Tocino

Tocino is pork cured in a sweet-savoury marinade, often coloured red; in Filipino cooking, it is commonly served for breakfast. The name can refer to different cured pork preparations, so the seasoning and cut may differ.

Put the pieces in a frying pan with a small splash of water and cook over medium heat until the water evaporates. Then let the pork brown in its own fat, turning it often; the sugar in the marinade can burn quickly over high heat.

A classic Filipino breakfast pairs tocino with garlic fried rice and a fried egg; the meal is known as tosilog. Pickled papaya, or atchara, adds a sharp contrast to the sweet pork.

Keep uncooked tocino covered in the fridge and use it within a few days, or freeze it in meal-sized portions. Refrigerate cooked leftovers promptly and use them within two days.

Bacon works in fried rice or sandwiches, but it is usually saltier and less sweet, so it will not give a dish the characteristic tocino flavour. Add a little sugar and garlic if you want to move the flavour closer.

Yes. A 100 g portion contains 71 g of fat, including 29 g of saturated fat; it is a rich, fatty cured meat.