Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 123 Comments

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4.99 from 57 votes

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Try this melt in your mouth Pork Adobo Recipe with a perfect balance of saltiness, and acidity. Slow-cookedand then sauteed in browned garlic for richer and fuller flavors.Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (1)

Adobohas become an iconic dish that represents Filipino food worldwide. It is always present and usually takes the top place in all the Filipino food list you can find.

There was even a movie called 'American Adobo' back in 2002. Which is not about Adobo really but about the lives of five Filipinos living in the USA.

They used the name of the dish as the title in the film as a symbol that reflects the clashing characters and their different struggles in life living abroad.

But despite the conflicts in their characters, in the end, everything ended up well, just like in cooking Adobo that is acidic (vinegar), salty (soy sauce), meaty and full of spices, all ingredients arethrown together to create such a unique and delicious dish.

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2)

  • What is Adobo?
  • How to make Pork Adobo tastier
  • Which cuts to use for pork Adobo
  • Other Filipino Pork Dishes to try
  • Printable Recipe
  • Pork Adobo Recipe

What is Adobo?

Adobo is a way of cooking meat (or vegetable) in a brine solution with vinegar, soy sauce, onions, and peppercorn. Dried bay leaves and garlic are usually added for extra flavor and fragrance.

It also refers to the popular Filipino dish that is cooked using this technique.

Different meat can be used for making this dish. Most common is chicken (Adobong Manok) or Pork (Adobong Baboy). Vegetables like, snake beans, water spinach, and eggplant are also cooked in this manner. So are fishes and squid.

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (3)

How to make Pork Adobo tastier

My pork Adobo recipe is done a bit different than the others.

However, you will also learn that a lot of them have different ways of cooking Adobo. Some people just boil itand prefers a thinner sauce. Others marinate it in the sauce before cooking it. I, on the other hand, do not marinate but cook it twice!

It is like braising but in reverse.

  1. Simmer the meat in thesoy sauce-vinegar solution with onions, peppercorn and bay leaves, low and slow until it becomes fork tender.
  2. Then separate the meat from the sauce and saute the meat in browned garlic.
  3. The sauce is, finally, added back and simmered until it is reduced to a caramelized sauce.

This is the way my Mama thought me and most of my titas (aunties) and cousins do it the same way.

Browning the garlic and adding it at the end makes the sauce richer with a fuller flavor.

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (4)

Which cuts to use for pork Adobo

  • Pork belly -(Liempo) the more popular choice because it is the most flavorful cut because of the fats in it.
  • Pork shoulder - (Kasim) than pork belly. A tough cut with lots of fat and tissue that make it ideal for slow cooking.
  • Pork ham- (Pigue)If you want meatier and leaner meat that is also good for slow-cooking.
  • Pork hocks - (Pata) also great for making this pork Adobo recipe with a good combination of bones, skin, and meat flesh.

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (5)

Although it seems that Chicken Adobo is more popular on the internationalscene, you should also give the pork version a try. You can even mix them if you like. As a Filipino, I cannot say which one is more popular in the Philippines. I think both are equally loved as they are equally delicious. Adobo is Adobo, regardless of the meat you use.

Other Filipino Pork Dishes to try

  • Lechon Kawali - pork belly fried to a crisp
  • Pata Tim - Braised pork hock
  • Pork Hamonado - a little similar to pork Adobo recipe but with added sweetness from pineapple and no vinegar
  • Pochero - a stew of pork with loads of vegetables, banana, and legumes
  • Kapampangan Pork Asado - tomato-based stew with thickened sauce
  • Tocino - sweet-savory cured pork
  • Kare Kare - Pork stew with savory peanut sauce or try the crispy Kare Kare version.

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (6)

Printable Recipe

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (7)

Print Review

Pork Adobo Recipe

4.99 from 57 votes

Try this melt in your mouth Pork Adobo Recipe with a perfect balance of saltiness, and acidity. Slow-cookedand then sauteed in browned garlic for richer and fuller flavors.

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds pork belly - cut into 1x1 or 1x2-inch cubes
  • cup dark soy sauce
  • ½ cup vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 10-12 pieces peppercorn
  • 3 pieces bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar - optional
  • 1 big onion - chopped coarsely
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 5 cloves garlic - minced

Instructions

  • Place pork belly in a pot. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, water, peppercorn, bay leaves, brown sugar, and onions. Bring to boil over high heat.

  • Cover the pot with the lid and lower heat to low. Let it cook for about an hour or until the meat is really tender and liquid is reduced to half. Separate meat from the sauce.

  • In a skillet, heat oil over medium-low and add the minced garlic. Cook garlic until golden. Remove some of the garlic from oil leaving about ½ in the pan and transfer the rest to a small bowl.

