Filipino pork menudo is a tomato-based pork stew with potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, and raisins - one of the most common dishes at Filipino gatherings and one of the best weeknight stews you can make with affordable ingredients. The pork marinates briefly in calamansi and soy sauce before going into the pot, which builds the flavor base for the whole sauce. It takes about an hour, reheats perfectly, and tastes significantly better on day two.
It's a staple at Filipino celebrations alongside chicken bistek, pata humba, Filipino guisantes, and chicken asado - the kind of spread that shows up at every birthday and fiesta table.
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What is Filipino Pork Menudo?
Menudo comes from the Spanish word for "small bits" — a nod to the uniform, bite-sized pieces the dish is known for. Brought to the Philippines during Spanish colonization, Filipino cooks made it their own with soy sauce, fish sauce, calamansi, and sweet additions like raisins that have become signatures of the local version.
It's a staple at birthdays, fiestas, and family gatherings across the Philippines. Every household has their own spin -some add liver, hot dogs, or garbanzo beans but the heart of the dish is always the same: tender pork in a rich tomato sauce with potatoes and carrots.
Filipino Menudo vs Mexican Menudo
Filipino Menudo is a pork stew with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers in a rich tomato sauce. Mexican Menudo is a soup made with tripe, hominy, and a spicy red chili broth.
The Filipino version is hearty and sweet-savory, while the Mexican version is spicy and served with lime. Filipino Menudo is perfect with rice, while Mexican Menudo pairs well with tortillas.
Both are comfort foods, but they’re worlds apart in flavor and style.
What is Menudo-Cut?
I remember my mom would always tell the butcher 'menudo-cut'! Menudo cut is like your personal pork stylist, ensuring perfectly sized cubes that cook evenly and melt-in-your-mouth in every bite. Here's why cubing is ideal for menudo:
- Smaller cubes have more surface area, meaning they soak up the glorious tomato-based sauce like sponges, resulting in a flavor explosion with every piece.
- Uniform cubes cook at the same rate, preventing undercooked centers or overly dry edges.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Pork shoulder or pork belly- Shoulder (kasim) gives you meatier, leaner pieces that hold their shape well during the long simmer.
- Calamansi or lemon juice - for the marinade. Calamansi is the traditional choice and gives a more distinctly Filipino flavor - it's smaller, slightly sweeter, and less astringent than lemon. Find it at Filipino or Asian grocery stores. Lemon is a fine substitute.
- Soy sauce - goes into the marinade and forms the flavor backbone of the sauce. Reserve the marinade after the pork comes out and add it to the pot - all that calamansi and soy sauce is too good to discard.
- Tomato paste and fresh tomatoes - tomato paste adds depth and helps thicken the sauce; fresh tomatoes add brightness and natural acidity. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, canned diced tomatoes work.
- Tomato sauce - the liquid base of the stew. Use a plain tomato sauce rather than a seasoned pasta sauce for better control over the final flavor.
- Potatoes - Yukon Gold or any waxy potato holds its shape better than russet during the long simmer. Cut the same size as the pork.
- Carrots - cut the same size as the potatoes so they finish at the same time.
- Bell peppers - red and green both, for color and sweetness. Add in the last few minutes so they stay slightly crisp rather than going limp.
- Raisins - the sweetness that balances the salty soy sauce and the acidity of the tomatoes. Same principle as in Filipino picadillo - a Spanish colonial influence that stayed and that makes the dish taste like itself rather than just a generic pork stew.
- Oyster sauce - adds umami depth and a touch of sweetness to the sauce.
- Bay leaves (laurel) - the earthy, slightly herbal aroma that's present in the background of almost every Filipino braise.
- Sugar - a small amount to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Garlic and onion - the aromatic base.
Substitution and Addition
- Chicken- Swap pork for chicken for a lighter version.
- Filipino red hot dogs - another traditional party menudo addition. Sliced into rounds and added with the vegetables, they add a smoky, slightly sweet element. Find them at Filipino or Asian grocery stores. Vienna sausage is a similar substitute.
- Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) - a traditional addition for party or special occasion menudo. A can of drained chickpeas added with the potatoes and carrots adds heartiness and a slightly nutty flavor that works well with the tomato sauce.
- Chorizo- Add for a smoky, spicy kick.
- Pineapple:-Add chunks for a tropical sweet and sour flavor.
How to Make Filipino Pork Menudo
- Marinate the pork. Combine the pork pieces with calamansi or lemon juice and soy sauce in a bowl. Toss to coat and let sit for at least 30 minutes - up to a few hours if you have time. The acid tenderizes the meat slightly and the soy sauce starts building the flavor base. Don't discard the marinade when you're done - reserve it to add to the pot.
- Brown the pork. Heat oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade (reserve the liquid) and sear in batches until browned on the outside, about 3-4 minutes per side. Don't crowd the pan or the pork will steam rather than sear. Set the browned pork aside. The brown bits left in the pan are flavor - don't wash them out.
- Sauté aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, cook the garlic until golden, about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until it darkens slightly. This cooks off the raw tomato flavor and deepens the color and richness of the final sauce.
- Build the sauce. Add the fresh tomatoes and cook until they soften and begin to break down, 3-4 minutes. Return the browned pork to the pot. Pour in the reserved marinade, tomato sauce, and enough water to just cover the pork. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface.
- Simmer the pork. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the pork is tender. Check every 15 minutes and add a splash of water if the liquid is reducing too quickly. The pork is ready when it yields easily to a fork but still holds its shape.
- Add the vegetables. Add the potatoes, carrots, raisins, and hot dogs if using. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Add liver (if using). Add the pre-sautéed liver pieces and cook for just 5-7 minutes. No longer - overcooked liver turns tough and grainy.
- Finish the sauce. Add oyster sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir in the bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes - just enough to soften them slightly while keeping some texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Check the consistency. The finished menudo should have a thick, rich sauce that coats the meat and vegetables - not thin or watery. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes to reduce. If you skipped the liver, mash a few potato pieces against the side of the pot to help thicken naturally.
- Serve. Remove bay leaves. Serve hot over steamed white rice.
Variations
- Chicken menudo - replace pork with bone-in chicken thighs for a lighter version. Reduce simmering time to 25-30 minutes. The sauce and vegetables stay the same.
- Beef menudo - use beef chuck or stew meat for a richer, more substantial version. Increase simmering time to 60-90 minutes until the beef is fully tender.
- Menudo with hard-boiled eggs - add halved hard-boiled eggs in the last few minutes of cooking. Common in some household versions and makes the dish more filling.
- Menudo with chorizo - add sliced Filipino-style chorizo (chorizo de Bilbao or chorizo Macau) with the vegetables. Adds a smoky, slightly spiced dimension.
- Sweet menudo - add pineapple chunks in the last few minutes for a tropical sweet-sour flavor that works surprisingly well against the savory sauce.
- Spicy menudo - add sliced siling labuyo or bird's eye chili with the aromatics, or stir in chili flakes at the end.
- No-liver menudo - skip the liver entirely and mash a few potato pieces against the pot wall to thicken the sauce. Slightly less complex but still completely delicious.
What to Serve with Pork Menudo
- Steamed Rice: A classic pairing that soaks up the delicious tomato sauce, making every bite flavorful.
- Garlic Fried Rice: Add more savoriness to your meal with garlic-infused fried rice, a perfect match for the rich menudo.
- Classic Pandesal: Soft and fluffy Filipino bread rolls are ideal for dipping into the sauce or enjoying as a side.
- Atchara: The sweet and tangy pickled papaya side dish cuts through the richness of the menudo and offers a refreshing contrast.
Rose's Tips
- Reserve the marinade. Don't pour it out after removing the pork. Add it to the pot with the tomato sauce - it carries the calamansi and soy sauce flavor that the whole dish is built around.
- Aim for thick sauce, not soupy. Menudo should finish with a rich, thick gravy that coats the meat rather than a watery broth. Simmer uncovered at the end if you need to reduce it. If you accidentally over-reduce, add a splash of water.
- Cut everything the same size. Uniform pieces - pork, potatoes, carrots - cook evenly and look better on the plate. The menudo cut principle applies to all the vegetables too, not just the meat.
- Bell peppers go in at the end. Two to three minutes is enough. They should be slightly softened but still hold their shape and color.
- This tastes better the next day. Like adobo, caldereta, and picadillo, menudo improves significantly after a night in the fridge. The pork absorbs more sauce, the flavors deepen and meld, and the sauce thickens further. If you're making it for a gathering, the day before is ideal. Riverten Kitchen and Asian Cooking 101 both call this the secret to the best menudo.
