Inafoong

Name: Inafoong
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 500.0 g Ground pork (with some fat for juiciness); 2.0 pcs Large eggs, beaten; 1.0 pcs Yellow onion, finely chopped; 5.0 pcs Garlic cloves, minced; 30.0 ml Soy sauce; 15.0 ml Fish sauce; 60.0 g Crushed breadcrumbs or pandesal (crusts removed); 2.0 g Black pepper, freshly ground; 100.0 g Carrots, finely diced; 80.0 g Bell pepper (red or green), finely diced; 50.0 ml Cooking oil for frying; 120.0 ml Ketchup; 60.0 ml White vinegar; 30.0 g Brown sugar; 100.0 ml Water

Inafoong is the Ilonggo answer to meatloaf, and it's something you'd find at fiestas and family gatherings across the Western Visayas. It's made from ground pork seasoned with soy sauce and garlic, then fried until crispy on the outside and juicy inside. After frying, it's sliced into thick pieces and smothered in a tangy, slightly sweet sauce made from the pork drippings, ketchup, and vinegar. Think of it as a Filipino pork loaf with its own sauce—

Prep: 20 min Cook: 25 min 4 servings From Iloilo

Ingredients

Servings:

2 4 6 8 10

500 g Ground pork (with some fat for juiciness)
2 pcs Large eggs, beaten
1 pcs Yellow onion, finely chopped
5 pcs Garlic cloves, minced
30 ml Soy sauce
15 ml Fish sauce
60 g Crushed breadcrumbs or pandesal (crusts removed)
2 g Black pepper, freshly ground
100 g Carrots, finely diced
80 g Bell pepper (red or green), finely diced
50 ml Cooking oil for frying
120 ml Ketchup
60 ml White vinegar
30 g Brown sugar
100 ml Water

Nutrition per serving

Calories 480

Protein 32.0g

Fat 28.0g

Carbs 20.0g

Fiber 3.0g

Sugar 10.0g

Sodium 900mg

Per serving (4 servings). Values are estimates.

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, beaten eggs, chopped onion, minced garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, breadcrumbs, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands until the mixture comes together nicely and feels slightly sticky. Add the diced carrots and bell pepper and fold them in gently—you want those colorful bits distributed throughout.
Take the meat mixture and shape it into a thick oval or rectangular loaf, about 3 centimeters thick. Press it down firmly so it holds its shape, but don't pack it too tightly or it'll be dense. Set it aside while you heat up a large skillet or frying pan.
Heat the cooking oil in the skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the meatloaf in the pan. Fry each side for about 6 to 8 minutes, turning it once or twice, until all sides are deep golden brown and the center reaches a safe internal temperature. Don't rush this step—the crust is what gives inafoong its characteristic texture.
Remove the cooked meatloaf from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. This is important—rushing to slice a hot meatloaf will make it fall apart. Pour out most of the oil from the pan, leaving about a tablespoon of the flavorful drippings.
In the same pan with the drippings, add the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, and water. Stir well over medium heat and let the sauce bubble and thicken for about 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust—the sauce should be tangy with a hint of sweetness, like a Filipino ketchup-vinegar balance.
Slice the rested meatloaf into thick pieces, about 2 centimeters each. Arrange the slices on a serving plate and generously ladle the warm sauce over the top. Inafoong is best served warm with steamed rice—the sauce is practically begging to be absorbed into every grain.

About UlamDaily

UlamDaily is your go-to resource for authentic Filipino recipes. From classic adobo to regional specialties across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, we bring you tested recipes with step-by-step instructions. Our mission is to preserve and share Filipino culinary traditions with home cooks worldwide.

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