How to Cook Dinuguan: A Simple Bloody Meal and Filipino Favorite

This simple meal is dedicated to all food lovers around the world and to all the Filipino diehard fans of "dinuguan"—otherwise known as pork blood stew, blood pudding stew, and even chocolate meat. I don't know where this recipe originated, but I would like to thank my girlfriend's mom for teaching me how to cook this.

Warning

• This is not for the squeamish—people with weak stomachs and people who fear blood should stay away!

Ingredients

• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 whole onion
• 1 medium-sized ginger
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 4 green peppers, whole
• 2 chayote
• 2 spoons cooking oil
• 4 spoons vinegar
• 1/2 kilo of pork meat
• 1/2 liter of pig's blood
• 1 coconut (grate the coconut meat)
• Rock salt

Preparation

Step 1 Wash ingredients

Wash the pork meat, green pepper and chayote thoroughly.

Step 2 Spices

• Finely chop the garlic.
• Slice the onion into strips or cubes.
• Slice the ginger into fine strips.
• Ground the black pepper.
• Leave the green pepper whole.

Step 3 Slice pork meat

Slice the pork meat into cubes or small rectangular shape.

Step 4 Slice chayote

Slice the chayote into cubes or small rectangular shapes.

Step 5 Mix coconut with blood

• Grate the coconut meat.

• Mix with the pig's blood (squeeze and press while mixing).

• Drain and extract the coconut milk and blood mixture.

• Throw away the spent coconut milk and coagulated blood properly.

Procedure

Step 6 Heat oil

Heat two spoons of cooking oil in pan or pot on low heat.

Step 7 Sauté

• Sauté the garlic until slightly brown.
• Add the onion.
• Add the ginger.
• Add the pork meat.
• Add 1 teaspoon of grounded black pepper.
• Add salt.

Step 8 Add vinegar

Add 4 spoons of vinegar and let it simmer until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. This usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 9 Add the blood and coconut milk mixture

When the meat is already tender, slowly pour the blood and coconut milk mixture into the pan or pot. Continue to stir while pouring the mixture to prevent the mixture from forming into solids, due to the heat.

Step 10 Continue stirring

Do not stop stirring until the mixture has turned from blood red to chocolate brown.

Step 11 Add chayote

Add the chayote and continue to stir.

Step 12 Add salt

Add salt according to your taste.

Step 13 Simmer

Let it simmer for another 8-10 minutes, constantly stirring. Then, you're done! It is already cooked.

Tips

• Even if the coconut milk and blood mixture coagulates when stirring, it is still good to eat.
• You may also use baguio beans, young jackfruit meat, or banana heart (flower pod) as a substitute for chayote. The veggies are only extenders.
• When you notice the coconut milk and blood mixture coagulating or hardening rapidly, even when you are constantly stirring, you may need to lower your stove's heat temperature.
• Add salt or pepper deliberately, according to your taste.
• You may also use the innards or intestines of the pig as substitute for the pork meat. In fact, they tastes better than the pork meat.

Serving Suggestion

You can serve this alone, but it is best when served warm and goes well with rice and/or rice cupcakes. Serves between 8 and 10 people.