Pata Hamonado is a delicious combination of tender pork leg and sweet and savory pineapple sauce. It’s sure to become a family favorite. For the ultimate comfort food, serve with steamed rice!
Pata Hamonado
This pata hamonado was first published in 2014. I am currently updating it with new photos, tips, and updates. This pork-belly hamonado version is for you. You can follow the same procedure, but the only difference is the cooking time because we use a different cut.
What is Hamonado?
Hamonado is a Filipino style of cooking that uses pineapple to marinate or cook meat. Fatty beef, chicken, and pork cuts are first seared in oil until they are lightly browned. Then, they are braised in pineapple juice with soy sauce and brown sugar. Finally, aromatics like onions, garlic, and peppercorns round out the flavors.
You may also find other regional variations of this dish, such as tomato sauce, bananaketchup and raisins, carrots, and hot dogs.
Ingredient notes
- Pork – You can use whole legs of pork for a better presentation. However, to speed up the cooking time, I recommend that the butcher slice the meat into approximately 2-inch slices.
- Pineapples – the liquid in the can is used to braise meat. Make sure pineapple chunks are packed with juice and not heavy syrup. It lacks sour flavors that balance sweet and salty flavors.
- Vinegar – To increase the sweetness of the pineapple juice, add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar; heat in a saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally to reduce the acidity. Palm vinegar can be substituted.
- Sugar – Use brown sugar instead of white. It has a less concentrated sweetness and contains more molasses, enhancing the hamonado sauce’s rich flavor.
Tips for Getting the Best Results
- Be sure to brown the pork. Searing the pork over high heat caramelizes its surface and gives it an incredible flavor.
- Please do not cover the vinegar or stir it for more than a few minutes. This will help to remove the strong acid taste.
- Don’t rush. Slowly cook the meat to allow the fat to reduce and the connective tissues to soften, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Serving suggestions
This hamonado recipe is an excellent choice for dinner tonight. The thick pork skin and fat make it not ideal for the waist, but the richly sweet, tangy sauce drizzled over piping hot steamed rice will make up for it.
Serve it with steamed rice to make a delicious and hearty meal that will please everyone!
Instructions for storage and reheating
- Please keep it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to 2 months.
- The sauce will thicken because of the high collagen content in the pork skin.
- Heat in a saucepan on medium heat until it reaches 165 F. Or microwave for 2 to 3 minutes at a time. Stir well every so often to distribute heat.
Pata Hamonado Recipe
Pata Hamonado is a delicious pork dish with pork leg braised and seasoned in soy sauce and pineapple juice. It’s a delicious combination of sweet and savory sauces that melt in your mouth.
Quick Overview of Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Course: Main Entree
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of canola oil
- One whole pork leg (approximately 3 lbs), cut into 2-inch-thick pieces
- 1 onion, peeled then sliced thinly
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled & minced
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups of water
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Salt and pepper to your liking
- 1 cup Pineapple chunks
Cooking steps & Instructions
- Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook the pork in one layer for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Cook for 1 to 2 more minutes or until all sides are lightly browned.
- Stir in the garlic and onions.
- Add the vinegar and pineapple juice. Let boil covered for 2 to 4 minutes without stirring.
- Add the soy sauce, water, and peppercorns. Mix well and bring to a boil. Skim off any scum from the top.
- Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer pork for approximately 1 1/2-2 hours or until tender and liquid have reduced.
- Stir in brown sugar until it is dissolved. Salt and pepper to your liking
- Mix in the pineapple chunks. Serve immediately
Important Note
- Brown the pork. Searing the pork over high heat caramelizes its surface and gives it an incredible flavor.
- Don’t rush. Slowly cook the meat to let the fat render and the connective tissues soften.
Nutrition Information
- Calories: 1068kcal
- Carbohydrates 41g
- Protein: 77g
- Fat: 64g
- Saturated Fat 22g
- Cholesterol 285 mg
- Cholesterol 285 mg
- Cholesterol 285mg
- Cholesterol 285mg
- Cholesterol 285mg
- Cholesterol 285mg
- Potassium 1352mg
- Vitamin A: 70IU
- Vitamin C: 22.2mg
- Calcium: 114mg
- Iron: 5.7mg
If you liked this recipe, you’ll definitely want to check out these other posts on my blog:
