Authentic Ilocano Igado (Pork and Liver Stew)

Name: Authentic Ilocano Igado (Pork and Liver Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 6 serving
Ingredients: 1 pound pork tenderloin; 1 pound beef liver; ½ cup vinegar; ¼ cup soy sauce; 4 cloves garlic; 1 medium onion; 2 bay leaves; ½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns; 1 small red bell pepper; ½ cup green peas; 1 tablespoon cooking oil

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Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings
6
Calories
125 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Filipino

Authentic Ilocano Igado (Pork and Liver Stew)

Iris Warren

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Igado is an Ilocano cornerstone dish where pork tenderloin meets liver in a bold vinegar-soy braise. This thrifty yet sophisticated stew marries tender meat strips with crisp bell peppers and sweet peas, all swimming in a deeply savory sauce that begs for rice. At its heart, it's working-class Filipino ingenuity - transforming humble ingredients into pure comfort through time-tested technique.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the Meat

1 pound pork tenderloin cut into ½-inch strips
1 pound beef liver atay, cut into ½-inch strips

For the Marinade (Pampaanghang)

½ cup vinegar suka
¼ cup soy sauce toyo
4 cloves garlic bawang, minced
1 medium onion sibuyas, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves dahon ng laurel
½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns dinurog na paminta

For the Vegetables

1 small red bell pepper pulang siling pang-ulam, cut into strips
½ cup green peas gisantes
1 tablespoon cooking oil mantika

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Instructions

First, prepare your ingredients. Cut the pork tenderloin and beef liver (atay) into half-inch strips. Thinly slice the onion (sibuyas) and mince the garlic (bawang). Cut the red bell pepper into strips. Set aside the green peas (gisantes). This preparation is called "mise en place".
In a large glass or non-reactive bowl, combine the sliced pork with vinegar (suka), soy sauce (toyo), sliced onions, minced garlic, bay leaves (dahon ng laurel), and cracked black peppercorns (dinurog na paminta). Let the meat marinate at room temperature (27°C/80°F) for 20 minutes. This process is called pagpapaalat.
After marination, drain the meat but save the marinade liquid and aromatics separately. You will need these later for the sauce (sarsa).
Heat your cooking oil (mantika) in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat (180°C/350°F). When the oil is hot, quickly stir-fry the bell pepper strips for 30 seconds until they slightly blister. Remove the peppers and set them aside.
Using the same pan and oil, add the marinated pork (not the liver yet). Cook until the meat changes color from pink to light brown, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved onions, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves from the marinade. Continue cooking until the onions become soft and translucent (malinaw).
Pour in the reserved marinade liquid and bring it to a full boil over high heat (100°C/212°F). This is a crucial step - do not stir the mixture for 4-5 minutes after it starts boiling. This technique, called pagpapakulo ng suka, helps develop the sauce's flavor.
Add half a cup of water to the pan and bring the mixture back to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low (160°C/320°F), cover the pan, and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes. The pork should become tender during this time (dapat lumambot ang karne).
When the pork is tender, add the liver strips to the pan, maintaining medium heat (170°C/340°F). Gently stir the liver and cook for 4-5 minutes until just done. The liver should still be slightly pink inside to remain tender (dapat medyo pink pa sa loob).
Add the green peas to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until they turn bright green. Return the reserved bell peppers to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes to heat them through.
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt (asin) if needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
For the best results, let the igado rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the flavors to settle and the meat to reabsorb some of the sauce.
Serve your igado hot with steamed white rice (mainit na kanin). Traditional accompaniments include pickled green papaya (atchara), sliced fresh tomatoes (kamatis), and fish sauce (patis) on the side.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator (4°C/40°F) for up to 3-4 days. When reheating, add a few tablespoons of water and warm over medium heat (160°C/320°F) until heated through, or microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.

Notes

Choose fresh, pinkish-red liver without strong odors
Cut meat against the grain for tenderness
Don't skip the undisturbed boiling of vinegar mixture
Keep liver pieces slightly larger as they shrink during cooking
Add a splash of calamansi juice at the end for authentic Filipino taste

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 125kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 17g (34%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Trans Fat 0.04g Cholesterol 49mg (16%) Sodium 582mg (24%) Potassium 331mg (9%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 0.2g (0%) Vitamin A 6IU (0%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 14mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 125 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	125kcal	6%
Carbohydrates	1g	0%
Protein	17g	34%
Fat	5g	8%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	3g	15%
Trans Fat	0.04g	2%
Cholesterol	49mg	16%
Sodium	582mg	24%
Potassium	331mg	7%
Fiber	0.2g	1%
Sugar	0.2g	0%
Vitamin A	6IU	0%
Vitamin C	1mg	1%
Calcium	14mg	1%
Iron	1mg	6%