Pork Afritada is a Filipino pork stew that resembles pork menudo. It is composed of pork shoulder that are cut into 1 inch cubes, carrot, potato, and tomato sauce. This step-up recipe also includes green pea, freshly chopped tomato, and bay leaves.
The best pair for Afritada is rice. A cup of warm white rice is enough to enjoy the meal. It can be cooked with lots of sauce, similar to what I did in this recipe. I find my meal more appetizing when sauce is poured over the rice.
What is the Difference Between Afritada, Menudo, and Kaldereta?
Pork Afritada is almost Filipino Menudo. The ingredeints are identical and the manner of preparation is almost the same. The only difference that is quite obvious is the size of the cubed meat and vegetables. It is more than twice bigger than regular cuts for menudo. Another difference would be the possibility of adding raisins in menudo, which does not sound too common for an afritada dish to have.
Kaldereta, on the other hand, has its own identity that differentiates it from both dishes. The typical kaldereta makes use of liver spread. This ingredient is not commonly added when cooking afritada or menudo.
How to Cook Pork Afritada
Let me first tell you that this recipe is fit for beginners. It is simple and easy to follow.
The first thing to do is to have all the ingredients ready. This means that the pork and vegetables are already sliced, and the seasonings and sauces are ready to be used. It will save you time and will prevent the possibility of missing some key ingredients.
Sauteeing the onion, garlic, and tomato is the first thing that I do. Heat oil in a cooking pot and then add onion once oil gets hot. Put the garlic and tomato afterwards. It is recommended to saute until the onion softens. Softened onions has that nice sweet flavor that helps make a dish taste better.
Brown the pork afterwards. This is done by sauteing the cubed pork with the rest of the ingredients until it turns light to medium brown. The pork still needs to be tenderized by boiling. This is the reason why tomato sauce and water are added next. I also add a piece of Knorr Pork Cube to have the flavor of the pork stand out. A few pieces of dried bay leaves can be added to make your afritada smell and taste better. It takes around 40 minutes of boiling to make the pork tender. It can be longer depending on the quality of the meat.
I also added hot dogs in my afritada version to make it more interesting. This is an optional ingredient. Add the carrot and potato after the hot dog and cook it for at least 8 minutes. You can go longer than that if you prefer the veggies soft. Lastly, season with salt and ground black pepper.
I hope that you enjoy this afritada recipe as much as I do. Enjoy!
Try this Pork Afritada Recipe. Let me know what you think.
Pork Afritada Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork shoulder cubed
- 1 piece Knorr Pork Cube
- 3 pieces hot dog sliced
- 2 pieces carrots sliced into small wedges
- 2 pieces potato cube
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup green peas
- 1 piece tomato cubed
- 4 pieces dried bay leaves
- 1 piece onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a cooking pot.
- Once the oil gets hot, saute onion and garlic until onion softens.
- Add pork Saute until brown.
- Pour tomato sauce and water. Stir and let boil.
- Add Knorr Pork Cube. Stir. Add dried bay leaves. Cover and cook in medium heat for 30 minutes. Note: Add more water if needed.
- Add hotdogs. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add carrot and potato. Cover and cook for 8 minutes.
- Add green peas. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Serve.
- Share and enjoy!
Yolanda P. Escabarte says
Can i request the recipe and procidure how to make pandesal out of wheat flour and yeast. Thanks!
Maria Christina Ramirez says
I will try to cook pork afritada because I think it’s one of the best cooked meals of Filipinos. This can also be enjoyed as “lutong ulam” in canteens. More recipes to be seen in Panlasang Pinoy!