I just made Pork Menudo that turns plain pork and liver into a ridiculously saucy, can’t-stop-eating dish that will wreck your dinner plans in the best way.
Okay, I’m obsessed with Pork Menudo. I love how the pork shoulder becomes tender and the tomato sauce gets sweet and a little tangy, with potatoes soaking up every bit.
Pinoy Recipes always remind me that simple stuff hits hard, and dishes like this are proof. The liver adds that deep savory note I crave.
Every bite has soft carrot, little bursts of raisin sometimes, and peppery heat from black pepper. I don’t care about fancy plating.
Just give me a bowl, rice, and loud flavors. Pure, honest, messy comfort food.
Bring it to my table now. I mean it.
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder, hearty protein, juicy cubes that soak up sauce.
- Pork liver, rich and intense, gives that slightly metallic tang.
- Potatoes, tender starchy chunks that mellow the sauce.
- Carrot, sweet bite and color, it’s actually kind of fresh.
- Red bell pepper, bright crunch and mild sweetness.
- Onion, savory backbone, it’s where a lot of flavor hides.
- Garlic, punchy aroma, small but mighty in taste.
- Tomato sauce, saucy body and tang that pulls things together.
- Tomato paste, concentrated tomato punch for deeper color.
- Soy sauce, salty umami, makes the dish more savory.
- Fish sauce, optional briny kick, adds authentic depth.
- Bay leaves, subtle herbal note that’s quietly comforting.
- Sugar, balances acidity, just a hint of sweetness.
- Salt and pepper, basic seasoning, can’t skip ’em.
- Water or broth, keeps everything saucy and tender.
- Cooking oil, helps brown stuff, adds mouthfeel.
- Raisins, optional sweet pops, classic and slightly nostalgic.
- Frozen peas, little green bursts and kid-friendly color.
- Basically, these parts make menudo homey, saucy, and a little fun.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 lb (225 g) pork liver, sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups (480 ml) water or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
How to Make this
1. Cut pork shoulder into 1 inch cubes, toss with 1 tbsp soy sauce and a pinch of salt and let sit 10 to 15 minutes while you prep other stuff. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat and brown the pork in batches so it gets color, don’t crowd the pan.
2. Remove browned pork, lower heat to medium, add a little more oil if needed and sauté the chopped onion until soft, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a minute to deepen the flavor, then add the tomato sauce, the remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp fish sauce if using. Mix well and let it come to a gentle simmer.
4. Return the browned pork to the pot, add 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp sugar, 2 cups water or chicken broth, and a good grind of black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to low, cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until pork is tender.
5. While pork simmers, peel and cube the potatoes and peel and dice the carrot. For firmer potato pieces fry or pan brown them in a little oil until golden; this keeps them from turning to mush later.
6. In a separate pan quickly sear the sliced pork liver over high heat 1 to 2 minutes per side just until browned but still slightly pink inside, then set aside. Overcooking liver makes it grainy.
7. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes until almost tender. Then add the diced red bell pepper, seared liver, and raisins if using. Simmer another 3 to 5 minutes until everything is cooked through.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and a little more sugar or soy sauce if needed. If sauce is too thin, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken, or simmer uncovered a few minutes to reduce.
9. Stir in frozen peas at the end and let them heat through, remove bay leaves and let the menudo sit 5 minutes before serving so flavors marry. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy pot or deep skillet (for browning and simmering the pork)
2. Medium frying pan (to sear the liver and brown potatoes if you choose)
3. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife (for pork, vegetables and liver)
4. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula (for stirring and scraping the pot)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for tomato sauce, paste, soy sauce, sugar, etc.)
6. Tongs or slotted spoon (to remove browned pork and seared liver)
7. Peeler and a paring knife (for peeling potatoes and carrots)
8. Small bowl or plate (to rest the seared liver and hold prepped ingredients)
9. Ladle and serving spoon (for dishing up the menudo)
FAQ
Pork Menudo Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pork shoulder: substitute with boneless chicken thighs (same weight, cook slightly less) or beef chuck for a richer flavor.
- Pork liver: swap for chicken liver (use a bit less) or omit and add 1 cup mushrooms for depth if you don’t like organ meat.
