Embutido is the Filipino version of a meatloaf. While its western counterpart is normally baked, embutido is either boiled or steamed. It is common fiesta fare as it is easy and quick to prepare. It also does not spoil easily. In fact it keeps well up to a month when frozen.

Recipes are as varied as cooks/chefs are. Some recipes require many ingredients, while some need only a few. For practical purposes, the recipe I feature here is a simple one, with only the essential ingredients. Most of these ingredients you may already have in your pantry so you can serve this to your family and friends even on a regular day. It may be simple but definitely it is not short on taste.

To get started, gather the following ingredients:

1 kilo of ground pork
2 pieces sausage (chorizo de Bilbao or your local sausage), chopped finely
1 can vienna sausage, drained
2 whole eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons sweet pickles, minced (or sweet pickle relish, to save you time from chopping)
3 tablespoons seedless raisins
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup milk
Salt and pepper, according to your taste
Slice of cheddar cheese, optional
Cheesecloth or sinsal (leaf lard)
aluminum foil

Procedure:

1. Soak bread crumbs in half cup milk. Set aside.
2. If using, clean leaf lard by soaking it in water with enough salt. Rinse very well in running water, careful not to tear it. Set aside to dry.
3. Mix the ground pork, chorizo, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, sweet pickles and raisin. Season with salt and pepper. Blend these ingredients thoroughly.
4. Divide the mixture. Lay down the sinsal or leaf lard or cheesecloth and fill with the meat mixture. Arrange the whole Vienna sausages, slices of cheddar cheese in the full length of the meat mixture. If desired, you may also add quartered hardboiled egg for each meat portion. Roll this mixture jelly roll fashion. Repeat with the other half. Wrap each roll with aluminum foil.
5. Boil enough water or broth to cover both rolls. When already boiling, put in embutido rolls and simmer for an hour or until cooked. Drain. Allow to cool before removing the aluminum foil. Then slice. May be served cold or fried with embutido sauce or banana catsup.

To make embutido sauce, you will need half a cup of broth in which the embutido roll was boiled. In a pan, melt one tablespoon butter, then add a tablespoon of flour, mixing well to avoid lumps. Add the broth in small quantities while continuously mixing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well. Add to sliced embutido roll, then top with peas.