Tocino

Tocino or Pindang is one of Pampanga's contribution to Filipino cuisine. I believe that this is our version of cured meat. But instead of salt like bacon or pancetta, kapampangans used sugar. My grandma makes the best tocino, among other foods. I believe that tocinos are made with thinly sliced meat, either chicken, pork, beef and water buffalo. I know it has sugar and some kind of pink powder?.... Sorry I don't know what it was or what its for. I remember asking my grandma once, but I can't remember. Foolish me. My favorite tocino is the Tocinong Damulag (water buffalo). It's probably processed a bit different because it's sweet and also sour. There are lots of different brands of tocino. Most of them claims they are from Pampanga. None of them as good as my grandmas's. Well being a kapampangan living in California, I had to sort through these different brands and found a 'good enough' product. What I would say off the bat is that Tocino don't have black pepper. So avoid buying tocino with black specks on it, its black pepper. Also, tocino is not red. Tocino is actually black in color when cooked, almost like burnt looking. It's the sugar. I always thought it's weird that the tocino sold here in California has a red tint on it. But I don't have any choice do I? I didn't ask my late grandma her recipe. One of the biggest regret of my life. sigh. Anyways, another tip is choose the chicken tocino if you don't like the fatty part of a pork tocino. Lastly, here is how I cheat. I add sugar so that it would carmelize and would give a burnt sweet crust. Tocino is best eaten with newly cooked rice and a side of tagilo. This is torture!