  • Add back the meat to theskillet and cook for a minute or two. Add the sauce again and let it simmer for some minutes until the sauce is reduced some more and becomes thicker.

  • Transfer the Pork Adobo to a serving dish and top it with the browned garlic. Serve with hot steaming rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 782kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 14gFat: 77gSaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 911mgPotassium: 323mgFiber: 0gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 1.7mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1.6mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    What do you think?

  1. John King says

    My brother and I have been making and eating pork adobo for 40 years. After making this last night, we both agreed it was THE best. Sorry, foxy folksy, from now on I will claim that this is the recipe my dear grandmother handed down. (wink wink)

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hahaha! You made my day, John! have a great day, grandson! (wink wink back)

      Reply

  2. Anna says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (20)
    Easy to follow almost all of the recipes. Sometimes I also add quail eggs, or boiled egg or potato. Thank you so much for all your recipes❣️❣️❣️

    Reply

  3. Charlotte says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (21)
    I sized the meat by eye so it may have been too much, I found the liquid wasn't enough to cover the meat. I doubled the liquid ingredients which worked well, except the sauce unsurprisingly did not thicken. Still delicious 🙂

    Reply

  4. Angel says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (22)
    Thank you very much! This is so easy to follow, and it was a great success (I just added some sweet (kecap) soy sauce, too. ☺️

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      That is great Angel!

      Reply

  5. BRIENNE says

    I have season rice vinegar and white vinegar.. is there a specific vinegar I should use? Or can I use one of the two I currently have?

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hi Brienne, you can use any of the two and will get similar but slightly different results. Sometimes I like to use red wine vinegar for its nice flavor. So go ahead and try both.

      Reply

  6. Elle says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (23)
    This was really delicious except for the amount of vinegar (I used sugar cane vinegar) was a bit too much for my taste so I added a bunch more sugar to neutralize it. I would lower it to 1/3 of a cup of vinegar next time and I'm sure it will be perfect.

    Reply

  7. Ma theresa Manuel says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (24)
    Will cook it on saturday for a family outing. Im sure sold out ito

    Reply

  8. Daniel says

    This was wonderful. First time making Adobo. Now two weeks later, I'm making again. The older I get the more I love dishes with some sourness to them.
    Here in the midwest, we get a wonderfull cut of pork called Pork Steak.
    It is pork butt cut into slices about 3/4 inch thick, good fat content for this dish, and makes cubing very easy. Pork steak is fabulous on the grill, by the way, with your favorite seasoning.
    So I used pork steak, and followed the recipe pretty close, using Datu Puti vinegar, and kikkoman soy sauce.
    I just put the garlic in the pot and didn't fry, partly out of laziness, and partly because, as much as I love garlic, I'm not a big fan of the flavor of fried or roasted garlic.
    Came out absolutely delicious, like REALLY freakin' good!
    New recipe added to rotation!!!
    Had with rice, the first day, and was very good.
    Stirred a can of drained cannelini beans in with the leftovers and that was wonderful too. I know, not traditional, but I love beans, and need my fiber!
    Thanks for this delicious recipe!

    Reply

  9. Crystal R says

    Excellent recipe! I've mad it twice this month, used shoulder steaks this last time (with a healthy fat cap) and it was a bit meatier than the last, but it's good any way you slice it.

    Reply

  10. Andrea says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (25)
    I love this recipe! Even when it takes a bit longer than the adobo I used to cook, this one is really simple and very tasty. I’ve used this recipe ever since! And has always been a hit! Thank you. How do I subscribe to your cooking?

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Hi Andrea, you can follow us on FB for new video recipes and subscribe here, found on the right side so you can get an email for new recipes.

      Reply

  11. Liezl Enriquez says

    What if I want to add chicken ? When do I add it?

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      It is difficult to give an exact time, what I do is add it together with the pork and then take them out once the chicken is cooked.

      Reply

  12. Peter says

    Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (26)
    I love this Recipe its easy and taste really nice i added 2 slices of rocoto chillis just for a little extra zing

    Reply

  13. Dean says

    Hi Bebs, My wife is from the Phillipines, she likes my chicken adobo and pancit better than the way her mother used to make it. I'm Italian/German and most of my cooking repertoire is Authentic Italian (not Italian-American) French and Spanish. Needless to say, I have a very limited knowledge of Filipino recipes. I was wondering if there's a Filipino recipe that captures the essence of the flavoring of the Adobo style cooking, yet keep the chicken skin crispy. I tried pan roasting chicken thighs, making the skin browned and crispy than finishing the chicken skin side up in a liquid consisting of soy, vinegar, white whine and herbs, maintaining the crispiness of the skin. My wife liked it. I was just wondering if you had Authentic Filipino recipes for roasting or preparing bone-in, skin on chicken where the chicken skin doesn't get soggy?

