Sizzling Pork Sisig is the “must-have” version of the local Filipino food, making it the bomb – tossed in a special sauce and served very crunchy in every bite.
I had wanted to eat Sisig since 2017 when Anthony Bourdain praised the sizzling, crispy pork dish as one that will ‘win the hearts and minds of the world.’
In the Food Court, SM City Manila, I saw the Sisig stall’s long queues, about 20 strong.
I was intrigued and remembered I had wanted to try this dish since Anthony Bourdain introduced it.
Contents
Sizzling Pork Sisig – ‘win the hearts and minds of the world.’
Sisig is a traditional Filipino dish from before the 17th century.
The crunchy pork dish, usually made from pig head and chicken liver, has always been interesting.
I remember my first taste of delicacies, like roasted pig’s tongue, which had a tender texture and intense flavor, and later, pig’s ear, which had a slight crunch in the middle.
I had roasted pork neck and pork cheeks, which I enjoyed.
I indulged in a pig brain omelet years ago without knowing its creamy
ingredient.
So, eating the rest of the pig’s head wasn’t repulsive to me.
Seriously, I have heard that Filipino food gets a bad rap!
I don’t know why others say that – but as for me, I’ve made excellent friends with two-star Filipino dishes – Lechon and Sisig!
After my Manila trip, I concluded that as Anthony Bourdain, Filipino food is about to become one of the trendiest cuisines.
Sizzling Pork, Sisig, and Lechon are the way to go in the Philippines.
The chopped Sizzling Pork Sisig dish and the Lechon are many first-timers’ gateway into Filipino cuisine flavors.
Traditional Filipino food has sour and bitter notes, uncommon to many palettes.
I wanted to spend all my time looking for and tasting pork dishes from whole hogs, smoked pork shoulders, and braised bellies.
Filipino Lechon—whole roast pig is the beautiful art of rotisserie swine cooking.
Filipino Lechon but not Sizzling Pork Sisig
The Lechon was the first Filipino dish I ever tasted.
My first taste was Lechon Liempo —Filipino roast pork belly.
I had this at a Food Court of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
The best part of the Lechon is the beautifully flavored pork belly. It is delicious, aromatic, and with the crispiest crackling!
Even so, it was a very tasty Lechon Liempo with the pork belly rolled up into a pretty cylinder and roasted on the spitfire.
The Lechon Liempo browned and blistered beautifully to finish the skin to a perfect crackle with cooked meat.
The taste – juicy, flavorful belly meat and the salty, crunchy rind was delicious.
The roll had fatty, luscious belly meat and fat that dominated.
Lechon Liempo —Filipino roast pork belly. Image: Doris Lim
What is your favorite? Lechon or Sisig?
One of the best things to live life for and eat – is pork crackling with melty pork fat still attached, adding a burst of flavor and juiciness to the skin.
I swear this was the best pork belly I’ve ever eaten.
I used to think decadent pork belly was reserved for the lofty restaurants
and not something I could find in a food court.
The skin was salty, the meat tender and juicy, bursting with the delicious but straightforward garlic flavor.
The vinegar dip with a Lechon makes the experience well-rounded and complete.
The BBQ sauce dip was great.
But I figured the Bagoong Sauce made from fermented minute shrimp or krill would take this dish up several notches.
Bagoong Sauce is made from fermented minute shrimp or krill.
Back to Sizzling Pork Sisig
Liza Paipro and Myrna Espiritu-Sugay wanted to save me from the onslaught of Filipino food trucks and Sisig shops.
“We just take you to the best,” quipped Liza.
“Dory, you come to meet us in Quezon City. We have dinner when MS comes over, okay?”
Here are a few things the unaccustomed eater should know about Sisig.
Sizzling Pork Sisig at Giligan’s Restaurant.
What is in Sisig? For that matter, Sizzling Pork Sisig!
“Traditionally, Sisig takes all the good parts from a pig’s head,” Liza started.
“Yes, this is a proper description, Liza,” I concurred laughingly.
Specifically, the cheeks, snout, and ears – along with the liver and belly, simmer in water.
After that, they’re chopped into small pieces and fried.
The mixture is spiced with chili peppers and calamansi or lime if you can’t find it in Malaysia.
Oh, you have this, Dory?
Yes, good, finally, you mixed everything with egg, onion, and sometimes mayo.”
We can do this at home, so there’s no problem.
But this is a dish we Filipinos like to eat outside – Giligans Sizzling Pork Sisig is something you want to take with Filipino beer.
“San Miguel?” I volunteered.
It’s the only brand I’ve heard of.
Yes, there are lots of other brands, too.
Nothing tastes better than spicy hot crunchy sizzling Sisig and ice cold beer.
Where can you get Sisig to eat it?
Just about everywhere in the Philippines.
How many Types of Sisig can you get?
Sisig is one of the most delightful Filipino dishes you can have anytime!
While you can’t go wrong with a typical sizzling plate of Sisig, this pork dish has evolved throughout the years, resulting in different mouthwatering sisig-based recipes found all over the country.
In any case, a Sisig dish can be enjoyed throughout the Philippines.
There are a few varieties, and the best three Types of Sisig are:
Traditional Sisig Kapampangan
Sisig is a Kapampangan dish made from pig head and chicken liver parts.
Authentic Kapampangan Sisig uses simple ingredients – grilled pork cheeks and chicken livers, onions, salt, pepper, calamansi juice, and red chili peppers.
There is no mayonnaise or eggs mixed in the Sisig.
There are numerous reinventions and variations from this basic best-seller recipe.
Traditional Sisig Kapampangan
When you visit any restaurant in the metro and provinces, you can find many variants, but nothing beats the classic.
Dinakdakan Sisig
Dinakdakan is an Ilocano delicacy made with grilled pork parts such as the face, ears, liver, and tongue.
The charred meats are chopped into small pieces and tossed in a tangy calamansi or vinegar dressing with minced ginger, red onions, and chili peppers.
Stir in Mashed pig brain is stirred in to add creaminess.
Some restaurants use mayonnaise as a substitute for the pig brain.
Filipino Food Aficionados say that this compromise makes a difference in the authenticity of taste.
However, both versions are very delicious in their own right, though.
Dinakdakan Sisig. Credit: kawalingpinoy
Bicolandia’s Kandingga Sisig
If you like Bopis (pork or beef lungs) and spicy food, then the dish is for you.
Kandingga is the Bicolanos’ way of preparing Sisig, made with pork offal cooked in vinegar and coconut milk and spiced with chilies.
- heart
- lungs, spleen
- innards
Like most Bicolano dishes, this Sisig is hot and creamy from coconut cream.
Bicolandia’s Kandingga Sisig. Credit: tasteatla
How to eat Sisig?
I will never forget the first time I had Sisig.
Liza and MS brought me to Giligan’s Restaurant – Fairview Terraces, Quezon City, Philippines.
I was hooked after Liza’s description and the general smoky smells of Gilligan’s Restaurant and other people’s Sisig passing by.
I could smell the porky aroma, wafting about with the hot swirls of fragrant smoke, before the dish reached me, even before the plate was put down on the table.
Liza saved me from nearly burning my fingers when I tried to pick up the halved calamansi from the sizzling hot plate.
She made the satisfying squeeze; the zesty juice was all over the delicious diced-up meat.
There’s no doubt about it; there’s nothing quite like an enjoyable meal as Sisig.
The only thing better than a Sisig dish is the company of Filipino sisters!
I love the crunchy Sizzling Pork Sisig more than other famous Filipino food I’ve tried.
Gilligan’s Sizzling Pork Sisig. Image: Giligan’s Restaurant
Gilligan’s Sizzling Pork Sisig Review
Sizzling Pork Sisig, sometimes called Spicy Sisig, or even Sisig, is a Filipino dish with cooked meat (often leftovers from Lechon – whole roast suckling pig) raw pork.
If using raw meat, it’s usually boiled, grilled, or pan-fried to crisp up the pieces before being chopped.
The best Sisig has many textures from the pig’s head: lots of fat and skin, some meat, and a nice crunch.
I heard some recipes use poached pig brains, giving the Sisig a creamy texture! Most, however, substitute chicken livers.
The best way to eat it is directly off a sizzling hot plate. Liza told me that we could chill it for about a week or freeze it for more extended storage.
Reheated Sizzling Pork Sisig can be served warm on corn tortillas. Sisig tacos are delicious with chicharrones (fried pork cracklings).
A “must eat” is Giligan’s version of the local favorite tossed in a special sauce and served very crunchy in every bite.
The crispy pork Sisig at Giligan’s is fantastic.
The menu prices are reasonable, and there is a bottomless drinks menu to choose from if you like.
Have you tried Filipino food yet? Look no further; you can try them at Giligan’s or any food court in the SM Malls!
Source: Sisig, the Filipino Dish Anthony Bourdain Says Will Win Your Heart
