When I first encountered North Carolina whole hog barbeque, I couldn’t exactly explain why I immediately loved it. Was it because every large family event I had been to involved a whole pig? Birthdays, graduations, weddings, funerals. Or was it the thin, vinegar-style bbq sauce that was generously doused onto the pork?

It hit me, yes. Growing up, we had tall, skinny bottles of vinegar steeped with chilis and garlic. As I traveled around the Philippines, every dining table had ramekins of calamansi, chili, and garlic to make your own. Sawsawan is the secret to consuming tons of fried pork and grilled fish. The acidity dances with the fatty molecules on your tongue to cleanse and ready you for more. Try it with lechon kawali, fried chicken, or even French fries.

This is a basic mixture, so feel free to experiment by adding a little sugar, chopped onion, dried fruits, soy sauce, and/or calamansi juice. Swap out the vinegar if you don’t have white vinegar; rice vinegar will yield a mellow sauce, while balsamic will be sweet. If you can’t find Thai bird chilis, sub in 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. This was part of my dinner with Lara Heintz, check out the full menu.

Sawsawan

Makes 1 cup

1. In a clean jar or plastic container with a lid, mix 1 cup white vinegar with ½ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns, a bay leaf, 2 cloves sliced garlic, and 1 or 2 sliced Thai chili peppers.

2. Let the mixture marinate at room temperature for up to 2 hours and then store in the fridge for 3 days before using.

3. When the sauce runs low, you can keep adding vinegar and aromatics to keep it steeping. Make sure all the elements stay submerged and you’ll be good to go.

Did you try this recipe? Let me know on social media by tagging @Randwiches.