FEATURED PRODUCT: Longganisa (Filipino-style Sausage)

Though not as varied as in Germany, almost every region in the Philippines has its version of longganisa. Also known as chorizo in the Visayas islands, longganisa or Filipino pork sausage is the king of a hearty Filipino breakfast. Longganisa has been a mainstay in the Filipino diet since the Spanish and Chinese introduced the meat preservation technique. Being die-hard pork lovers that they are, Filipinos have come up with many variations of longganisa that capture regional preferences. The long tradition of making longganisa has rounded up the country’s affinity for pork dishes and cultural taste for sweet and spicy in a long, freshly-made sausage. Two broad categories of longganisa reflect the duality in Filipinos’ taste profile: hamonado or jamonado are longganisa variants on the sweeter side; on the other hand, de Recado is spicy and garlicky. Filipino enjoy the hearty and savory longganisa with garlic fried rice, fried egg, and a condiment usually spiced vinegar or atchara (pickled unripe papaya).

In general, the abundance of local spices in longganisa appeal the most to the Filipino consumer. Homemade sausage-makers around the country constantly experiment on a combination of spices while sticking to the tradition of adding no preservatives or extenders. Strings of longganisa are always sold fresh in the wet market or along busy roads to attract motorists. The varieties of longganisa are often named after the place of origin. In places like Vigan or Lucban, annual longganisa festivals are celebrated and exhibited to promote their local pride from other longganisa variants. Below we give the breakdown of two of the most popular longganisa variants available at My Tindahan:

PAMPANGA LONGGANISA

The province of Pampanga, also known as the Culinary Capital of the Philippines, is the best-known mass producer of meat preserves in the country. Pampanga longganisa is sweet, tinted red, and often described as “skinless.” The ground pork, spices, and condiments (e.g., vinegar, ground pepper, garlic, sugar) are not held together by the usual casing made of pork intestine. This longganisa is commercially available in big supermarkets and grocery stores and, thus, one of the most popular variants. Locals of Pampanga boil their longganisa in a bit of water, poking the meat around so it would not hold air and burst. The water would eventually evaporate, rendering the fat of ground pork into an oil to cook the longganisa. Pampanga longganisa would come out browned and glazed due to the sugar.

My Tindahan offers Pampanga longganisa in sweet garlic, sweet hamonado, sweet and smokey, and spicy flavors. 

VIGAN LONGGANISA

The larger chunks of garlic in Vigan longganisa make this variant famous for its garlicky and fragrant flavor. Vigan longganisa is small, plump, and dried under the sun. It is sometimes likened to the Mexican chorizo because of the delicate balance of spicy, salty, and tangy flavors. Vigan longganisa is always, always served with Sukang Iloko, a native vinegar made from naturally fermented sugar canes, to complement the garlic-forward taste. This longganisa variant is also traditionally cooked in little water until fried on its rendered fat.

Photo credits: Pampanga longganisa from foxyfolksy.com, Vigan longganisa from angsarap.net