Crispy Pata

Crispy pata is one of the all-time Filipino favourite dishes usually is served in special occasions; it has a similar reputation as a lamb leg roast or Thanksgiving turkey in the Western World.

Crispy Pata Deep Fried
Crispy pata is one of the all-time Filipino favourite dishes usually is served in special occasions; it has a similar reputation as a lamb leg roast or Thanksgiving turkey in the Western World. It’s a simple recipe of twice cooked pork leg (“pata” in Tagalog) served vinegar and soy sauce dip. Traditionally the entire rear leg of a pig is used, it is then boiled in water infused with seasonings and spices until tender, it is then cooled down by refrigerating or freezing then deep fried in hot oil until skin becomes crispy. It may look simple but this is one of the dangerous things you can do in your kitchen, just imagine what a frozen or cold water dropped in a very hot oil will do. So if you are planning to make one be careful and use proper equipment.

It’s a very unhealthy dish as the pork legs that already consist of high fat content is deep fried until skin becomes really crisp resembling pork crackling in texture, it’s a dish that the heart foundation definitely would not tick but for once in a while I guess it should be OK.

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Crispy Pata 3

Crispy Pata

  • Author: Raymund
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Filipino

Description

Crispy pata is one of the all-time Filipino favourite dishes usually is served in special occasions; it has a similar reputation as a lamb leg roast or Thanksgiving turkey in the Western World.


Ingredients

Scale

Crispy Pata

  • 23 pcs large pork legs, get the fatty one this is essential for the crackling
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup fish sauce
  • 1.5 litres Sprite
  • 2 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 whole garlic, minced
  • 1 whole onion, quartered
  • 2 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 4 tbsp rock salt
  • 6 pcs bay leaves
  • oil

Vinegar Dip

  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar or sweetener of your choice
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 red chillies, chopped

Instructions

Crispy Pata

  1. Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, sprite, garlic, baking soda, salt in a deep pot.
  2. Now soak the pork leg into the mixture, pierce the skin multiple time with knife to let the marinade seep through.
  3. Marinate for at least 24 hours turning to the other side after 12 hrs.
  4. Now using the same pot with everything on it (marinade and pork), place in a stove top add the onions and bay leaves and bring to a boil and cook for 1.5 hour.s
  5. Let the meat cool for at least an hour, then place in a fridge for at least 2 hours.
  6. Remove from fridge then prepare a deep fryer or deep pot with cover. Heat oil in your chosen vessel and once it’s near to its smoking point using long tongs while holding the one you will use for cover, pick the cold pork leg and drop it on the hot oil. Cover the pot immediately as it will splatter violently; cook until skin becomes really crunchy and golden brown.
  7. Remove from pot/deep fryer then serve.

Vinegar Dip

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl

Crispy Pata Deep Fried Wide

Recommended

23 Responses

  1. nors says:

    Sarap pulutan nyan pre…. Kelan ba tayo iinom sa target?

  2. ooooh – this looks delicious, I have tried Pancit and Adobo, but until now never heard of crispy pata. I will certainly have to try this soon.

  3. This sounds so good! I’ll have to get the ingredients and make it!

  4. YUMMMMYYYY! Pampatigil puso haha! đŸ™‚ SUper sarap pag inuman na đŸ™‚

  5. Interesting. I’ve never heard of Sprite being used as a marinade, but I have heard of Coke being used in this way so I’m sure this works too. Deep frying fatty pork legs sounds like culinary genius.

  6. Wow! The dish sounds delicious – and while you’re right about it not getting the heart foundation tick, I’m lretty sure most of the fat in the leg would render into the water…

  7. I am in LOVE with this dish. Mymouth just wishes it could try some right now actually lol

  8. Michelle says:

    Oh my! That looks fabulous! We’ve got a pork leg in the freezer—but, alas, I’m not sure I have a pot big enough for deep frying it.

  9. Tessa says:

    Looks and sounds so delicious! This is a must try!

  10. Jenny says:

    I’ve copied this out, Ray, I want to EAT IT NOW!!

  11. mjskit says:

    Crispy anything gets my vote!!! What a great looking pork leg!

  12. Kristy says:

    I probably won’t be attempting this one at home with the whole oil thing, but it does look DELICIOUS! I have no doubt it would be a winner here.

  13. foodjaunts says:

    Crispy pata is definitely scary to make đŸ™‚ Inevitably it ends up being my ni and titas and I screaming in the kitchen as it sputters at us. But it’s so delicious! Totally worth it.

  14. Boy, this looks sinfully good! Not something you want to eat everyday, as you point out, but great for a special occasion. Terrific stuff – thanks.

  15. joyce says:

    we eat that occassionally or else,”patay kang bata ka”…but the best, really….

  16. My mom orders pata with her menudo… I am sure she would love this!

  17. alain says:

    really love this recipe…it really helps.kudos!

  18. Manuel Aquino says:

    When you boil the pork leg …do you ADD water ??? to cover the whole leg ??? Because the liquid of the marinade is basically just one cup of liquid & 1.5 liter of sprite…is that enough ???

  19. Amrita says:

    Oh my Gawd.
    You first had me at pork and then you went and mentioned deep-fried. Can I dive into that please?
    Gorgeous.

  20. Carol says:

    Just stumbled on this. I was taught by an excellent Filipina cook to hang the pata for several hours to dry it before frying. That makes it less scary because it isnt wet when it hits the oil. When we were living in the Philippines we had a party where we just kept frying one pata after another all night.

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