- Potatoes: use sweet potatoes or yams (same cubed size, they’ll get softer and sweeter) or firm white potatoes like Yukon Gold.
- Soy sauce: use tamari for gluten free, or coconut aminos for a milder, slightly sweeter taste; keep same quantity.
Pro Tips
1. Brown the pork in batches and don’t rush it — good color = better flavor. If the pan looks dry between batches, add a splash of oil and scrape up those browned bits before adding the next batch.
2. Sear the liver super quick and keep it slightly pink inside. Overcook it and it gets grainy and tough, but under-searing can taste metallic. Do it hot and fast, then rest it a few minutes before adding.
3. If you want a thicker sauce without long reduction, mash a couple potato cubes right in the pot or whisk a small slurry of cornstarch and cold water and stir it in near the end. Add slurry slowly until it’s the thickness you like.
4. Taste and tweak at the end. A squeeze of vinegar or a little extra sugar can balance acidity from tomatoes, and a splash more soy or fish sauce will deepen umami. Add salt last since soy and broth can already be salty.
Pork Menudo Recipe
I just made Pork Menudo that turns plain pork and liver into a ridiculously saucy, can't-stop-eating dish that will wreck your dinner plans in the best way.
4
servings
605
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or deep skillet (for browning and simmering the pork)
2. Medium frying pan (to sear the liver and brown potatoes if you choose)
3. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife (for pork, vegetables and liver)
4. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula (for stirring and scraping the pot)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (for tomato sauce, paste, soy sauce, sugar, etc.)
6. Tongs or slotted spoon (to remove browned pork and seared liver)
7. Peeler and a paring knife (for peeling potatoes and carrots)
8. Small bowl or plate (to rest the seared liver and hold prepped ingredients)
9. Ladle and serving spoon (for dishing up the menudo)
Ingredients
-
1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
-
1/2 lb (225 g) pork liver, sliced
-
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
-
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
-
1 red bell pepper, diced
-
1 medium onion, chopped
-
4 cloves garlic, minced
-
1 cup (240 ml) tomato sauce
-
2 tbsp tomato paste
-
2 tbsp soy sauce
-
1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)
-
2 bay leaves
-
1 tsp sugar
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
-
2 cups (480 ml) water or chicken broth
-
2 tbsp cooking oil
-
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
-
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
Directions
- Cut pork shoulder into 1 inch cubes, toss with 1 tbsp soy sauce and a pinch of salt and let sit 10 to 15 minutes while you prep other stuff. Heat 1 to 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat and brown the pork in batches so it gets color, don’t crowd the pan.
- Remove browned pork, lower heat to medium, add a little more oil if needed and sauté the chopped onion until soft, then add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook a minute to deepen the flavor, then add the tomato sauce, the remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp fish sauce if using. Mix well and let it come to a gentle simmer.
- Return the browned pork to the pot, add 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp sugar, 2 cups water or chicken broth, and a good grind of black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to low, cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until pork is tender.
- While pork simmers, peel and cube the potatoes and peel and dice the carrot. For firmer potato pieces fry or pan brown them in a little oil until golden; this keeps them from turning to mush later.
- In a separate pan quickly sear the sliced pork liver over high heat 1 to 2 minutes per side just until browned but still slightly pink inside, then set aside. Overcooking liver makes it grainy.
- Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes until almost tender. Then add the diced red bell pepper, seared liver, and raisins if using. Simmer another 3 to 5 minutes until everything is cooked through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and a little more sugar or soy sauce if needed. If sauce is too thin, mash a few potato cubes against the side of the pot to thicken, or simmer uncovered a few minutes to reduce.
- Stir in frozen peas at the end and let them heat through, remove bay leaves and let the menudo sit 5 minutes before serving so flavors marry. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 578g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 605kcal
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 9.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Polyunsaturated: 5g
- Monounsaturated: 15g
- Cholesterol: 298mg
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Potassium: 1245mg
- Carbohydrates: 36.5g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Sugar: 16g
- Protein: 36g
- Vitamin A: 5800IU
- Vitamin C: 65mg
- Calcium: 100mg
- Iron: 6.8mg
