Bagnet

Bagnet (Northern Ilocano and Tagalog pronunciation: [bɐgˈnɛt], Southern Ilocano pronunciation: [bɐgˈnɯt]), also known as chicharón, tsitsarón, or sisirón is a Filipino dish made from pork belly (liempo) that is boiled and deep-fried until crispy. Originating from the Ilocos Region, bagnet was traditionally prepared as a preserved pork belly dish. It can be eaten on its own, served with cooked rice, or enjoyed as pulutan (food typically eaten with alcoholic beverages). Bagnet is also commonly used as an ingredient or paired with other Filipino dishes such as pinakbet, kare-kare and dinardaraan.

Traditionally, authentic bagnet is prepared without any seasoning and is deep-fried directly. Contemporary versions may be seasoned with garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt before frying. Bagnet is commonly dipped in vinegar-based sauces such as inartém, usually sukang-Iloko, or, more rarely, seasoned pig's blood. Another popular Ilocano condiment is KBL, which stands for sliced kamátis (tomato), bugguóng (fermented fish sauce), and lasoná (shallots or onions). This zesty relish serves as a dipping sauce for crispy fried foods like bagnet.