Pochero
Ingredients
- canola oil
- 2 saba bananas (peeled and cut into chunks)
- 2 medium potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- 1 large carrot (peeled and cut into chunks)
- 2 pieces chorizo de Bilbao (cut into chunks)
- 1 onion (peeled and chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
- 2 pounds pork belly (cut into 2-inch cubes)
- 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 4 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounces pork and beans)
- 2 bunches pechay (ends trimmed and leaves separated)
- salt (add to taste)
- pepper (add to taste)
- 8 pieces green beans (Baguio beans, ends trimmed)
Instructions
- In a deep pot over medium heat, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Add saba bananas and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add potatoes and carrots and cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Add Chorizo de bilbao and cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
- Remove excess oil except for about 1 tablespoon. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add pork belly and cook until lightly browned.
- Add tomatoes and cook, mashing with the back of a spoon, until softened and release juices.
- Add fish sauce and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add water and bring to a boil, skimming scum that floats on top.
- Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes or until meat is tender.
- Add pork and beans, potatoes, carrots, and Chorizo de bilbao. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender.
- Add green beans and saba bananas and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add pechay and cook for another minute.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Details Behind My Pochero Recipe
Pochero Recipe – Pochero is a stew dish that comes from Bulacan and offers a pleasing mix of flavors and textures. It consists of beef chunks simmered with saba bananas, and the savory stew includes ingredients like potatoes, sweet potatoes, chorizos de Bilbao, bok choy, leeks, chickpeas, cabbage, and tomato sauce. While the traditional version uses beef, puchero can also feature chicken or pork, providing a versatile and satisfying culinary experience.
Pochero, or putsero, means “stew pot” and showcases the strong Spanish influence on Filipino cuisine. Initially a simple peasant dish, pochero has adapted to suit Filipino preferences. It is one of the many stew dishes to try in Filipino cuisine and can be enjoyed in different ways.
Additional Notes for My Pochero Recipe
Pochero is is best enjoyed as a hearty lunch or during big gatherings. You can serve this hearty stew with steamed rice or a crusty bread loaf to savor its rich flavors. For convenient storage, it’s best to keep leftovers in a container with a secure lid, refrigerating for up to 3 days or freezing for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, simply reheat by placing the dish in a saucepan over medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, ensuring a delicious and satisfying meal every time.
Dishes Similar to Pochero
There are a variety of stews that are comparable to pochero. If you want to try something similar, one option is mechado. Mechado is a another delicious Filipino beef dish with Spanish influences. The beef is braised in a flavorful liquid made with soy sauce and calamansi fruits, giving it a distinct taste. The name “mechado” comes from the Spanish word “mecha,” referring to the larded beef resembling a candle.
In Filipino, the term “mitsado” is a less common alternative, recognizing the word for wick, “mitsa.” Mechado has evolved over time, with variations using thinner or bony beef cuts, moving away from traditional larding and resembling a beef stew. Some versions may include tomatoes and potatoes in the braising liquid, and preparing beef tongue similarly results in a dish called lengua mechada.
Another option is menudo. Menudo is a classic Filipino stew made with pork, sliced liver, carrots, and potatoes in a tasty tomato sauce. Unlike the Mexican soup of the same name, Filipino Menudo skips tripe and red chili sauce.
This flavorful dish combines garlic, onions, tomatoes, pork, and liver (either pork or beef). It includes diced potatoes, raisins, carrots, green bell peppers, soy sauce, vinegar or calamansi, all mixed in a tomato sauce and seasoned with salt and pepper. While pork menudo is the traditional version, there are variations to cater to different tastes, including a healthier option using chicken without liver.
Other Stew Dishes
If you want to try other stews starring pork, one option to try is lechon paksiw. Lechon Paksiw is a dish crafted from leftover roasted pork transformed into a flavorful stew. The term “lechon” is associated with a traditional Filipino dish involving roasting a whole pig over an open fire.
In contrast, “paksiw” signifies a cooking method where meat is gently simmered in vinegar. This dish offers a practical and delicious way to repurpose leftover meat, highlighting the rich flavors of pork. The versatility of Lechon Paksiw allows for the creation of diverse flavors depending on the chosen sauce.
Another option is dinuguan. Dinuguan, a traditional Filipino dish, is a savory stew celebrated for its unique taste and deep cultural roots. Its name, derived from the Tagalog word ‘dugo,’ meaning blood, reflects its key ingredient—pig’s blood. Known as “chocolate meat” or “blood pudding,” and referred to as ‘Dugo-dugo’ in Cebuano. Typically, Dinuguan is prepared using the innards and drained blood from a roasted pig, often served alongside a whole pork lechon
Other Pork Dishes
More than stew dishes, there are many kinds of pork dishes in Filipino cuisine. One example of this is pork binagoongan. Pork Binagoongan is a dish prepared using the ‘binagoongan method,’ a traditional cooking technique. In this method, meat, often pork, is simmered with “bagoong” or “alamang,” a condiment made from fermented fish or shrimp paste. While pork is a common choice for this dish, variations may include chicken or eggplants.
Another option is humba. Humba is a braised pork dish usually made with pork belly. The tenderness comes from slow cooking with soy sauce, vinegar, black peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, and fermented black beans (tausi). To balance the savory taste, muscovado sugar is added for a touch of sweetness. This careful blend of ingredients and the slow-cooking method creates the rich and balanced flavor of humba.
Whether it be a stew or another type of dish, there is a variety of ways you can enjoy pork in Filipino cuisine. If you are interested in something with a touch of sweetness, there is Efotada.
