Tocino
Have you ever wondered how to make pork tocino at home? Let me show you how. You don’t have to pay store-bought prices anymore!
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Tocino is a popular Filipino cured meat. It is sometimes referred to as sweet red pork. It’s made through a process similar to ham and bacon, but with red food coloring for its unique appearance. Tocino is a common breakfast served with fried rice and eggs, a combination known as tosilog in the Philippines. I hope you will try making tocino for yourself. Scroll down for my recipe for homemade pork tocino!

How To Make Pork Tocino At Home
slicing the pork

To start, slice the pork ham into pieces about ¼ inch thick. This thickness allows the meat to absorb flavors more effectively during marination. Then, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sodium phosphate in 5 tablespoons of water to create a mixture that enhances the meat’s moisture and texture.
Combining and mixing the ingredients

In a bowl, combine all the other ingredients, excluding the meat. This includes sea salt, Prague powder #1, granulated white sugar, anisette liquor, pineapple juice, crushed garlic, garlic powder, Vitamin C powder, and red food coloring. Mix these well to create a flavorful rub.
marinating the meat

Combine the pork and marinade mixture ensuring even distribution for maximum flavor in your homemade pork tocino.
Place the coated pork and remaining mixture into a covered container. Store this container at room temperature for 14 hours. This extended time allows the flavors to penetrate the meat deeply. Alternatively, if you prefer to refrigerate, let it marinate for at least 3.5 days for a more developed taste.
After the marination period, your homemade pork tocino is well on its way to being ready. You can now cook it according to your preferred method. This dish will offer a delightful balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors, making it a favorite for many. Enjoy your delicious creation!
How To Cook Tocino

- Boil the tocino – arrange the meat on a frying pan and then pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water. Let the water boil. Note: The amount of water will depend on amount of meat used.
- Add oil – in the middle of the boiling process when the water reduces to half, add around 3 tablespoons of cooking oil. Continue boiling until the water evaporates completely. Boiling the meat before frying it will make it tender, compared to frying directly.
- Slowly fry the tocino – fry the meat using the remaining oil in your pan. Make sure to adjust the heat between low to medium setting to avoid the sugar from being burnt. I usually fry each side until it browns a bit.
- Serve with rice – time to serve this with rice. While plain white rice should be enough, I like making fried rice using the residue. Simply add some leftover white rice on the frying pan where the tocino was cooked and then stir-fry the rice for around 3 minutes.
- Fry your tocino using low to medium heat to avoid the sugars from getting burnt.
- Vinegar is always the best dipping sauce for tocino
- A side of atchara will make your meal more enjoyable

History Of Cured Meat
Cured meat has been around for ages, dating back to ancient times when people discovered that salting and smoking meat could preserve it for long periods. This method was essential for survival before refrigeration, allowing people to store and transport meat across long distances. Over the centuries, various cultures have perfected their own curing techniques, adding spices and flavors to create a variety of delicious cured meats we enjoy today.
Homemade Pork Tocino Ingredients
You can find curing ingredients at various online e-commerce shops. If traveling to the market is inconvenient or too far, online shopping is a convenient alternative.
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- 2 lbs. pork ham – The main meat for your homemade pork tocino, which you can substitute with chicken or beef slices.
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- 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt – Sea salt enhances flavor and helps with the curing process, giving the homemade tocino its salty edge.
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- 1/2 teaspoon Prague powder #1 – A curing salt that helps preserve the homemade meat and gives it a pink color.
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- 3/4 cups granulated white sugar – Adds sweetness to balance the salty and savory flavors, key to the tocino’s distinctive taste.
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- 1 teaspoon sodium phosphate – Helps retain moisture and improves the texture of the homemade pork tocino.
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- 1/4 cup anisette liquor – Adds a subtle anise flavor, contributing to the tocino’s unique taste.
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- 1/2 cup pineapple juice – Provides sweetness and a hint of tartness, and helps tenderize the pork tocino.
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- 1/4 cup crushed garlic – Infuses the homemade tocino meat with a robust garlic flavor.
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- 1 tablespoon garlic powder – Intensifies the garlic flavor in the homemade tocino.
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- 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin C powder – Vitamin C powder acts as an antioxidant, helping to preserve the homemade pork meat’s color and freshness.
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- 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring – Gives the homemade tocino its characteristic reddish hue.
How To Serve Homemade Pork Tocino
Pork tocino is usually enjoyed for breakfast with a side of warm rice. A popular dish called tosilog (to from tocino, si from sinangag, and log from itlog) includes garlic rice (or sinangag), fried pork tocino, and a sunny-side-up egg. Just a heads-up—while cured meat is delicious, it’s best to eat it in moderation. Too much can affect your health over time, so it’s a good idea to have homemade tocino only once or twice a month.
I do this by placing the cured meat in a cooking pot and then I pour 2 cups of water. I also add 3 to 4 tablespoons of cooking oil. This gets boiled uncovered until the water evaporates. The pork should be tender at this point. Let it fry on the remaining oil until darkens a bit. Make sure to keep an eye on the meat to prevent it from getting burnt. It has a tendency to burn quickly especially when fried in high heat because of its sugar content.
Once cooked, serve it with fried rice and fried egg.

