Dish of Pork in Black Bean Sauce
(click to enlarge)

Pork in Black Bean Sauce


Philippines   -   Humba
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3 main
**
2 hrs
Yes		 A stew very popular in Philippine homes, and made 137 different ways. A few options are explained in the recipe and in Note-6. The photo example was made from pork hocks.

2-1/2
2
1/4
1/2
2
1/4
2
3
1
1/2
2
#
cl
c
c
T
c

T

t
c
Pork Hocks, or (1)  
Garlic
Peanuts (2)
Vinegar (3)
Palm Sugar (4)
Soy Sauce
Bay Leaf
Black Beans (5)
Star Anise
Pepper
Water
Prep   -   (20 min)

  1. IF

    Using PORK HOCKS, use 2-1/2 pounds cut into convenient chunks. Usually you will buy them already sliced. It is easy to cut them into two or four pieces (depending on size) with a sharp Chinese cleaver knife driven by a soft faced mallet. I usually par boil and rinse, but Filipinos don't bother.

  2. IF

    Using PORK BELLY or BONELESS PORK use 2 pounds cut into chunks about 1 inch by 1-1/2 inches. Weight is with any exposed fat removed on the non-skin side. Most recipes have you fry the Pork Belly in some oil until lightly browned, some after marinading in the liquid ingredients, some not.
  3. Crush GARLIC and chop small.
  4. Chop Peanuts coarse or leave whole or omit them as you wish.
RUN   -   (1-1/2 hr)
  1. Put All items in a stew pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 1-1/2 hours (a little less for pork belly and boneless pork).
  2. Serve with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Pork:

      This recipe is most traditionally made with Pork Belly or Pork Hocks (less fat). Pork belly is skin-on and hocks are fresh not smoked. Both items are easily available in meat markets serving an East or Southeast Asian or Mexican community. If you buy whole hocks, have the meat market saw them crosswise to about 1-1/2 inch thick - usually they are already sawed and a bit thinner than that.

  2. Peanuts:

      Most recipes do not use peanuts, and personally I don't care for them that much. If you do use them, they should be roasted and unsalted. They are way better if you dry roast raw peanuts yourself. See our recipe Dry Roasted Peanuts.

  3. Vinegar:

      Preferable use one of the fine Philippine cane or palm vinegars, but lacking those, distilled white vinegar will serve, though harsher. For details see our Sours page.

  4. Sugar:

      Some recipes call for 3 tablespoons, which is way too much for me. Properly this is Palm Sugar, but if you don't have that use a semi-refined sugar like turbinado.

  5. Black Beans:

      These are fermented black soybeans, available from most Asian markets. For details see our Black Bean page.

  6. Options:

      Today some use cubes of boneless pork for reduced fat, but the result will be much less rich, especially if there is no skin. Treat these like pork belly. Some recipes add some chunked Potatoes when there's about 20 minutes to go (you'll need a little more water). Some recipes add Banana Blossom, but you may find that too bitter for your taste.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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