Pork sinigang, or sinigang na baboy has so many different variations, from the part of the pork used, to the ingredients, and even to the method of making the soup sour. But with all that said, once you’ve made the sinigang, ate it and had left overs, the quesiton you might now be asking is: how do you store sinigang na baboy?
As a general rule, sinigang na baboy should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. To avoid having soggy vegetables, make sure to store the vegetables, especially leafy vegetables in a different container.
Still have questions? Keep reading to get more information on how to store pork sinigang, or sinigang na baboy.
How do you store sinigang na baboy?
First of all, what is sinigang na baboy, or pork sinigang?
Sinigang is a Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour and savory flavor. The dish is traditionally made with pork, but it can also be made with chicken, shrimp, or fish. Tamarind is the most common souring agent used in sinigang, but other citrus fruits like calamansi or lemon can also be used. Sinigang is typically served with steamed white rice and a variety of vegetables like okra, eggplant, and water spinach. It is often considered to be one of the national dishes of the Philippines.
Now that we know what sinigang is, how can we store it if we have leftovers?
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers of sinigang na baboy, here’s how you can store it so you can enjoy it again later.
- Sinigang is best kept in the fridge in an airtight container.
- If possible, put the vegetables in a separate container so they don’t get mushy.
You can also freeze sinigang. Here are my best tips for freezing sinigang:
- store in airtight container but leave some room at the top of the container for the soup to expand.
- It’s also not recommended to freeze leafy vegetables since they don’t thaw well.
To reheat sinigang from frozen:
- first thaw it overnight in the fridge.
- Then put it on the stovetop and let it come to a boil.
- Add fresh leafy vegetables last and then turn off the heat.
If you want to know the best way to reheat sinigang, click here to read the article.
How long can sinigang na baboy (pork sinigang) stay in the fridge?
The official guidelines say that sinigang na baboy can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. However, many Filipinos claim that they are perfectly fine with eating sinigang that is 5 days old, as long as a serving spoon was used to serve the food.
To substantiate this claim, I asked a few of my Filipino friends how long is their threshold when it comes to eating sinigang that’s been sitting out in the fridge. It turns out, a majority (82%) of them are okay with eating sinigang up to 5 days, and only 18% will throw out sinigang that has been in the fridge for longer than two days.
While there is no scientific evidence to support this claim, it is possible that the acidic nature of the soup helps to preserve it. So if you’re feeling adventurous, and don’t have a sensitive stomach, you can try eating sinigang that’s been sitting in the fridge for a few days. Just be sure to avoid reheating, cooling and reheating a few times.
By the way, I wrote a post on the best way to store sinigang here.
How to store sinigang na baboy (pork sinigang) for a packed lunch?
- make sure to put in airtight container
- pack separately from rice
- test the container with sinigang before tossing in lunch bag to make sure it isn’t leaking
If you want to bring sinigang na baboy as a packed lunch to eat at work, you’ll want to make sure it’s in an airtight container. Make sure you pack the sinigang and rice in a separate container, or else the rice will get soggy and the soup in general will look unappetizing once it’s time to warm it up. Also, when you are taking soups to lunch, alway test the container before packing it in your lunch bag. That way, you can be sure it isn’t leaking. And that’s it! With these simple tips, you can enjoy sinigang na baboy for lunch without any worries.
Can you freeze pork sinigang?
Yes, pork sinigang can be frozen. From experience, these are the best practices for freezing pork sinigang:
- Store in air tight container with some room left at the top to leave space for the soup to expand
- Pick out leafy vegetables from the soup and do not freeze. It will no longer taste the same once you defrost and reheat your sinigang soup
- Make sure you label your containers with the name of the dish (pork sinigang) and the date that you froze it, so that you can keep track of whether the soup is still good or if it needs to be tossed in the garbabe.
When warming up frozen pork sinigang, here are the best practices:
- Bring down the container to thaw in the refrigerator overnight
- Once defrosted, warm it up on the stove top and let it boil for a few minutes
- Add fresh leafy vegetables last and then turn off the stovetop
Following these instructions will make sure that you will have the best tasting sinigang, even if it is warmed up from frozen. Adding fresh leafy vegetables is also the best way to get fresh-tasting sinigang, even though it’s previously frozen.
Can you leave sinigang out overnight?
The official guidelines say that you should only leave food out for 4 hours, but I tend to leave my sinigang out in room temperature overnight before storing it in the fridge the next day. I live in a cool climate, so there’s less risk of the sinigang spoiling, but even in the summer I find that it’s still safe to leave it out overnight. If you’re worried about food safety, you can always put the sinigang in the fridge as soon as it’s done cooling down, but I find that letting it sit out for a while helps the flavors develop and makes it even tastier.
Another caveat I’d like to mention is that if you do have a sensitive stomach, or anyone in your family has a sensitive stomach then I definitely recommend storing sinigang according to official health guidelines. Afterall, it is better to be safe than sorry. However, I will say this: many Filipinos do find that sinigang is one of the food that doesn’t spoil very easily.