    Reply

    • Jun Samarita says

      Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (27)
      Love it very much

      Reply

« Older Comments

Authentic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

What is the most important ingredient in adobo? ›

Most modern-day Filipino adobo is prepared with vinegar and soy sauce. Some families keep it simple with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper. Others add fresh ginger or coconut milk.

What is the difference between adobo and Filipino adobo? ›

While the Philippine adobo can be considered adobo in the Spanish sense—a marinated dish—the Philippine usage is much more specific to a cooking process (rather than a specific recipe) and is not restricted to meat.

What are the 2 versions of adobo? ›

  • Chicken adobo and pork adobo are two popular variations of adobo, a traditional Filipino dish that is made by braising meat in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices.
  • The main difference between chicken and pork adobo is, of course, the type of meat used.
May 9, 2020

What is the difference between adobo and humba? ›

Although the two dishes resembles in terms of appearance, Humba is sweet, sour, and salty all at once in taste while Adobo is sour and salty. Humba uses all the basic ingredients of Adobo with the addition of brown sugar, salted black beans (tausi), and banana blossoms.

What vinegar is best for adobo? ›

Many Filipino chicken adobo recipes will also tell you that using entirely white vinegar is fine. The first time I made chicken adobo, I used white vinegar and it was quite tasty, though I like this recipe better. Other recipes prefer apple cider vinegar, which is a bit less sharp and acidic than white vinegar.

What are the original ingredients in adobo? ›

In the Philippines, which was claimed by the Spanish in 1521, adobo is most often a braise featuring vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns—the ratio of which is dictated by both your family's palate and your own.

Why is Filipino adobo so good? ›

There's no doubt that adobo is a mainstay in Philippine cuisine — thanks to its complex flavours rooted from a simple vinegar-braised method, it's one of the most well-known gateway dishes that introduces foreigners to the curious and nuanced world of Filipino food.

What makes adobo a real Filipino dish? ›

Unique Flavor Profile:Adobo offers a unique and tantalizing flavor profile that combines savory, salty, sour, and sometimes sweet notes. The dish typically features meat (commonly chicken or pork) marinated in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. This flavorful combination result.

What makes adobo taste good? ›

What Chicken Adobo tastes like. The glaze of Filipino Chicken Adobo is savoury and sweet with a hint of tang, with a distinct soy flavour. The garlic and onion creates a savoury base along with the bay leaves, and the peppercorns add little subtle pops of heat. Don't be afraid of the peppercorns in this!

Is Mexican adobo the same as Filipino? ›

It soon found its way into our nameless vinegar-braised dish, eventually displacing salt altogether. While our adobo shares its name with a couple of Hispanic dishes, there are key differences between the Filipino version and its Spanish and Mexican cousins.

What spice is closest to adobo? ›

A suitable substitute for adobo seasoning is a blend of common spices, such as garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Alternatively, you can try using Cajun seasoning or mild curry powder to achieve a similar flavor profile.

What is the national dish of the Philippines? ›

Filipino Chicken Adobo 🇵🇭 The national dish of the Philippines and it is one of my favorite comfort food!

Why not stir adobo? ›

It's important not to stir the simmering chicken once the vinegar is added. The vinegar tightens up the chicken, preparing it to work with the soy sauce and take on that rich brown color. In a large pot over medium high heat, add oil and garlic, cooking until garlic is golden brown.

How many types of Filipino adobo are there? ›

Did you know we have over 100 variations of adobo? Here are some of the different ways that the different parts of the country prepare everyone's favorite Filipino food.

What is the real name of adobo? ›

Adobo or adobar (Spanish: marinade, sauce, or seasoning) is the immersion of cooked food in a stock (or sauce) composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor. The Portuguese variant is known as carne de vinha d'alhos.

Why is vinegar important in adobo? ›

The flavor of adobo improves over time, making it ideal for cooking in large amounts since leftovers on day two, three, four or even five taste better (cooking in vinegar acts as a natural preservative so there's no risk of spoilage).

What makes adobo so good? ›

Unique Flavor Profile:Adobo offers a unique and tantalizing flavor profile that combines savory, salty, sour, and sometimes sweet notes. The dish typically features meat (commonly chicken or pork) marinated in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. This flavorful combination result.

What is the main idea of cooking adobo? ›

In English, adobo means “vinegar-braised.” Evenly-cut chunks of meat are first seared in hot fat or oil until they brown. Braising liquids, such as vinegar and soy sauce, are then added, and the mixture is left to simmer over low heat.

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