Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 13 Comments

RECIPE PRINT

4.94 from 15 votes

Pin It

Delicious braised pork belly with savory-sweet soy-vinegar sauce with a distinguishing taste of tausi cooked until tender. Pork Humba is another Filipino dish to try!

Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (1)

  • What is Pork Humba?
  • What is in Humba?
  • Printable Recipe
  • Pork Humba

What is Pork Humba?

Humba is a Filipino braised pork dish that is very popular in the Visayan and southern regions. Said to be a derivative of the Chinese Hong-ba (also Hong-Shao-Rou or Red Braised Pork Belly). It is believed that it was introduced by Chinese immigrants and was adaptedby our Visaya folks. They replaced some of the ingredients like Shaoxing wine and five-spices with what is more easily found locally. Ginger is also omitted and instead, tausi is used.

Like any others, there are different manners of cooking this dish. Some people would marinate the meat first before searing. Others would skip the searing part entirely.

Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2)

Adobo Vs. Humba

Humba or sometimes homba is usually likened to the Adobo. They are both cooked with soy sauce and vinegar. Humba, however, has a mildly sweet take from the addition of brown or muscovado sugar and/or pineapple.

Another difference is the way they are cooked. Unlike Adobo, that you just put together and simmer until sauce thickens, Humba is cooked using the braising technique. The pork belly which usually has a good amount of fats is first seared to render the fats. It will then be simmered in liquids and spices.

Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (3)

What is in Humba?

Meat- It is normally made with pork and the most common cut used is the belly or liempo. Pork leg, hocks, and sometimes shoulder are also used. Hard-boiled eggs are also sometimes added.

Braising liquid- Soy sauce, vinegar, and water are used for braising the meat. Pineapple juice is also sometimes added while some use soda (Sprite or 7-up).

Spices- Like Adobo, it also has bay leaves, peppercorn, garlic, and onions. Another thing that sets them apart is the added tausi (fermented black beans), which is a must ingredient. Banana blossoms are also added optionally so as pineapple bits.

Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (4)

Printable Recipe

Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (5)

Print Review

Pork Humba

4.94 from 15 votes

A Filipino braised pork belly dish with sweet-savory soy-vinegar sauce. Made more flavorful by adding black fermented beans (tausi) and banana blossoms.

Course :Main Course

Servings =4

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 tablspoons oil
  • 1.5 pounds pork belly - cut into 1x2-inch sizes -see NOTE 1
  • 4 cloves garlic -minced
  • 1 medium red onion - chopped
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • 2 cups water - add more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon peppercorn
  • 2 pieces bay leaves
  • ¼ cup dried banana blossoms (optional)
  • ¼ cup fermented black beans (tausi) - see NOTE 2
  • ½ cup pineapple tidbits - liquids included (optional)
  • 3 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sear pork belly until lightly browned and fats are rendered. Set fried pork aside. Remove excess oil from the pot and leave just about 2 tablespoons.

  • In the same pot, saute garlic until golden and aromatic. Add back the pork belly and stir.

  • Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 40-50 minutes or until pork is tender. Add more water if needed until meat is fork-tender.

  • Remove the cover and continue to simmer until liquid is reduced to a thick sauce.

  • Transfer to a serving dish and serve with plain rice.

Notes

  • NOTE 1 : If pork belly has a lot of fat, separate the fatty part from the leaner part. Sear the fatty part first to render the fats. Sear the leaner meat for shorter time so it will not dry up and become chewy.
  • NOTE 2: If using dried fermented black beans, soak it a bit and rinse before adding as it may be too salty. If using the canned ones with liquid, drain the liquid.

Nutrition

Calories: 1013kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 23gFat: 93gSaturated Fat: 33gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1469mgPotassium: 561mgFiber: 4gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 75IUVitamin C: 6.5mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 10.4mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

More Pork Recipes

  • Lechon Paksiw
  • Sweet and Sour Pork
  • Nilagang Baboy
  • Menchi Katsu

Latest Recipes

Ginisang Togue

Binignit

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Sinangag

Palitaw sa Latik

Peri-Peri Chicken

Lechon Paksiw

Reader Interactions

Comments

    What do you think?

  1. Georgia says

    Hi there, what kind of vinegar is required for this recipe??

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      We normally use cane vinegar but you could use any.

      Reply

  2. Ivy says

    Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (18)
    Made this today and absolutely the best humba recipe I've tried. A plus, thank you for sharing.

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Awww...thank you for the awesome review, Ivy!

      Reply

  3. Pepito Siaton says

    Very good Bisaya ang lasa. Ok ko ko

    Reply

  4. KuyaKen says

    Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (19)
    Excellent recipe! I used pineapple juice since I didn't have have the canned fruit. Next time I will swap one cup of water for another cup of pineapple juice. When I doubled the recipe I used one full can of fermented black beans which was about 1/2 a cup. Salamat po!

    Reply

  5. Amadeo says

    Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (20)
    Yummy recipe. Hope taste delicious too without banana
    blossoms and tausi (fermented black beans). Not available here.

    Reply

  6. Nik says

    Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (21)
    Sarap! Parang Adobo pero with a twist! Thanks for the Recipe! 🙂

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Glad you like it, Nik.

