Tocino (Spanish) is bacon in English. But this is not bacon but the taste is similar to bacon. This tocino is a popular dish in the Philippines but are usually bought marinated at the market and cooked at home. Traditionally, they are dyed red.
They are available here in the U.S. frozen in some Asian markets that you would cook at home. You can also buy powdered dry seasoning mix in packets called “Tocino Marinade”. Then you can buy your own fresh pork and marinate them using the commercial seasoning.
I have been making this tocino-like pork for many years and I can share my recipe with you. However, this homemade tocino is not red because it has no red dye in it.
- 1 package of fresh pork steak (there are usually three in a package)
Marinate them in the following:
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic smashed and crushed fine
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 TBS. sugar (white or brown)
- 1 TBS light soy sauce
- ¼ c vinegar
Make sure the marinade seasons all sides of the pork steaks. Marinate them for at least 1 hour before cooking.
Fry in about ¼” deep oil in hot skillet. Brown both sides. Remember sugar will get burned easily and will turn to carbon so you need to watch the temperature and the length of time frying. Medium heat is ideal (about 350° F). You can also grill them instead of frying.
Dip in a platito of vinegar with crushed garlic seasoned with a little salt for extra zing at the table.
If you like them sweeter then you can increase the sugar next time you make the marinade. We don’t like them too sweet.
Kusina ni Norie 
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