Pork Tocino Alternative Ingredients
This recipe can also be used with other kinds of meat. Chicken and beef are popular choices in addition to pork. It is not possible to substitute for curing ingredients and still get the same authentic flavor. If you want more natural results, there are some ways to adapt this recipe. You can, of course, use different ingredients entirely to achieve a flavor that suits your taste.
Watch How to Make Tocino
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Homemade Pork Tocino
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. pork ham
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Prague powder #1
- 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon sodium phosphate
- 1/4 cup anisette liquor
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup crushed garlic
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin C powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Red food coloring
- 5 tbsp water
Instructions
- Slice the pork ham to about ¼ inch thickness2 lbs. pork ham
- Dissolve the sodium phosphate in 5 tablespoons of water.1 teaspoon sodium phosphate, 5 tbsp water
- Except for the meat, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon Prague powder #1, 3/4 cups granulated white sugar, 1/4 cup anisette liquor, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin C powder, 1/4 teaspoon Red food coloring
- Apply the combined mixture to the meat by rubbing. Make sure that the mixture is evenly distributed across the meat
- Place the mixed ingredients in a covered container
- Store the covered container (with meat and mixture) in room temperature for 14 hours. It may also be refrigerated but would take at least 3.5 days to complete.
Mommylee says
My first time to make tocino ever and eventhough I left out a number of ingredients when I tried doing this recipe (prague powder, sodium phosphate, anisette liquor, vitamin C powder and red food coloring) still the flavor was still there. I really loved how it turned out (it was really flavorful!)
Angeline says
The best ang Panlasang Pinoy I almost prepared and cooked most of the recipes featured on Panlasang Pinoy all of them are really super sarap and easy to prepare. Thank you Panlasang Pinoy.
Vanjo Merano says
You are welcome.
Mabz says
Pwede ba yung ascorbic acid tablet durugin ko na lang at yun ang gamitin tnx
Jt says
When we make this we use about 1 cup or so of wAter and simmer slowly. Turning frequently. The water will evaporate and make a sweet sticky glaze on outside of the meat. Serve with day old rice with fresh garlic, Fried egg, Vinegar with black pepper in it. Each spoon full get a little of all items including the vinegar/pepper Heaven it is!!
romie maravilla says
Saan po ba nabibili ang prague powder#1,sodium phosphate,anissette kiquer and vit c powder tnx…
And anu po ba ang vit c powder?
Marlyn says
Tnx u po s mga masasarap n recipe
CARMELITA LAIHEE SANCHEZ says
I was searching for the best delicious homemade tocino and luckily, I found your site. Itatanong ko sana kong mabibili ba natin yong sodium phosphate at prague powder # 1 sa Walmart?
Likewise, anong klase bang sea salt ang ating gagamitin, yong coarse or fine ba?
Regarding the Vitamin C, please give me the link where to buy it online.
We are very much interested to make this homemade tocino of yours. We are hoping, we will receive your reply soon so we could make it at matikman na namin ito. For sure, we will a;ways visit your site now for all your filipino foods recipe.
Thanks a lot and more power to you!
May says
Sir pwedi po bang wala ng prague salt at phospate? Wala po kasing available dito. Ano po ba purpose ng phospate sa pagkain? Salamat po..
Vanjo Merano says
Hi May, importante and dalawang ingredients na nabanggit mo sa pag “cure” ng karne ng baboy. Phosphates are used to retain the flavor of the meat and it also keeps the moisture intact. This prevents the pork from shrinking overtime.
Grace Lu says
Itatanong ko lng po sir kung ung praque powder at prague powder ay iisang uri lamang
ken says
I made this & it was delicious. I must have had pan too hot towards the end as some crystallisation took place. Didn’t impair the flavour will definitely make this again. thank you
Vanjo Merano says
You are welcome. Thanks for the feedback.
Blanca says
Hi Vanjo, where can we get vitamin C powder. Please reply coz I really wanna try this recipe.
Thank you and hoping we can get an answer.
Vanjo Merano says
Blanca -- I bought it online. Here is the link
Veronica church says
Is vitamins powder obtained by crushing vitamin C. Where do you get the vitamin c powder?
Jinpace says
Hi vanjo where can I get vit. C powder?I’ve never heard that before,should I look in Walmart for that one?thanks
Ma.Solita C.de Jesus says
Thank u for those yummy recepies u keep sending us..more power!
Vanjo Merano says
It is my pleasure, ma’am.
liz in netherlands says
Hello there,
I’d like to make tocino but without the red tint. Which ingredient makes the red colour?
Also, by vitamin c powder, did you mean citric acid?
Been following your recipes for a while now. They take me home!! Thank you soooo much!
Liz
Ana Perez says
Just FYI vitamin C is actually ascorbic acid
so I guess the answer is no
Sabrina says
Hello,
I would like to try this recipe but I don’t have anisette liquor. Is there any substitute for that? Or is it possible to omit that? I will greatly appreciate your reply. Thanks a lot!
Vanjo Merano says
It is important to have anisette liquor or anisado wine to make the tocino smell and taste better. However, you can improvise by soaking 5 pieces of star anise in sherry cooking wine overnight (make sure to cover it). Discard the star anise and use the anise-flavored sherry wine for the recipe.
Sabrina says
Thank you so much. It really helps.