Pork Afritada
This Mexican dish is a colorful and tasty meal. It is prepared using a tomato sauce, sumptuous pork, chicken, and vegetables. In this standardized recipe, the ingredients are listed by weight and volume. Generally, the quantities are the same. To prepare the pork afritada, start by thawing the meat in the refrigerator. Cook the meat at a temperature of 41degF. Once the meat is thawed, mix in the remaining ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Pork shoulders cut into chunks
- 200 g Pork liver at least, cut into cubes
- 1 bulb Garlic crushed and chopped
- 12 pcs Onions cut
- 12 pcs Tomatoes cut
- 1 whole Carrots cubed
- 1 whole Potatoes cubed
- ½ Bell peppers at least, cut
- ⅓ cup Tomato sauce
- 1 cup Water
- 1-2 tbsp Fish sauce
- Salt and pepper to season
- 3-4 tbsp Cooking oil
Instructions
- Put oil in a heated pan.
- Saute the garlic under medium heat.
- When the garlic turns golden, put in the onions.
- When the onions sweat and wilt, put in the pork.
- Cook the pork for 20-30 minutes. Season the pork with 1 tbsp fish sauce.
- Put in the tomatoes. Stir well.
- Add in the pork liver. Stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Just when the liver changes color, put in the water and the tomato sauce.
- Add in the carrots and potatoes.
- Lower the heat.
- Cover the pan. Let it simmer for 20 minutes to allow the meat to tenderize.
- Stir occasionally (every 10 minutes, or so) to prevent burning the bottom of the pan.
- When the meat is tender enough, season with additional fish sauce, salt and pepper.
- Add in the bell peppers.
- Turn off after 3-5 minutes.
- Serve with hot rice.
Video
Notes
I always have carrots, potatoes and bell peppers stacked in the fridge. There are just so many Filo dishes you can cook with them.
I used Colway tomato sauce. I find it very strong and tangy so I cut used 1/3 cup. If you have Hunt's or Del Monte brand, you may adjust it to 1/2 cup or even to a cup. Remember to always trust your taste buds!
This step takes the longest time. When done properly, you’d get a very tasty dish at the end. You want the meat a bit charred; but not to the point of being burnt. Stir after every 10 minutes. Make sure that the pork is fried well under the heat. Just take your time and do not burn your pork.
I don’t want my pork liver to be overcooked and tough. To do this, I make sure that it has cooked first; then, I immediately add water so it remains soft when eaten.