Adobo Sausage Roll

Lunch | Australian

Prep time: 30 min Cook time: 40 min Servings: 12

Want a new sausage roll flavour to try? I decided I wanted to try and make a new flavour sausage roll, one that could feature flavours from another cusinen that I love. So this is my combination of Filipino Adobo and a classic sausage roll.

The cook

The adobo marinade is the entire flavour base of this dish. Pork shoulder is marinated overnight in coconut vinegar, dark and light soy sauce, garlic and bay leaves. A quick marinade gives you surface seasoning only, a long one allows the flavours to penetrate the meat and build depth.

After marinating, the liquid is drained and simmered down to a concentrated glaze that goes into the mince mixture, so every part of the filling carries the adobo flavour. The pork goes through the grinder twice, coarse blade first then fine, building a cohesive texture that holds its shape inside the pastry without becoming dense.

Cooked rice in the filling will be our binder and a moisture buffer, keeping the mixture from drying out during the long bake. The critical technique for a crispy base is preheating the cast iron or baking tray before the rolls go on. The pastry makes contact with a hot surface immediately and starts crisping from the bottom straight away. Serve with banana ketchup, the classic Filipino condiment and a natural partner for anything adobo-flavoured.

Ingredient Notes

Coconut vinegar: Made from fermented coconut sap, it’s milder and slightly sweeter than white or apple cider vinegar. The lower acidity means it won’t overpower the pork through a long overnight marinade. Apple cider vinegar is the closest substitute, but reduce the quantity by about 20 percent as it’s more acidic.

Dark and light soy sauce: Dark soy gives colour and a deeper, slightly molasses-like flavour. Light soy is saltier and adds a cleaner, sharper seasoning. Using both creates more complexity than either alone. If you only have one type, use light soy and add a small amount of hoisin for the darker notes.

Banana ketchup: A Filipino condiment made from banana, sugar and vinegar. The flavour is similar to tomato ketchup but milder and slightly fruity. Available at Asian grocers. Regular tomato sauce works as a substitute but lacks the characteristic flavour that ties the dish back to its Filipino origin.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Large mixing bowl
Large saucepan (for reducing marinade)
Meat grinder
Large baking tray or cast iron pan
Baking paper
Pastry brush

Ingredients

1.2kg pork shoulder, 3cm diced
⅓ cup (80ml) coconut vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar
¼ cup (60ml) dark soy
¼ cup (60ml) light soy
8 cloves garlic, diced
4 bay leaves
2 eggs, beaten, + 1 extra
1 cup cooked rice
sea salt and cracked pepper
2 x 375g packets frozen puff pastry, thawed
banana ketchup (or tomato sauce), to serve

Directions

Combine the pork shoulder with vinegar, sugar, soy sauces, garlic and bay leaves in a large bowl.
Cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
Drain marinade off into a medium saucepan and place over a medium-low heat.
Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, then set aside to cool.
Using a meat grinder, push the pork through the grinder on a coarse blade first, then a finer blade to finish.
Place the minced meat in a large bowl and mix in reduced marinade, 2 eggs, and rice. Mix until very well combined and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 190°C fan force (375°F). Place a seasoned cast iron pan in the oven to preheat.
Place pastry rolls on a clean work surface, unroll and slice in half to make 4 pieces.
Divide mince mixture into 4 portions and form into tight logs the length of the longer side of the pastry.
Place a portion down the centre of the pastry and brush both long edges with some of the extra beaten egg.
Roll pastry into a log with the seal on the bottom, then brush the tops with more egg.
Place 2 logs on a sheet of baking paper and lightly make an indent with a knife in the tops to divide the log into 3 portions.
Transfer the rolls to the heated tray and bake for 35-40 mins, until deep golden brown.
Repeat with the remaining logs, then slice into portions and serve with banana ketchup (or tomato sauce).

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes