Pampanga Skinless Longanisa (Filipino Sweet Pork Sausage)

Have you ever eaten a traditional Filipino breakfast food called longanisa? If not, it’s time to give it a try!

Pampanga skinless longanisa is a sweet Filipino pork sausage with a beautiful red orange color. It is made from a combination of ground pork, sugar, and spices. The longanisa is very flavorful and goes perfectly with rice for breakfast or as a snack!

For this recipe we will be making a skinless longanisa, which is a popular way of serving it in the Philippines and is also suitable for making at home with ease.

Read on to learn how to make this delicious food at home!

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What is longanisa?

Longanisa (also spelled longganisa) is a type of sausage from the Philippines, derived from the Spanish “longaniza.” It is commonly made of pork and is usually boiled or grilled.

There are two main types of longanisa, which are “hamonado” and “de recado” — in some regions longanisa is also referred to as “chorizo.”

Hamonado longanisa is typically a sweet sausage, while de recado is a savory sausage. Both varieties are seasoned garlic and vinegar.

There are many regional versions of longanisa.

For example, longanisa from the Vigan City in the Ilocos province is a thick sausage made with generous amounts of garlic. In the Quezon province, the longanisa is seasoned with more European flavors such as oregano and paprika.

What makes Pampanga longanisa so special?

Pampanga longganisa is one of the most recognizable longanisa in terms of taste and presentation. It’s known for its beautiful deep red color, soft texture, and distinctly sweet aroma. It’s shape is longer and thinner than other sausages. It is a very popular flavor that you can find at most Asian markets here in the U.S.

Pampanga longanisa is a hamonado variety that is made with lean cuts of pork that are cured in a sweet and tangy marinade that includes vinegar, sugar, and spices like garlic and black pepper. It also contains annatto, which gives it a red or bright orange color, and a sweet, nutty, peppery flavor. The texture of the meat is quite silky and supple.

We decided to make Pampanga longanisa for a few reasons.

First, we wanted to use a longanisa flavor that you might be familiar with, given how popular it is in Filipino American restaurants and stores. Second, we wanted a recipe that could be easily replicated at home with minimal effort. Third, Noelle has family roots in Pampanga (considered the culinary capital of the Philippines), so she she wanted to pay them homage through the recipe.

What to eat with longanisa

Longanisa can be eaten in a variety of ways and at any meal of the day.

Longsilog is the name of the breakfast dish consisting of longanisa, garlic rice, and a fried egg. This is one of the most popular ways to enjoy longanisa for breakfast!

We also like the eat longanisa with pandesal, which is a Filipino bread roll. Have it with some butter and a coffee, and you’re good to go!

Our favorite sides to go with longanisa are atchara (pickled vegetables), vinegar, sinangang (garlic rice), fresh tomatoes, or steamed greens. There are many types of vinegars in Filipino cuisine, so we recommend you try experimenting with them to see which you like best.

How to shape skinless longanisa

Shaping the longanisa is easy and does not require any sausage casing. What you’ll need is a small food prep tray, wax paper or parchment paper, and a knife. All you have to do is fill the tray with ground pork, slice it into sausage pieces, then cover and leave it in the freezer for at least 2 hours. We will explain in more detail below.

There are other methods that individually shape and wrap each sausage, but those methods are more tedious. Some involve using plastic freezer bags, while others suggest using small pieces of wax paper.

We came up with our own method using materials that we had available in our home kitchen. Although this method doesn’t make for a perfectly shaped sausage, it is an easy alternative to individual shaping or using sausage casings. You can make multiple sausages at a time, saving you lots of time and effort!

We lined the tray with parchment paper and filled in our ground pork mixture. Then we flattened and gently pressed the meat into a large rectangular shape. Do not overwork the meat, just gently press them into shape. Then we used a knife to slice them into individual sausages and create some space between each piece.

Making sure to separate the sausages as much as possible, we then covered them with parchment paper and placed the tray in the freezer. Wax and parchment paper both help to preserve the shape of the sausage, as well as keep the moisture trapped inside the sausage while it freezes.

Freezing helps to firm up the meat and stop it from falling apart when you cook it. Freeze for at least 2 hours. It will be easier to remove from the tray if it is completely frozen. You can then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to one month.

How to store longanisa

Once you have shaped the longanisa, you can store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. Like store bought longanisa, you can cook them from frozen.

Big thanks to Weee! Grocery App for providing the ingredients for this recipe. We use their app to get fresh, high quality Asian groceries delivered right to our door! Their app makes grocery shopping seamless and convenient. We’ve been customers for many years, and we’re so happy that they have expanded their products to a cover a wide range of Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and other ingredients! Visit the Weee! Grocery App to learn more!

Troubleshooting: My skinless sausage is dry, how can I make it juicy?

Skinless sausage tend to be drier than those with casing because the casing acts as a barrier to keep the meat moist during cooking. However, it’s possible to cook skinless sausage so they are still juicy!

Here are a some tips:

First, don’t cook the sausages too long or they will dry out. Consider the size and thickness to determine how long to cook your sausage for. Thinner and smaller sausages will require shorter cooking times.

Second, steam the sausages before caramelizing the outer edges. To do this, add a little water to the pan and allow the steam to evaporate. This steam helps to thaw and cook the inside of the sausages while retaining as much moisture as possible.

Then use a high or med-high flame (depends on your stove and frying pan) to brown and caramelize the sausages. If you use a low flame, you risk drying out the sausage before it even starts to caramelize. If the flame is too high, it may burn on the outside while remaining undercooked inside.

This may take some practice, but you will eventually learn the trick of cooking the sausages until they are browned and still moist inside.

If you have more tips on skinless sausages, please share! Leave a comment below!

Ingredients

Pampanga Skinless Longanisa

• 1 lb ground pork
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1½ tbsp white cane vinegar
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp muscovado sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ⅓ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp achuete oil recipe provided

Achuete Oil

• 2 tbsp achuete (annatto) seeds
• ¼ cup vegetable oil

Recipe

Make achuete oil

1. Heat oil and seeds in a saucepan until bubbles start to form. Do not cook too long or it will burn the seeds. Turn off the heat and let the seeds steep for 2 minutes.

2. Strain the seeds out and let the oil cool down to room temp.

Prepare the ground pork mixture

1. Mix all longanisa ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight.

Shape into sausages

1. Line the tray with parchment paper and fill it in with ground pork. Do not overwork the meat.
2. Flatten and gently press the meat into a large rectangular shape.
3. Use a knife to slice them into individual sausages and create some space between each piece.
4. Cover with parchment paper and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Cook longanisa

1. Heat a frying pan to medium high heat. Add frozen sausages and water (about ¼ depth of sausages.) Steam until all the water evaporates.
2. Add cooking oil and cook until the sausages are nicely caramelized.

Final Thoughts

Try your hand at making traditional Filipino pork sausages at home with this easy recipe! It tastes just like the ones you buy from the store – only better because they are homemade!

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References & Further Reading

https://guidetothephilippines.ph/articles/ultimate-guides/longganisa-philippines-sausage-guide

https://www.pampangasbest.com/product/longaniza/#