at 2:21 am

      Yes, it should Khia, just no need to massage the meat because chicken is more tender.

      Reply
  25. abby says

    November 06, 2020 at 5:32 am

    hi bebs, how do you cook the tocino after it’s cured/refrigerated?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 14, 2020 at 1:23 am

      Like I mentioned in the post, I boil them in some water until it starts to caramelize then add oil.

      Reply
      • Cora says

        March 06, 2021 at 4:50 pm

        I only see the curing portion here— where is the cooking portion? Thank you!

        Reply
        • Bebs says

          May 27, 2021 at 5:25 pm

          Hi Cora, there is a section in the post above on how to cook tocino.

          Reply
  26. Syra says

    November 05, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Ms. Bebs! First of all thank you so much for sharing so many of your recipes. I am excited to try this one and the longganisa too. I just wanna ask if I can use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar? Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 14, 2020 at 1:23 am

      Yes you can, Syra.

      Reply
  27. Elena says

    October 11, 2020 at 11:48 am

    The recipe is incomplete. Can you give detail about how to exactly cook this? You mentioned in the post that you boil first...... What does that mean exactly? Boil the whole mixture after pulled out of the fridge, then add oil?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 23, 2021 at 3:19 am

      Yes, you can boil it directly in water without thawing it if you like.

      Reply
  28. Luz says

    September 28, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    5 stars
    Do you use fine salt or coarse salt?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 23, 2021 at 2:21 am

      I usually use coarse salt.

      Reply
  29. Jean Gatcomb says

    September 14, 2020 at 11:30 am

    Hi,
    I substitute the salt into curing. Is this going to be a problem. I saw the label of the salt that 1 tsp can cure up to 5 lbs after I already mixed all my ingredients.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 20, 2020 at 10:50 pm

      Oh, yes, I would be careful and not use so much curing salt in a recipe. You can add more meat and other ingredients so not to put the meat into waste,

      Reply
  30. water liliy says

    August 27, 2020 at 9:16 pm

    5 stars
    dear foxyfolksy, my mixture of tocino turned to be a little bit salty, how will I neutralize it if it's already cured? can I add a small amount of sugar while cooking it?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 15, 2020 at 2:17 am

      Sure you can.

      Reply
  31. Vi says

    August 07, 2020 at 8:41 am

    Thanks for the recipe! Is it alright to use glutinous rice flour instead? Thanks

    Vi

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      March 23, 2021 at 1:56 am

      It should also work.

      Reply
  32. Lovely says

    July 21, 2020 at 10:29 pm

    5 stars
    I really love this recipe thank u so much.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      August 11, 2020 at 5:25 pm

      Glad to hear it, Lovely.

      Reply
  33. Charmaine says

    July 13, 2020 at 4:07 am

    Hi! Thanks for the recipe. How long will it last if it's in the freezer?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      August 12, 2020 at 11:09 am

      Some months if properly packed.

      Reply
  34. Maria says

    June 21, 2020 at 10:51 pm

    Thank you for this reciipe! Been a long to not be able to eat tocino because of the unhealthy ingredients!
    This one definitely is the best alternative to a traditional Filipino tocino recipe!
    We Love It! It taste really good!

    Sincerely,
    Maria

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      June 23, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      That is great to hear, Maria.

      Reply
  35. Tara Wave Mirafuentes says

    June 05, 2020 at 2:59 am

    Hello dear. Can I substitute rice vinegar into an ordinary white vinegar? Also, can I not use any flour in the process? Thanks a lot.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      June 05, 2020 at 9:00 pm

      Hi Tara, yes, you can use most kinds of vinegar. But it has to be rice flour, other kinds of flour will not work the same.

      Reply
  36. Divine says

    May 07, 2020 at 3:21 am

    Hello! I am trying this recipe right now. I don’t Have rice flour so I just sub it with bread flour. Is the marinade Supposed to be saucy when mixed with the meat? Mine is a little dry.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      May 08, 2020 at 12:21 pm

      Hi Divine, it is because you used bread flour instead of rice flour. They do not work the same way and cannot be used interchangeably. Rice flour will also help with the fermentation.

      Reply
  37. Neilbryan says

    February 19, 2020 at 12:23 am

    5 stars
    What does cure for 24 hours TO 3 days before refrigerating means ??
    I'm sorry I'm new to the term curing.. so...

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      February 24, 2020 at 5:27 pm

      Hi Neilbryan, I think you misunderstood the instructions. It says to let it at room temperature overnight then cure for another 24 hrs up to 3 days (or even longer) in the fridge. After that, you can freeze it too for later consumption. Curing is a process of food preservation that starts, in this case, as you let it rest in the counter (like fermentation) and will continue in the fridge for some days.

      Reply
  38. Mike & Virgie Miller says

    November 10, 2019 at 1:22 am

    5 stars
    Bebs, We live in Oregon several hours from any Filipino store I decided to try your Tocino recipe and was very pleased. Once I started hand mixing the mixture I got tired and thought maybe I should try my mixers dough hook after 30 minutes it was very well mixed and starting to break apart. Other than that I followed the recipe to the tee it turned out excellent I will seal-a-meal the leftovers and cook on other occasions. I bought a pork roast and had my butcher run it through the saw quarter inch thick. The whole process was very easy and worth it now I have many packages of Tocino to last me a few months. I’ve tried many of your recipes and this one worked out the best maybe after a couple more years I will be able to master Pandisal. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 11, 2019 at 8:48 am

      I know the mixing part could be tiring (and boring), I usually do it while watching TV 😉. The mixer with dough attachment is an idea, but maybe shorten the time. But it actually does not matter if the meat breaks into smaller cuts. Tocino actually have very irregular shapes, probably from all that mixing. 😉

      Reply
  39. Grace Abella says

    November 04, 2019 at 2:15 pm

    I tried your home made tocino last day its great my kids love it! Tnx for sharing your recipe

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      November 04, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      That is great to hear, Grace!

      Reply
  40. Natalie says

    August 30, 2019 at 9:02 pm

    Is it normal for the smell of the vinegar to standout? Thank you

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      August 30, 2019 at 10:51 pm

      Not really, Natalie, since the amount is really too less. Unless your vinegar is really strong, but it still should be gone after cooking.

      Reply
  41. CH3 says

    August 08, 2019 at 8:50 pm

    Hi! Been following some of your recipes for awhile already. Now, this tocino way of cooking is an old stuff for me but I usually fried it immediately after being thawed. Didn't know that you cook it with water first. My question is do you need to boil the water first before putting on the meat or boil it together? Thanks

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      August 08, 2019 at 10:08 pm

      Frying after thawing also works but to make sure that meat is tender we usually boil first also to render the fat so you do not need to add too much oil. You can bring both the frozen tocino and water to boil at the same time.

      Reply
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