- Don't rush the pork simmer. Forty-five minutes at medium-low is what transforms pork shoulder from chewy to tender. High heat makes it tough. Keep the lid on and be patient.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce thickens further as it chills - add a small splash of water when reheating and stir gently over medium-low heat.
Menudo freezes well for up to 2 months. The potatoes will be slightly softer after freezing but the overall dish holds well. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly on the stove.
Recipe FAQs
Traditional Filipino pork menudo does include pork liver - it adds savory depth and helps thicken the sauce. This recipe skips it to make the dish more accessible, but you can add it. Cube it the same size as the pork, sauté briefly in ginger and garlic first to reduce gaminess, then add to the stew in the last 5-7 minutes only. See the liver section above for full guidance.
Completely different dishes. Mexican menudo is a tripe and hominy soup in spicy red chili broth. Filipino menudo is a sweet-savory pork stew in tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots, and raisins. They share a Spanish name and nothing else.
Pork shoulder (kasim) for leaner, meatier texture. Pork belly (liempo) for richness. Combining both - about 60% shoulder and 40% belly - gives the best result. Avoid lean loin cuts which dry out during the long simmer.
Uniform 1 to 1.5-inch cubes, cut the same size so everything cooks evenly. When you ask a Filipino butcher for "menudo cut," this is what you'll get.
Calamansi (or lemon) acid slightly tenderizes the meat and adds a citrusy brightness that stays in the background of the finished sauce. The marinade liquid is then reserved and added to the pot - don't discard it.
Yes, and it's better for it. Menudo improves significantly overnight as the flavors deepen. Make it the day before, refrigerate, and reheat gently before serving. It's one of the best make-ahead Filipino dishes for gatherings.
More Pork Recipes
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Easy Filipino Pork Menudo
Equipment
- 1 medium pot or sauce pan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
- 1 medium onion, choped
- 1 ½ pound pork shoulder, butt or belly (with less fat) cubed, "menudo cut"
- 2 tablespoon calamansi/ lemon juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 medium tomato, diced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 pieces bay/ aurel leaves
- 2 medium potato, cubed
- ½ cup red bell pepper cubed
- ½ cup green bell pepper cubed
- 1 cup carrots, cubed
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup raisins (optional)
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put pork, lemon juice/calamansi juice and soy sauce on a bowl and marinade for at least 30 minutes.2 tablespoon calamansi/ lemon juice, ¼ cup soy sauce
- Heat some oil in your pot and toss in those chopped potatoes. Fry them until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside, then set them aside for later. Do the same for the carrots.2 tablespoon cooking oil, 2 medium potato, cubed, 1 cup carrots, cubed
- Sauté garlic and onion them until they turn slightly golden and release their delicious aroma.1 tablespoon garlic, crushed, 1 medium onion, choped
- Add your cubed pork and brown it all over on high heat. T1 ½ pound pork shoulder, butt or belly (with less fat)
- Add fresh tomatoes, chopped or mashed, along with some tomato paste and oyster sauce for extra richness. Toss in bay/laurel leaves, salt, pepper, and a touch of sugar to balance the acidity. Now simmer, simmer, simmer, letting the sauce work its magic.2 medium tomato, diced, ¼ cup tomato paste, 2 pieces bay/ aurel leaves, ¼ cup oyster sauce, salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar
- Add the bell peppers, carrots, potatoes and raisins.½ cup red bell pepper cubed, ½ cup green bell pepper cubed, ¼ cup raisins, 2 medium potato, cubed
- Simmer for a few more minutes, until the veggies are tender but still have a satisfying crunch.
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Notes
- Don't skip the marinade — at least 30 minutes in soy sauce and calamansi makes a big difference in flavor
- Fry the potatoes first until golden brown before adding them back in — this keeps them from getting too soft in the stew
- Brown the pork on high heat before simmering to lock in flavor and get a nice color
- Cut all vegetables into uniform, bite-sized cubes (the "menudo cut") so everything cooks evenly
- If the sauce gets too thick while simmering, just add a little water to loosen it up
- Simmer on low heat for tender, juicy pork — don't rush this step
- This dish tastes even better the next day! The flavors deepen and meld beautifully overnight in the fridge
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Freeze for up to 2 months; reheat gently on the stovetop to preserve the rich flavors
- Best served hot over steamed white rice or garlic fried rice
- Pair with atchara (pickled papaya) for a tangy, refreshing contrast
