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Brief Overview
Dinuguan is one of the most distinctive dishes in Filipino cuisine. It takes a part of the animal that is often discarded and turns it into something deeply savoury. Dark and glossy in colour, this stew carries a bold personality that surprises anyone tasting it for the first time.
The dish is rich and earthy with a tang that cuts through. Dinuguan is often enjoyed with plain white rice or with steamed rice cakes known as puto. It is a dish that finds balance between comfort and intensity, a plate that has no intention of blending in quietly.
There is something both rustic and celebratory about it. In many homes, it appears on special occasions but is also cooked on ordinary days when a bit of resourcefulness turns simple ingredients into a meal full of character and warmth.
What Is Dinuguan
Dinuguan is a stew made from pork meat and offal simmered slowly with fresh pig’s blood. Vinegar forms the base of the sauce, which gives it a tang that prevents the blood from thickening too heavily while adding brightness.
The meat is often cut into small pieces so that it absorbs the savoury sauce. Different families prepare it in slightly different ways. Some make it mild and balanced, others spice it with chillies that bring heat to the dark and rich stew.
The dish has a smooth and velvety sauce once finished. It is often served with soft white rice but also pairs beautifully with sweet rice cakes. The contrast between sweet and savoury is part of its lasting charm in the Filipino table.
Ingredients and Taste
The heart of the dish comes from pork and fresh blood combined with vinegar. Garlic, onion, bay leaves and sometimes ginger form the base. Green chillies are added when heat is desired. The flavour comes from the slow cooking that blends these elements together.
The stew is thick and almost silky. Its taste begins tangy and earthy, then moves into rich savoury depths. The pork becomes tender while the sauce gains a deep flavour from the blood and spices. Each spoonful feels warming and substantial.
The combination is surprisingly balanced. The vinegar keeps the stew from becoming heavy. When served with rice, it turns into a dish that is at once bold and comforting. It is a flavour that grows on you with every bite.
A Taste of History
Dinuguan comes from a time when nothing went to waste in Filipino kitchens. Using blood and offal was a way to make the most of an animal. Over generations it became a dish of its own rather than just a practical solution.
In the Philippines it is known across many islands and has regional variations. Some add coconut milk while others use more chillies. Each region brings its own style but the heart of the dish remains the same.
Today it represents both thrift and flavour. What started as a dish of necessity has become a food that is proudly prepared and shared. Dinuguan continues to be a reminder of Filipino ingenuity, resilience and a willingness to find flavour in the unexpected.
How to Make Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew)
Dinuguan is a deeply savoury Filipino stew made with pork, fresh pork blood, and vinegar, simmered until thick and rich. It is bold and hearty with a balance of tang, spice, and earthiness. Expect tender pork pieces coated in a glossy, dark sauce with a slight tang that pairs perfectly with steamed rice or puto (rice cakes). See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the stew
- 500 g pork shoulder, cut into bite sized cubes
- 250 g pork offal (liver, intestines or heart), cleaned and chopped (optional but traditional)
- 250 ml fresh pork blood
- 2 tbsp vinegar (cane vinegar preferred)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 long green chillies (siling haba)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cups pork stock or water
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the pork and offal
To begin, wash the pork and offal thoroughly. Drain well and cut into small cubes. Pat dry with kitchen paper to prevent excess moisture. Move on to sautéing the aromatics.
Step 2: Sauté the aromatics
In a heavy based pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until soft and translucent. Follow with minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Proceed to sear the pork.
Step 3: Brown the pork
Add the pork cubes and offal to the pot. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is lightly browned on all sides. This step develops flavour for the stew. Transition to seasoning.
Step 4: Season and deglaze
Stir in the fish sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the seasoning to coat the meat. Add a splash of stock to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Move to simmering.
Step 5: Simmer the meat
Pour in the rest of the pork stock, bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender. Prepare the blood mixture while simmering.
Step 6: Prepare the blood mixture
In a bowl, mix the fresh pork blood with vinegar. Stir well to prevent clotting. This mixture will thicken the stew and create its signature flavour. Transition to adding it to the pot.
Step 7: Add the pork blood
Slowly pour the blood mixture into the simmering pot while stirring continuously. Keep stirring for a few minutes to ensure the blood blends smoothly without curdling. Proceed to adding chillies.
Step 8: Add the green chillies
Place the whole green chillies into the stew. Let the stew simmer gently for another 10–15 minutes until it thickens to a velvety consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
Step 9: Rest the stew
Turn off the heat and let the Dinuguan rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows flavours to meld. Prepare garnishes and accompaniments.
Final step: Serve hot
Ladle Dinuguan into bowls and serve hot with steamed white rice or traditional puto (Filipino rice cakes). Garnish with additional sliced chillies for extra heat if desired.
Variations and substitutions
- Use chicken blood if pork blood is unavailable, adjusting the cooking time as chicken blood cooks faster.
- If offal is not accessible, stick to pork shoulder alone for a milder flavour.
- White vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used instead of cane vinegar.
- For a milder stew, slice and remove the seeds of the green chillies before adding.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Dinuguan
- Always mix vinegar with the pork blood before adding it to the pot to prevent coagulation.
- Stir continuously when adding the blood to ensure a smooth sauce.
- Use freshly obtained blood for the best texture and flavour; avoid frozen if possible.
- Let the stew rest before serving to deepen the flavour.
Filipino Dinuguan (Pork Blood Stew)
Ingredients
For the stew
- 500 g pork shoulder cut into bite sized cubes
- 250 g pork offal liver, intestines or heart, cleaned and chopped (optional but traditional)
- 250 ml fresh pork blood
- 2 tbsp vinegar cane vinegar preferred
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 long green chillies siling haba
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cups pork stock or water
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
Instructions
- To begin, wash the pork and offal thoroughly. Drain well and cut into small cubes. Pat dry with kitchen paper to prevent excess moisture. Move on to sautéing the aromatics.
- In a heavy based pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until soft and translucent. Follow with minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Proceed to sear the pork.
- Add the pork cubes and offal to the pot. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is lightly browned on all sides. This step develops flavour for the stew. Transition to seasoning.
- Stir in the fish sauce and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the seasoning to coat the meat. Add a splash of stock to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Move to simmering.
- Pour in the rest of the pork stock, bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is tender. Prepare the blood mixture while simmering.
- In a bowl, mix the fresh pork blood with vinegar. Stir well to prevent clotting. This mixture will thicken the stew and create its signature flavour. Transition to adding it to the pot.
- Slowly pour the blood mixture into the simmering pot while stirring continuously. Keep stirring for a few minutes to ensure the blood blends smoothly without curdling. Proceed to adding chillies.
- Place the whole green chillies into the stew. Let the stew simmer gently for another 10–15 minutes until it thickens to a velvety consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
- Turn off the heat and let the Dinuguan rest for 5 minutes before serving. This allows flavours to meld. Prepare garnishes and accompaniments.
- Ladle Dinuguan into bowls and serve hot with steamed white rice or traditional puto (Filipino rice cakes). Garnish with additional sliced chillies for extra heat if desired.
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