This Filipino dish, usually made with pig face and ears, embodies the culture’s no-waste philosophy. It’s also a labor of love. After the pork is braised and grilled, it’s chopped and sautéed until crisp. Chopped grilled chicken livers and aromatics are added and everything is tossed with a mixture of tart calamansi juice, liquid aminos and soy sauce (sisig is derived from an old Tagalog word meaning “to make it sour”). In this version, pork belly fills in for the pig face and ears. It still takes a bit of work to make but is well-worth the effort.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skin-on pork belly, cut into 3 equal pieces
- 6 whole star anise
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 scallions, 1 cut into 2-inch pieces, 1 sliced
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- One 1-inch piece ginger, sliced into coins about 1/4-inch thin
- 1 stalk lemongrass, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces on the bias
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 ounces chicken livers or 3 tablespoons canned liver pâté
- Vegetable oil, for brushing
- 1/4 cup calamansi juice
- 3 tablespoons liquid aminos
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium Spanish onion, cut into small dice
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
- Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- Add the pork belly, star anise, bay leaves, 2-inch pieces of scallion, garlic halves, ginger, lemongrass, peppercorns and 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot. Cover with about 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the pork is tender, about 1 hour. Let cool in the liquid to room temperature. This allows the pork to stay moist and absorb more flavor. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and pat dry.
- Set a grill for indirect cooking and heat to medium-high, about 400 degrees F. Place the pork skin-side down over the indirect heat portion of the grill. Close the lid and cook, until some of the fat is rendered and the skin is starting to crisp, about 20 minutes (see Cook’s Note).
- Move the pork to the direct heat portion of the grill. Continue to cook until slightly charred and the skin is crisp, moving the pork when flare-ups occur, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Skewer the chicken livers if using. Lightly brush with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the pork from the grill and let cool. Place the livers on the direct heat portion of the grill and cook, turning every 2 to 3 minutes. Cook until firm and well done, about 12 minutes.
- Cut the pork into 1/4-inch cubes and set aside. Finely chop the chicken livers and set aside.
- Combine the calamansi juice, liquid aminos and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
- Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter and pork and cook, continuously stirring and scraping any bits that stick to the pan as the pork begins to crisp, about 10 minutes. Be careful of any fat that splatters from the pan. Discard all but about 3 tablespoons from the skillet. Add the chopped livers, onions and minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are slightly crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the calamansi mixture and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai chiles and scallions. Serve over jasmine rice.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 980 |
| Total Fat | 91 g |
| Saturated Fat | 32 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Cholesterol | 150 mg |
| Sodium | 660 mg |
Reviews
This recipe was great! Only wish it had more of a sauce a the end.