Filipino Christmas Recipes: Embutido

Last time we posted about a Filipino Christmas favorite, we had you staring at a mouth-watering plate of morcon. This stuffed beef meat roll is often seen alongside its equally delicious cousin of sorts: the embutido.

Embutido is the Filipino way of doing meat loaf. For starters, it does not look like a classic meat loaf: it’s more of a meat log or roll than a meat loaf. Then there’s the way it’s cooked: instead of baking it in the oven, it’s steamed. Is it any healthier than the classic, Western-style meat loaf? Perhaps, perhaps not.

CHICKEN EMBUTIDO. A twist on a Filipino Christmas classic. Image grabbed from Knorr.com.ph

It’s usually cooked with pork, but since we want yours to be a bit more special, we’ve found a recipe that uses chicken instead of pork, all thanks to Knorr:

Ingredients:

For the embutido

• 1 kg ground chicken
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 pc small onion, diced
• 4 pcs sausage, diced
• 1 pc small carrot, diced
• 2 pcs whole pickles, diced
• 1 pc Knorr Chicken Cube
• ¼ cup Knorr Liquid Seasoning
• 1 pc raw egg, slightly beaten
• ¼ cup flour

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 250 g store-bought Italian-style tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 pc Knorr Chicken cube
• Ground pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Prepare steamer by adding water half way up the water pan and letting it boil.
2. In a bowl, mix ground chicken, raisins, onions, sausage, carrot, and pickles
3. Add mashed Knorr Chicken Cube, Knorr Liquid Seasoning, egg, and flour. Mix well.
4. Divide mixture into 4-5 portions. Wrap each portion in a piece of aluminum foil by rolling into a log. Secure both ends by crimping and folding.
5. Place rolled embutido into steaming basket and steam for 40 minutes or until fully cooked. Check doneness by piercing the foil with a knife.
6. To make the sauce, sauté garlic in oil until slightly browned. Add tomato sauce, water, and Knorr Chicken Cube. Let the mixture simmer and season to taste.
7. To serve, unwrap embutido then slice. Arrange on a plate then pour sauce over slices. Serve while warm.
8. Alternatively, you can pan-fry the roll in hot oil (remove the foil first) before slicing to get a nice brown color and a tinge of caramel flavor. You can also forgo the sauce and serve it with catsup.

 

Serves 4 – 6, 15 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes to cook