Tocino Burgers
It's no secret why this burger is the signature dish for Paolo Dungca and Tom Cunanan at Pogiboy in Washington, D.C. Who doesn't want a purple burger bun?! Enjoy the balance of richness from the pork and the acidic crunch from the achara, plus a creamy secret sauce that brings it all home. Each layer of this show-stopping burger is delicious on its own, but combined, they come together as one to create a craveable bite with just enough sweet to balance the savory.
Gallery
Recipe Summary
Two juicy, highly-seasoned tocino and pork patties, sandwiched in a bright purple ube bun with caramelized pineapple, crisp and acidic green papaya achara, and a creamy "secret sauce" add up to the Tocino Burger, the signature dish at Pogiboy in Washington, D.C.
The burger is inspired in part by the chori burger (aka chorizo burger) enjoyed in the Philippines and chef Paolo Dungca's memories of eating sautéed tocino with garlic rice for breakfast as a child. The sweet and slightly peppery pork belly is cured in spices and seasonings like soy sauce, anise wine, and annatto. When sautéed, it develops a beautiful, caramelized coating. Through incorporating tocino into the pork patties, "we wanted to bring that comfort and nostalgia to the burger," Dungca says. "Filipino food comes from the heart. This recipe is very personal to us because it brings so much comfort and joy for us to be able to share our heritage and cuisine with everyone. This makes us so proud to be Filipino chefs cooking Filipino food."
Ingredients
Directions
Notes
Associated Recipe: Ube Buns
Datu Puti vinegar, annatto oil, and banana ketchup are available at most Asian markets or on amazon.com.
Make Ahead
Green papaya achara and secret sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Tocino burger patty mixture can be combined and refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day before shaping into patties.