Pork Binagoongan
Pork Binagoongan is super-easy to prepare that comes together in 30 minutes! Tender, tasty pork belly cooked in flavorful shrimp paste sauce. The eggplant and chili makes it more appetizing with a side of steamed rice!
I love cooking this for my husband because we both enjoy the flavor of bagoong plus the spiciness of the dish. It’s always included in my monthly rotation of dishes to make just like chicken inasal or when we have a get-together with friends. This recipe  is so easy to make and doesn’t take up much time making it great for weeknight dinner.
What is Binagoongan
Binagoongan is a Filipino dish where veggies or meat is cooked in shrimp paste. It’s truly a tasty dish full of umami and savory flavors. This is a popular dish in the Philippines with variations like adding coconut milk or cooking it with vinegar. Other recipes make use of fresh bagoong alamang while some use pre-cooked shrimp paste in bottles.
Best bagoong to use
Choosing the right kind of shrimp paste or bagoong (yes, there are different types) can greatly affect the outcome of the dish. The bagoong alamang, which is raw and saltier, can be bought in wet markets in the Philippines. It needs to be cooked first in garlic, onion and sugar before using for binagoongan.
The commercially bottled bagoong, in my personal experience, is better. It’s usually marketed as bagoong guisado and is ready to use. This saves you time since the bagoong is pre-cooked and flavorful that helps building the taste of the dish.
How to make Binagoongan
Start preparing the vegetables like eggplant, green/red chili, garlic, and onion. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat and fry eggplant until a bit wilted then transfer in a plate and set aside. Using the same pan and oil, Add pieces of pork belly and fry until browned and some fat have rendered. Remove pork from the pan and set aside.
Sauté garlic and onion in the same pan with pork fat then add tomato. Cook and lightly mash tomatoes to render juice and until wilted. Mix-in the cooked pork and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the shrimp paste and stir to coat the meat.
Add water the cover the pan with lid and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until pork is fork tender. Tip in the green chilis and stir then cover to simmer. Lastly, add the fried eggplant and stir in to distribute. Wait for 3-5 minutes and voila! It’s ready to serve. I highly recommend eating it with steamed rice.
Tips for Pork Binagoongan
How to serve and store
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Pork Binagoongan
Ingredients
- 500 grams pork belly (cut into bite-sized pieces)
- ½ cup sautéed shrimp paste (store bought)
- 1 piece green chili pepper (cut into small pieces)
- 1 piece red chili pepper (cut into small pieces)
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 medium tomato (sliced)
- 1 large eggplant (cut lengthwise into 4 pcs. slice to 1 inch thick)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- ¼ tsp salt (for seasoning)
- 1 cup water (add more if needed)
Instructions
- Wash the pork thoroughly and cut it into small pieces.500 grams pork belly
- In a deep frying pan or pot, heat the cooking oil over medium heat and fry the eggplant until lightly browned and wilted. Set aside1 large eggplant, 3 tbsp cooking oil
- Using the same pan, tip in the pork belly slices and stir-fry until browned and fat rendered. Transfer in a plate and set aside.
- In the same pan with the rendered pork fat, saute garlic and onion. Add the tomato and lightly mash to squeeze out the juice. Cook until wilted.1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1 medium tomato
- Add cooked pork belly and mix to distribute. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Tip in shrimp paste and stir to coat pork slices then simmer for a few seconds.½ cup sautéed shrimp paste
- Add water, stir then cover the pan or pot with lid. Simmer for 7-10 minutes or until pork is soft and tender. (Add more water if needed)1 cup water
- At the last minute of simmering, taste and adjust with salt or shrimp paste (if needed). Add chilies and simmer for a minute.1 piece green chili pepper, ¼ tsp salt, 1 piece red chili pepper
- Add eggplant then cover with lid and simmer for additional 1-2 minutes. Serve and enjoy. Bon appetit!
sometimes I use liempo and sometimes bagnet for binagoongan.