The Best Igado Recipe You’ll Ever Have

Treat your taste buds to this Igado recipe made with marinated pork liver, belly and heart simmered in a flavorful soy-pineapple juice mixture. This Filipino dish is interestingly delicious and best enjoyed with steaming rice for lunch or dinner. A delicious pork dish that comes ready in less than an hour! 

Eating animal liver, heart, intestines, and brain, to name a few, maybe frowned upon depending on culture, but Filipino cuisine isn’t shy about it.

In fact, it has become so embedded in our food scene that we often see them casually sold on skewers at street food stands. If that sounds like your kind of food, then read on. 

Today’s Igado will let you experience the exotic and exciting flavors of pork liver and heart and fatty pork belly. It’s rich and savory with a hint of sweetness and tanginess.

If you’re still on the fence when it comes to eating meat innards, you’d hardly guess that you’re eating one in this tasty dish. 

What is Igado?

This spiced pork liver dish originates from the Ilocos Region of the northern part of the Philippines. It gets its name from the Spanish word “higado” which translates to the liver.

As the name suggests, the star of this show is the pork liver. These are sliced into thinner pieces and are simmered with pork cuts and innards, carrots, potatoes, and green peas. Does that make your stomach rumble?

What is the Difference Between Menudo and Igado?

While some may associate this pork and liver dish with pork menudo due to some of its ingredients, they are actually much closer to adobo in taste and to the Kapampangan kilayin. 

Basically, the difference lies in the sauce it’s simmered in. Menudo is simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce, while Igado uses soy sauce-vinegar (and in this case, pineapple juice) sauce. Think of it instead as a cross between menudo and adobo. 

How to Prepare the Innards 

When it comes to dealing with meat innards, it’s a no-brainer to have those cleaned thoroughly before anything else. I usually clean the pig’s liver and heart with running water before slicing them.

If you happen to throw in some kidneys into the mix, make sure to soak them in water with salt for 10 minutes to offset the odor. 

And the most significant part: I marinated the pork innards (and belly) with soy sauce, pineapple juice, and garlic.

Even though this may seem like an additional step, it actually masks up a little bit of the funky taste of innards. It also tenderizes the meat in a very delicious way. 

Can I Leave Out the Liver and Heart?

It wouldn’t be Igado without its star ingredient, liver, right? On the other hand, if you don’t feel like adding pork heart, then, by all means, skip it and replace it with any pork cuts (like tenderloin, or belly), or even kidney instead. But do not make the mistake of omitting the liver.

What is Annatto Powder and Where Can I Get It?

Annatto powder comes from achiote seeds which are common in tropical countries. Its slight sweetness and peppery taste make it an excellent condiment for enhancing the flavor of dishes.

If you’re far from home, Asian, especially Filipino, Caribbean, and Spanish specialty stores carry this powder on their shelves.

You can also get it through online sites like amazon.com and other online specialty stores. But if you’re out of luck, worry not. You can always swap it with paprika, ground cumin, turmeric, or saffron.

What to Serve with Igado?

Igado is best enjoyed fresh off the stove over a plate of steaming white rice, of course. Wanna switch things up? Try serving some dinner rolls on the side to soak up all those sauces. Sarap!

How to Store Any Leftovers 

Since this Filipino pork stew uses vinegar, it’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for 3 months using a freezer-safe container.

If you’re into meal prepping, this one’s for you. Make it ahead of time, and store it away. When ready to serve, simply microwave or heat it in a saucepan on medium heat until completely reheated. 

Print Recipe

Best Igado Recipe

Today’s Igado will let you experience the exotic and exciting flavors of pork liver and heart and fatty pork belly. It’s rich and savory with a hint of sweetness and tanginess.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Filipino

Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

• 500 grams Pork belly
• 200 grams Pork liver
• 200 grams Pork heart
• 1 cup Pineapple juice
• 1 cup Soy sauce
• 10 cloves Garlic
• 2 pieces Potatoes
• 1 piece Carrot
• 1 piece Bell pepper
• 3 pieces Bay leaves
• 1 piece Onion
• 1 tsp Annato powder
• 1/2 cup Green peas
• 1 piece Green, red chilies
• 1 tbsp Vinegar

Instructions

• Slice the pork belly, pork liver, and the heart into strips
• Place all in a large container. Add the soy sauce, ground black pepper, crushed garlic, and the pineapple juice. Cover & set aside for 1 hour.
• Prepare the garlic, onion, bell pepper, chilies, carrots, and potatoes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Saute the garlic and onion. Add the bay leaves and the annatto powder. Stir to mix.
• Now we can add the marinated pork belly, pork liver, and the heart into the pan. Cover & sear for 10 minutes.
• Add the liquid from the marinade. Add potato, and carrot. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Now we can add the bell pepper, green peas, chilies, and vinegar. Cook for about 2 minutes.

Video

More Pork Recipes to Try

• Pork Liempo Bicol Express
• Kinamatisang Pork Belly
• Pork Belly Lechon Kawali

Cooking Tips

• Do not skip the marinating part so you won’t risk overcooking the liver and turning it tough and rubbery.
• Make sure to cut the pork liver, belly, and heart in uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
• If you don’t prefer the fattiness of pork belly, feel free to swap it with a leaner cut like a tenderloin, pork loin chops, or boneless pork loin roast.
• If by any chance you can’t get your hands on pork liver, you may swap it with chicken or beef liver. The last resort would be adding liver spread into the mix.
• Allow the vinegar to cook off by uncovering your pot while not stirring it for a minute or two.
• Do you want to be a little adventurous in the kitchen? Add some shredded cheese on top for added flavor.

Ready to get cooking? Don’t forget to watch the video above. Tara, kain tayo!

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