Pork Adobo Recipe

Chicken Adobo probably the most popular version of this dish, but this one is as good as well. Let me give more information, and let’s get cooking afterwards.

Considered by some as the pride of Filipino cuisine, Pork Adobo is definitely a favorite among many around the world. For this, we cook pork slices in a perfect mix of soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic to make this savory and sour viand. And I’ve got to say, it’s definitely a great way to introduce the world to what Pinoy cooks can make! But actually, there are other renditions of adobo. 

How to Cook Pork Adobo

Be prepared to do some marinating, but if you are in a rush, you have to do it for just 1 hour. After that, you can start working on your stew! We just need to combine our ingredients, and let them simmer for some time. Making adobo really is not as difficult as it may seem!

1. Combine the pork belly, soy sauce, and garlic then marinade for at least 1 hour
2. Heat the pot and put-in the marinated pork belly. Cook this all up for a few minutes
3. Pour the remaining marinade including the garlic.
4. Add water, whole peppercorn, and dried bay leaves. Then bring your mixture to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour
5. Put the vinegar inside and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes
6. Add salt to taste
7. Serve hot. Share and enjoy!

Ingredients in this Pork Adobo Recipe

It won’t be easy to find someone who does not enjoy the classic Pork Adobo! The reason’s in the seasonings that make our pork belly delicious– from bay leaves to soy sauce to peppercorn! We also really want this cut of meat because its texture is too irresistible to pass up on. The pork belly is perfectly soft, and can almost have a melt-in-your-mouth quality to it. Of course, you could try out leaner cuts too, but this definitely helps give us the full adobo experience.

• Pork belly – For a juicy, meaty dish!

• Garlic – Makes for the most savory stew.

• Dried bay leaves – Gives off the perfect adobo aroma

• Vinegar – Part of what makes adobo so brilliantly unique is its sourness, which we get from vinegar.

• Soy sauce – There’s nothing quite like the salty quality of soy sauce!

• Peppercorn – Just for the slightest bit of spice!

• Water – As this has a stew, we will definitely be using plenty of water!

• Salt – And to make sure everything is nice and flavorful, you will be using some salt too.

Adobo History

The Spanish word adobar means “to marinate,” and this is actually where we got the name of this dish. The marinade can be in the form of a liquid one or rubbed using a combination of powdered ingredients. This Filipino Adobo, as I mentioned earlier, suggests marinating the pork in soy sauce and crushed garlic. And if you would like, vinegar is something you can add as a marinade ingredient.

But did you know that the very dish we probably see on our dinner tables almost on a daily basis can be traced all the way back to the 1600s? The first documented recipe was found in a dictionary from 1613 where it was called “adobo de los naturales.” 

Mexican adobo, on the other hand, makes use of chilis, garlic, cinnamon, and oregano as marinade. Both dishes look and taste different. It will be unfair to compare which among the two dishes are best because each of us has our own preference when it comes to flavor. But what I can tell you is that both are surely worth a try!

Filipino Pork Adobo Versions

• Chicken and Pork Adobo – This is one of the favorite when it comes to family picnics. This is a dish wherein pork and chicken slices are combined and cooked inadobo style. It can be done the same way as this recipe, with or without onions. This is our clans signature summer dish in the Philippines. I remember my tito’s and tita’s prepare a large portion every summer outing. We would go to Pansol in Laguna to rent a swimming pool for the clan and they would bring with them two large cauldrons (kaldero). One has the adobo in it, while the other is for the rice.
• Adobong Baboy sa Gata – Classic! This is notorious for making people on limited-rice-diet crave for more rice. It is very rich, tasty, and delicious. Add a few pieces of Thai chili pepper, and you will not get enough of it.

Have fun recreating this classic recipe! The comments section is always open for your questions. And if you have other ways of making adobo that you want to talk about, feel free to share them here! Let’s talk all about the wonders of making Filipino food.