Pork Adobo

Dinner | Filippino

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 2 hours Servings: 4

Today we’re making a Filipino dish called adobo. If you haven’t tried it before, you need to add it to your list. It has so much flavour and the pork comes out extremely tender and juicy.

Pork adobo is arguably the most iconic Filipino dish, and after travelling there and experiencing many variations of the dish, this is the recipe I like to make at home.

Cook Methods

You can cook this in a pressure cooker or a Dutch oven, and I've written both methods into the recipe. The pressure cooker will cook it in 35 minutes at high pressure plus a quick sauce reduction, about 45 minutes total. The Dutch oven takes an hour and a half, covered for the first hour then uncovered for the last 30 minutes to let the sauce reduce as the pork finishes. Same result, pick whichever you have.

Ingredient Notes

Pork belly: Skin-on is my preference, it softens into the braise and adds another texture to the finished dish, but skin-off is fine if you’d rather skip it. You can ask the butcher for pre-cubed belly to save cutting it up yourself.

Coconut vinegar: A Filipino pantry staple with a mellow, clean acidity. Find it at Asian grocers, especially any Filipino section. If you can’t get any, use standard white distilled vinegar. Don’t substitute in apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar or wine vinegar. Their flavours will throw the balance off.

Filipino soy sauce: The tangier, slightly sweeter Filipino style soy makes a real difference. If you can’t find it, a mix of dark and light Chinese soy sauce (the recipe already calls for both) gets you close.

Equipment

Pressure cooker (or Dutch oven / heavy-based pot with a lid)
Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large mixing bowl (for the marinade)
Tongs
Wooden spoon
Slotted spoon

Ingredients

1.2kg pork belly, skin on, cut into 2 to 3cm cubes
5 tbsp coconut vinegar
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
4 tbsp light soy sauce (or Filipino soy sauce for both)
8 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
12 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp lard or neutral flavour oil (for searing)
400ml water
1 spring onion, thinly julienned, for garnish
steamed rice, to serve

Directions

Marinate the pork
Combine the pork belly cubes in a large bowl with the coconut vinegar, dark and light soy sauces, crushed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and sugar. Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
Cover and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, or up to 8 hours in the fridge. Don’t push it past 8 hours or the acidity will start breaking down the pork too far.
Brown the pork
Heat the lard or oil in a heavy-based pot or pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Use tongs to lift the pork out of the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Brush off any garlic or peppercorns clinging to the meat, they’ll burn on the pan.
Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the pork on all sides. Start skin-side down if the skin is on. Set the browned pork aside as each batch finishes.
Braise
Return all the pork to the pot along with the reserved marinade (garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and all). Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes to burn off the sharp raw acidity of the vinegar, stirring occasionally.
Grab a piece of pork with tongs and use it to wipe down any fond starting to catch on the sides of the pot. You want the sides clean so nothing burns and taints the sauce.
Add the water. It should just cover the pork.
Pressure cooker method: Lock the lid on and cook at high pressure for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pressure release naturally, then remove the lid.
Dutch oven method: Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid and cook on low for 1 hour. Remove the lid and cook for a further 30 minutes.
Reduce and serve
The pork should be tender but still hold its shape with a little chew. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat and reduce for around 10 minutes, or until it thickens to a glossy, tacky consistency somewhere between gravy and glaze. Taste as it reduces because the soy concentrates and can turn salty fast.
Serve the pork on hot rice with plenty of sauce spooned over. Garnish with the julienned spring onion.

Pork Adobo

Cook Methods

Ingredient Notes

Equipment

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes

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