      Reply

  7. May says

    Wanna try all your recipes as possible. Thank you

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Go! go! go! Hope you like them all 😊.

      Reply

  8. John says

    Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (22)
    Love it having more tonight

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Thanks, for the stars John! Stay safe and well.

      Reply

Authentic Visayan Pork Humba Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between pork adobo and humba? ›

Although the two dishes resembles in terms of appearance, Humba is sweet, sour, and salty all at once in taste while Adobo is sour and salty. Humba uses all the basic ingredients of Adobo with the addition of brown sugar, salted black beans (tausi), and banana blossoms.

What is the origin of Humba dish? ›

Historians believe its origins trace back to hong ba, or hong shao rou, meaning “red-cooked pork”: big slices of pork belly stewed in soy sauce, sugar, and spices. Chinese traders brought the dish to Visayas, which Filipino cooks then adapted to their own ingredients and tastes.

What is a humba in Western Visayas? ›

Humbà, also spelled hombà, is a Filipino braised pork dish from Visayas, Philippines. It traditionally uses pork belly slow-cooked until very tender in soy sauce, vinegar, black peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, and fermented black beans (tausi) sweetened with muscovado sugar.

What part of the meat is used in the Humba? ›

What is in Humba? Meat- It is normally made with pork and the most common cut used is the belly or liempo. Pork leg, hocks, and sometimes shoulder are also used.

What is the English of humba? ›

Humba (homba), which literally translates to tender (hum) pork (ba), is a Visayan braised pork dish similar to the classic adobo. It's said to have originated from the Chinese hong-bah/hong-mah, a red braised pork belly dish brought to the Visayas islands by Hokkien traders.

What is the difference between Estofado and humba? ›

Estofado is a Filipino-Spanish dish featuring pork or chicken stewed in a tomato-based sauce with potatoes and carrots, while Humba is a traditional Filipino dish with Chinese influences, showcasing pork belly or hock cooked in a sweet and savory sauce often containing pineapple juice and fermented black beans, ...

Is Humba and adobo the same thing? ›

but the key difference between these two dishes is in. its sauce — adobo tastes saltier while humba tastes. sweeter.

What is the difference between Patatim and Humba? ›

Pata tim is soupy. The humba is really a braised dish. Since this is the way it's cooked, the humba is usually left with a small amount of sauce at the end of cooking that is naturally thickened because of the gelatin in the pork skin. The pata tim is more soupy in its final presentation.

What is adobo in English? ›

The word adobo is derived from the Spanish word adobar, which means “marinade” or “pickling sauce.” The existence of the tangy dish was first recorded in 1613 by the Spaniard Pedro de San Buenaventura.

Where is pork Humba originated? ›

Origin of humba

This meal was made famous on the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines. Some accounts say that the dish originated from the Visayas. Others say that Fujian Chinese settlers were the masterminds behind this delicacy and that the dish originates from Chinese red braised pork belly.

What are Visayans called? ›

Visayans (Visayan: mga Bisaya; local pronunciation: [bisaˈjaʔ]) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic family group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao.

Where do Visayans come from? ›

The major islands of the Visayas are Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Samar. The region may also include the provinces of Palawan, Romblon, and Masbate whose populations identify as Visayan and whose languages are more closely related to other Visayan languages than to the major languages of Luzon.

What is the Philippines favorite meat? ›

It is not a secret that we Pinoys love our meat. Most, if not all, restaurants in our country offer a variety of pork dishes. Some of the favorite pork dishes of Pinoys are Lechon, Sisig, and Pork Barbeque.

What goes well with Humba? ›

This is best with some warm rice. And you could pour your stew that comes with our heavenly braised pork dish over this side dish. Convinced by the wonders of Humba? Perhaps you should try these recipes that don't stray too far from this dish.

Can you eat pork offal? ›

Offal is the collective name for the internal parts of an animal we eat. Usually, parts of the pig which would be referred to as offal include the heart, lungs, brain, liver, cheeks and tongue. Offal is often very economical to buy, easy to cook with and can have impressive nutritional value.

Is humba and adobo the same thing? ›

but the key difference between these two dishes is in. its sauce — adobo tastes saltier while humba tastes. sweeter.

What are the 2 versions of adobo? ›

  • Chicken adobo and pork adobo are two popular variations of adobo, a traditional Filipino dish that is made by braising meat in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices.
  • The main difference between chicken and pork adobo is, of course, the type of meat used.
May 9, 2020

What is the other term for pork adobo? ›

Based on the main ingredients, the most common adobo types are adobong manók, in which chicken is used, and adobong baboy, in which pork is used.

Is Filipino adobo the same as Mexican adobo? ›

Filipino Adobo is an indigenous dish that received a Spanish name because it reminded the Spaniards of how they marinated and preserved meat with spices. They are not the same, but they are similar because each culture needed to preserve and flavor food so it wouldn't rot.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Greg Kuvalis

Last Updated:

Views: 6674

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg Kuvalis

Birthday: 1996-12-20

Address: 53157 Trantow Inlet, Townemouth, FL 92564-0267

Phone: +68218650356656

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Knitting, Amateur radio, Skiing, Running, Mountain biking, Slacklining, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.