Embutido (Filipino Steamed Meatloaf)
Two foil-wrapped logs of beef, pork, ham, carrots and golden raisins, each built around a row of hard-boiled eggs and pimientos, steamed instead of baked and sliced into colorful rounds.
Embutido is the Spanish word for sausage, and in the Philippines it names a meatloaf: ground pork mixed with bread crumbs, raisins, carrots and sautéed onion and garlic, rolled around hard-boiled eggs and sometimes ham, Vienna sausages or hot dogs, then wrapped in foil and steamed (English Wikipedia:)). It is served hot or cold, with white rice and banana ketchup or another sweet sauce, and cold slices can be fried. English Wikipedia's meatloaf article says it is usually served fried and sliced for breakfast, and that it was historically steamed in banana leaves.
Where it comes from is DISPUTED. The embutido article says the dish originates from the American meatloaf, during the American colonial period from 1898 to 1946 and the growth of the canning industry. A Tasting Table summary of Francis Lam's 2015 New York Times Magazine article says the first embutido was a Spanish-style sausage made with Filipino ingredients that later became more like American meatloaf (seen only in search results). Either way, it is a meatloaf with three countries in it.
Why it works the kitchen science
Steam, not oven
The wet heat inside the foil cooks the meat gently, so the logs stay moist and pale instead of forming a dry crust (SAVEUR's 2012 meat loaf roundup says steaming keeps the mixture moist).
Cooked vegetables first
Caramelizing the carrots, onion, garlic and pepper drives off their water and adds sweetness, so the mixture holds together and the logs slice cleanly.
Step by step
- Step 1
Hard-boil the eggs: cover them with cold water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, cover, take off the heat and let stand 12 minutes. Cool in ice water and peel.
- Step 2
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, carrots, onion and bell pepper, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Step 3
In a large bowl, mix the vegetables with the beef, pork, ham, raisins, bread crumbs, 2 tbsp parsley, soy sauce and a big pinch each of salt and pepper until evenly combined.
- Step 4
Put half the mixture on a large sheet of foil and pat it into a 9-by-8-inch rectangle. Lay 3 eggs end to end down the center and cover them with half the pimientos. Fold the sides of the meat up over the eggs and shape a log, then roll it tightly in the foil and twist the ends to seal. Make a second log the same way.
- Step 5
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a wok over medium heat, set an 11-inch bamboo steamer in it and put both logs inside. Cover and steam about 1 hour, until the meat next to the eggs reads 160°F. Check the water every 20 minutes and add boiling water if it runs low.
- Step 6
Let the logs rest 5 minutes, unwrap them, cut into 1-inch slices and sprinkle with the last of the parsley. Serve warm with rice and banana ketchup, or chill and fry the slices for breakfast.
Embutido (Filipino Steamed Meatloaf)
Serves 8 · 2 logs (about 16 slices) · 1 hr 45 min total
Filling
- 6 large eggs
- 2 jars (4 oz each) sliced pimientos, drained
Vegetables
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
Meat mixture
- 1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 9 oz cooked ham, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup golden raisins, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, plus 1 tbsp for garnish
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Kosher salt and black pepper
To serve (optional)
- Steamed white rice and banana ketchup
Method
- Hard-boil the eggs: cover them with cold water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, cover, take off the heat and let stand 12 minutes. Cool in ice water and peel.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the garlic, carrots, onion and bell pepper, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix the vegetables with the beef, pork, ham, raisins, bread crumbs, 2 tbsp parsley, soy sauce and a big pinch each of salt and pepper until evenly combined.
- Put half the mixture on a large sheet of foil and pat it into a 9-by-8-inch rectangle. Lay 3 eggs end to end down the center and cover them with half the pimientos. Fold the sides of the meat up over the eggs and shape a log, then roll it tightly in the foil and twist the ends to seal. Make a second log the same way.
- Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a wok over medium heat, set an 11-inch bamboo steamer in it and put both logs inside. Cover and steam about 1 hour, until the meat next to the eggs reads 160°F. Check the water every 20 minutes and add boiling water if it runs low.
- Let the logs rest 5 minutes, unwrap them, cut into 1-inch slices and sprinkle with the last of the parsley. Serve warm with rice and banana ketchup, or chill and fry the slices for breakfast.
Adapted from Monica Floirendo's "Embutido (Filipino Meat Loaf)", SAVEUR (first published in the January/February 2012 issue), as written for 8. SAVEUR cooks the vegetables about 12 minutes and steams the logs in a bamboo steamer over 3 cups of boiling water until the center reads 160°F, about 1 hour. It does not say how lean the beef is (we suggest 85%) or how to boil the eggs; the egg method, the extra boiling water and the 5-minute rest are ours. The banana ketchup is Wikipedia's serving note, not SAVEUR's. Saveur. Ingredient list follows the source; the method is in our own words.
All sources (3)
Tips
- Embutido freezes well wrapped in its foil (Wikipedia notes it can be frozen); steam it from thawed, or slice and fry it cold.
- No steamer? Bake the foil logs on a sheet pan in a 350°F oven until 160°F in the center, which Wikipedia says some cooks do; start checking at 50 minutes.
- Other fillings Wikipedia lists: sweet pickle relish, cheese, pineapple, Vienna sausages or hot dogs.
The rules people argue about
What the sources agree on, what they don't, and what is just a good story.
- Embutido comes from American meatloaf. Disputed: English Wikipedia says it originates from the American meatloaf of the 1898 to 1946 period; a Tasting Table summary of Francis Lam's 2015 New York Times Magazine article says it began as a Spanish-style sausage.
- It has to be steamed. Documented as the tradition (Wikipedia: traditionally wrapped in foil and steamed, though it can also be baked).
- It was once wrapped in banana leaves. Folklore for now: English Wikipedia's meatloaf article says so, but the embutido article does not, and we found no other source.
- Embutido is for Christmas. Folklore: often said, but no source we opened supports it.
- Serve it with banana ketchup. Documented (Wikipedia: often paired with banana ketchup or another sweet sauce).
Every other meatloaf
Falscher Hase (German Mock Hare Meatloaf with Eggs)
Germany's "mock hare": a beef and pork loaf bound with soaked rolls, wrapped around three whole hard-boiled eggs, topped with bacon and served with a sour cream pan gravy.
1887 Veal Loaf (The White House Cook Book)
One of the oldest American meat loaves in print: ground veal mixed with eggs, cream, crushed crackers, pepper and sage, shaped by hand and basted with butter as it bakes. No ketchup in sight.
Polpettone Ripieno (Italian Meatloaf with Ham and Provolone)
An Italian beef and pork loaf made with Grana Padano and no bread at all, rolled around sliced ham and provolone, wrapped in parchment and roasted on a bed of rosemary potatoes.
Forloren Hare (Danish Mock Hare)
Denmark's mock hare: a pork and veal loaf bound with oats, covered in bacon, baked in milk, and served with a creamy sauce made from that milk and a spoonful of redcurrant jelly.
Bobotie (South African Curried Mince with Egg Custard)
Gently curried ground beef sweetened with apricot chutney and raisins, bound with milk-soaked bread and baked under a golden egg custard with bay leaves on top.
Classic Glazed American Meatloaf
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