8 Filipino pork dishes among the world’s best
Filipino cuisine is once again taking the spotlight on the global stage with eight delectable dishes landing on TasteAtlas’ list of “Top 100 Pork Dishes in the World.”
World food guide TasteAtlas curated the list based on 12,101 global ratings using a system that filters bot-generated, biased and nationalist votes.
8 best Filipino pork dishes on TasteAtlas’ list
Lechon
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Ranking at No.35, this Filipino feast centerpiece is a whole pig slow-roasted over an open fire until its skin turns perfectly golden brown and crispy.
Stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, onions, tamarind and chives, this Filipino dish is best paired with lechon sauce – a thick, liver-based sauce cooked with sugar, vinegar and fresh herbs.
“People tend to eat every part of the pig, and the crispy, reddish-brown, crackling skin is especially beloved,” TasteAtlas stated.
Lechon Kawali
This crispy, deep-fried perfection earns its spot at No.38. Lechon kawali, famed for its crispy golden skin and juicy meat, is pork belly that’s boiled, salted and sliced into chunks and fried until crispy.
As aptly described by TasteAtlas, this Filipino dish is “juicy and tender on the inside.” It’s best served with lechon liver sauce, spicy vinegar or soy sauce with onions.
Bicol express
At No.40, this spicy and creamy dish features sliced pork cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with shrimp paste and chili peppers. This fiery favorite was created by Cely Kalaw in the 1970s. She named the dish after the Bicol Express railway train.
Adobong baboy
Securing a spot at No.45, this iconic Filipino dish is pork belly or chicken slow-cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, sugar and bay leaves.
The pork is marinated in garlic and soy sauce before it is seared on high heat. A dish so versatile, adobo can be prepared in various ways using different ingredients – from seafood to vegetables.
Sisig
Ranked at No.49, this Kapampangan dish is made from chopped, boiled and grilled parts of a pig’s head, seasoned with salt, vinegar and pepper.
Served with raw egg on top and sometimes blended with mayonnaise, this Filipino classic pairs perfectly with beer.
Inihaw na liempo
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Securing a spot at No.61, this Filipino staple on beach trips is made of grilled pork belly. Marinated in a savory blend of lemon juice or kalamansi, soy sauce, garlic, and salt and pepper, it can be enjoyed as a main dish or appetizer.
Often basted with oil, banana ketchup and leftover marinade while grilling, the mixture enhances its smoky-charred goodness, creating the perfect balance of savory, sweet and tangy flavors.
Binagoongan
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Ranked 83rd on TasteAtlas’ list, this Filipino dish is all about its super savory and bold flavors thanks to its star ingredient: shrimp paste (bagoong).
While it could be “very salty,” TasteAtlas said, “In order to subdue the saltiness, vinegar and sugar are often added to binagoongan.”
Crispy pata
At the 95th spot is another Filipino feast favorite, crispy pata – tender meat wrapped in its crispy golden skin.
This dish starts with simmering a whole pork leg with peppercorns, bay leaf and other spices until tender, then deep frying it to perfection.
