Filipino Sweet Cured Pork Breakfast Plate with Garlic Rice and Sunny-Side-Up Egg

This beloved Filipino breakfast plate brings together thin slices of pork cured in a sweet-salty pineapple-soy marinade, pan-fried until caramelized, then served over fragrant garlic fried rice with a runny sunny-side-up egg on top. It's the kind of comfort meal you can find at any Filipino eatery for breakfast or late-night merienda.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 680 kcalCalories
• 26 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 65 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 22 gSugar
• 34 gProtein
• 920 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 3.5 mgIron
• 6 mgVitamin C
• 180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the Sweet Cured Pork (Tocino)

• 1.5 lbs (680 g) pork shoulder, sliced 1/4-inch thin against the grain
• 1/2 cup packed muscovado or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar or calamansi juice
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon annatto or paprika (optional, for color)

For the Garlic Fried Rice (Sinangag)

• 4 cups day-old cooked jasmine rice, cold
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

For the Fried Eggs and to Serve

• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil or butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Banana ketchup or sliced ripe tomatoes, for serving

Directions

1. In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together the muscovado sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and annatto if using. Add the sliced pork and toss until every piece is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, ideally 24 hours, so the sugar and salt fully cure the meat.
2. When ready to cook, give the pork a quick toss. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and lay the pork slices in a single layer along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved marinade liquid. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping occasionally, until the sugars caramelize into a glossy, reddish-brown glaze and the pork is just cooked through. Add a tablespoon of water if the glaze threatens to scorch.
3. Meanwhile, make the garlic rice. Heat the oil and butter in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 to 45 seconds until fragrant and pale gold, taking care not to burn it.
4. Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with the back of a spatula. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the grains are hot, separated, and slightly toasted at the edges. Season with salt and pepper, fold in the green onions if using, and transfer to a serving bowl.
5. In a small non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Crack the eggs one at a time and fry sunny-side up for 2 to 3 minutes, until the whites are just set but the yolks remain runny. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
6. To assemble, divide the garlic rice among four plates, mound 3 to 4 pieces of caramelized tocino next to it, and top each plate with a fried egg. Serve immediately with banana ketchup or fresh tomato slices on the side.
7. Offer small bowls of dipping sauce such as soy-calamansi or spiced vinegar so diners can adjust the saltiness to taste.
8. Encourage everyone to break the yolk so it cascades over the rice and pork before digging in.

Cook’s Notes

• Cure the pork for a full 24 hours whenever possible; the sugar and pineapple need time to penetrate and tenderize the meat, which is the secret to authentic tocino texture.
• Day-old refrigerated rice is essential for good sinangag because fresh rice is too moist and will turn into a sticky clump instead of separate, slightly toasty grains.
• If the marinade scorches in the pan before the pork is cooked through, lower the heat and add a splash of water; the sugar in the glaze can burn quickly.
• Muscovado sugar gives a deeper, molasses-like sweetness that white sugar cannot match, so reach for it if your grocery store carries it.
• For a more traditional spread, serve with sawsawan-style dipping sauces such as soy-calamansi, spiced cane vinegar, or even a side of atchara (pickled green papaya).

More Philippines Recipes You’ll Love

Craving more flavors from Philippines? Try these traditional recipes:

• Filipino Chicken Adobo
• Filipino Sour Pork and Vegetable Soup
• Filipino Oxtail Peanut Stew

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