Filipino

Serving

Dinuguan

Name: Dinuguan
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs pork belly, cut into small cubes; 2 cups fresh pig's blood; 1/2 cup white vinegar; 1 cup pork broth or water; 3 pieces long green chilies (siling haba); 1 head of garlic, minced, and 1 large onion, chopped; 1 tbsp brown sugar

A savory stew of pork offal and meat simmered in a rich, dark pig's blood gravy.

60 minutes

Serves 4

Dinner/Lunch

21 min prep

33 min cook

No common allergens detected

Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.

Good to know

One-pot

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners

Instructions

5 steps

1
Prepare the Blood: To prevent the pig's blood from coagulating, place it in a bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Set aside.
2
Sauté the Pork: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion until softened. Add the pork belly cubes and cook for 7-10 minutes until lightly browned and some fat is rendered.
3
Simmer with Vinegar: Pour in the remaining vinegar and the pork broth. Bring to a boil, but do NOT stir for the first 5 minutes to let the sharp acidic taste evaporate. After 5 minutes, stir, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the pork is tender.
4
Incorporate the Blood: Lower the heat to medium-low. While stirring the pork mixture continuously, slowly pour in the prepared pig's blood. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes to ensure the blood emulsifies into a smooth, dark gravy without curdling.
5
Final Simmer: Add the green chilies and brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until the sauce turns jet black, thickens considerably, and coats the back of a spoon. Serve hot with Puto (steamed rice cakes) or rice.

Dinuguan — plated and served — Serving moment. How Dinuguan looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

67/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 100

Kid-friendly 27

Weeknight-easy 54

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 62

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

440

Calories

47 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

24 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Dinuguan is a savory pork stew thickened and darkened with pig's blood, sharpened with vinegar and chili. Often called chocolate meat to coax the curious, it is a frugal, deeply traditional dish that wastes nothing. The vinegar is essential, both for flavor and to keep the blood from turning grainy.

Listahan note

This version balances the richness of the blood with enough vinegar and chili to keep each bite bright, simmering slowly so the sauce turns glossy rather than chalky.

Technique cues

Add the vinegar and let it boil before stirring so the sauce is rounded, not raw.
Stir the blood in slowly over low heat to keep the sauce smooth.
Finish with long green chilies for aroma and a gentle heat.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Brown and braise the pork while you measure the vinegar and prep aromatics.
Make-ahead: Dinuguan deepens overnight; make it a day ahead and reheat gently.
Leftover move: Serve leftover dinuguan with steamed puto rice cakes for a classic pairing.
Cleanup rhythm: One pot; soak it promptly, as the sauce sets dark and sticky when cold.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Pork belly

Main protein

Purpose: Its fat keeps the stew rich and the meat tender.

Handling: Cube small and brown before braising.

Adaptation: Pork shoulder or a mix with offal is traditional.

Pig's blood

Thickener and base

Purpose: Gives dinuguan its dark color and signature savory body.

Handling: Strain and stir in slowly over low heat to avoid graininess.

Adaptation: There is no true substitute; the dish is defined by it.

Vinegar

Acid and stabilizer

Purpose: Brightens the richness and keeps the blood smooth.

Handling: Add and let it boil briefly before stirring.

Adaptation: Cane vinegar is traditional; white vinegar works.

Garlic, onion, and chili

Aromatics and heat

Purpose: Build the savory base and the finishing aroma.

Handling: Saute the garlic and onion first; add chilies near the end.

Adaptation: Adjust chili to taste.

Technique notes

Keep the heat low when adding the blood and stir steadily for a silky sauce.
Do not skip letting the vinegar boil; raw vinegar tastes harsh here.
Simmer until the sauce coats a spoon and turns glossy.

Ingredient swaps

Leaner direction: Use pork shoulder and trim fat for a lighter stew.
Milder direction: Reduce or seed the chilies for a gentler heat.
Heartier direction: Add diced pork offal in the traditional style for more depth.

Serve alongside

Steamed puto rice cakes
Steamed white rice
Spiced vinegar
Sauteed greens
Cold water
Iced tea
Cold lager

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days; the flavor improves the next day.
Reheat gently over low heat, stirring to keep the sauce smooth.
Freeze up to 2 months; stir well after thawing.

Equipment

Heavy pot
Wooden spoon
Fine strainer
Cutting board

Make this household-aware

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