Seven Thousand One Hundred Islands… continuation

I used to live around BF Homes Almanza, in Las Piñas. Back then, Mang Raul’s was one of our go-to spots for a night out with friends. Unlike Sosing’s, which was a kind of hidden gem, something only the people who knew about it ever found, Mang Raul’s was the opposite. Loud, full of vibes, and impossible to miss.

It was the kind of place we picked on purpose. When nobody wanted to travel far, Mang Raul’s was the answer. We knew we could sit there late into the night, eat, talk, laugh, and still make it home without the stress of crossing to the other end of town. It was a Good Place.

Same Place, more cars, not enough MMDA

In 2019 pre pandemic, I went back home. The place itself was still the same. Loud, full of vibes, still doing exactly what it always did. But the traffic getting there was not the same at all. It had gotten congested like never before. From the main Las Piñas Zapote Road to get in BF took us 1 hour and 15 minutes. It was like 1 MMDA enforcer for every 1,000 cars who did not follow the traffic lights.

Still, once we finally sat down, all of that melted away. That is the thing about a place like Mang Raul’s. The moment you are there, the trip to get there stops mattering.

Pork BBQ Is Pork BBQ, But This Is Next Level

Pork BBQ is pork BBQ. Everyone has had it, everyone has their favourite version. But inihaw na balat is something else entirely.

It is crispy, charred, and blistered on the outside, and still soft and gummy on the inside. A mix of skin, soft cartilage, meat, and fat, all on one stick. It is indulgent in a way that pork BBQ never quite gets to. It’s like Saturday night meets Sunday confession.

The Order, Done Properly

Ordering at Mang Raul’s is systematic. For a bbq inihaw joint it was proper. You fill out a slip with everything you want, pay at the counter, and they hand you a number while your food gets cooked. Once it is ready, it gets delivered straight to your table.

We got into it properly this time. Pork BBQ, chicken BBQ, isaw baboy, isaw manok, balat, and hotdog, all freshly grilled and basted with their special glaze straight from the balde.

That inihaw craving, answered in full. Their sauce has that classic ketchup-based flavour a lot of Filipinos grew up on, but it really comes alive once you pair it with their suka on the side. That sweet-sour balance. Simple, familiar, and deeply satisfying. Needs a mountain of rice alongside it.

Bringing the Balat Home

Just like Mang Raul’s, I use maskara and the balat from the back of the pig. The two together give you everything inihaw na balat needs. Skin, soft cartilage, meat, and fat, all in one bite.

500 g pork maskara, ears removed
500 g pork skin, from the back
240 ml vinegar
240 ml water
120 ml soy sauce
1 head garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
35 g salt
15 g pepper

120 ml oyster sauce
120 ml banana ketchup
60 ml sesame oil

Step 1 — In a pot over medium heat, combine the pork skin, maskara, vinegar, water, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil without stirring, and skim off any foam that floats to the top.

Step 2 — Add the garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

Step 3 — Lower the heat, cover, and cook for about 1 ½ hours, until the meat is very tender. Drain from the liquid and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator.

Step 4 — Once cooled, slice the skin and maskara into strips and thread onto skewers.

Step 5 — Mix the oyster sauce, banana ketchup, and sesame oil together for your basting glaze.

Step 6 — Grill the skewers over charcoal, basting generously with the glaze and turning regularly, until the outside is blistered and charred and the glaze has caramelised. Serve hot, with rice and a side of spiced vinegar.

Chef’s Tip

Do not skip the cooling step before grilling. Letting the boiled skin and maskara go completely cold in the fridge firms everything up, which makes slicing and skewering far easier, and helps the pieces hold together on the grill instead of falling apart in the coals.

Happy Cooking and always remember to cook with your Heart…

More from my Philippine food adventure when we continue…