Pata Hamonado with fork-tender pork leg and a sweet and savory pineapple sauce is sure to be a family favorite. Serve with steamed rice for the ultimate comfort food!
I first published this pata hamonado in 2014 and am updating it today with new photos and tips. If you prefer pork belly instead of pork leg, check out this pork hamonado version. The procedure is the same; the only change would be the cooking time, as we’re using a different cut of meat.
What is Hamonado
Hamonado refers to a type of Filipino cooking where meat is marinated or cooked with pineapple. Fatty pork, chicken, or beef cuts are first seared in hot oil until lightly browned and then braised in pineapple juice along with soy sauce, brown sugar, and aromatics such as onions, garlic, and peppercorns to round off flavors.
Other regional versions of the dish may also include tomato sauce, banana ketchup, raisins, carrots, and/or hot dogs.
Ingredient notes
- Pork– you can use whole pork leg for better presentation, but to speed up cooking time, I suggest having the butcher cut the meat into about 2-inch thickness.
- Pineapples– as the liquid in the can is what’s used to braise the meat, make sure the pineapple chunks are packed in juice and not heavy syrup, which is too sweet and lacks the sour notes needed to balance the sweet and salty flavors.
- Vinegar– add about ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar to boost the tanginess of the pineapple juice; let boil uncovered and without stirring to mellow out the acid taste. You can substitute palm vinegar.
- Sugar– preferably use brown sugar, and not white, as it has a slightly less concentrated sweetness and contains molasses, enhancing the hamonado sauce’s rich flavor.
Serving suggestions
Give this hamonado recipe a try for dinner tonight. It’s not exactly waist-friendly, what with its thick caps of pork skin and fat but that rich sweet, tangy, and savory sauce alone drizzled on piping-hot steamed rice is worth the fat pants.
Serve with steamed rice for a hearty and delicious meal that’s sure to hit the spot!
Storage and reheating instructions
- Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Due to high collagen from the pork skin, the sauce will congeal when cold.
- Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat to 165 F or microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals, stirring well between intervals to distribute heat.
