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There are probably thousands of ways to make it but this Filipino pork adobo recipe is the one I’ve been eating my entire life. I learned how to make it from my dad who, in my world, is the best cook.
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When I left home for college, I was sick of this easy-to-make Filipino staple dish. However, after a few months, the craving hit. I NEEDED my vinegar & soy sauce stew.
I first tried to make it from instinct but when it came out a little lacking, I called my dad and he said to add more vinegar, not soy sauce. Over the years I’ve not adjusted the recipe much at all but rather dialed it in.
It may not be the best pork adobo in the world but it is MY favorite.
Adobo Variations
Adobo is considered the national dish of the Philippines which is funny because everyone makes their adobo differently, even within regions.
The adobo recipe I have here is what I consider the “common” adobo with a base of soy sauce and vinegar. There are actually a LOT of other variants that are commonly tied to other regions.
One example is adobo sa gata which comes from the Bicol region of the Philippines. The Bicol version is famous for adding coconut milk and chili peppers.
What Ingredients Do You Need for Pork Adobo
My pork adobo recipe has very few ingredients:
- pork shoulder or pork belly
- soy sauce
- vinegar of any type but fruit preferred
- whole black peppercorns
- garlic
- bay leaves
In addition, you’ll most likely want to eat rice with your adobo so don’t forget to start that in time!
Of course, you can substitute any protein for the pork. Chicken being one of the more popular substitutions. Other additions I like to toss in more often than not are quail eggs. I love the little bit of texture difference these give to the dish. You can find my chicken adobo recipe here.
Some adobo recipes might call for sugar. Feel free to add some if you want a sweet flavor but that is simply not my preference so I left it out of this one.
What Vinegar Should You Use In Pork Adobo
You can use all kinds of vinegar (white distilled vinegar, rice vinegar, e.g.) in your adobo and it will turn out just fine BUT I recommend using a sweet vinegar. My standby is apple cider vinegar but get creative and adjust to your taste! Just remember that the vinegar is going to be the biggest contributor to the overall flavor of the dish.
One of the best adobo dishes I ever made actually used a pineapple vinegar from a Korean brand. It was sweeter than any other vinegar I had used before and gave such a nice, bright flavor to the dish!
What Is the Right Soy Sauce to Vinegar Ratio?
I recommend 1:1 ratio soy sauce to vinegar with a few extra splashes of vinegar. My recipe calls for 1/2 cup soy sauce and 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons of vinegar but I would recommend adjusting to your taste. Some people love a very sour adobo while others enjoy it more balanced
What kind of Pork Should I Use?
I prefer using pork belly or pork shoulder but you can use leaner cuts if you wish. I can’t imagine a more joyful anticipation when I see the fat from the pork belly render during the cooking process. Of course, if you are being a little health conscious, use whatever you like!
How to Make Super Tender Pork Adobo
The best way to ensure the pork in your adobo is tender is to leave it overnight! It is impossible to refrain from eating it immediately after cooking so make sure to make extra!
But seriously, my adobo always tastes better when its been sitting in the fridge overnight as the vinegar helps to break down some of the tougher bits of the protein. I find it to be more flavorful as well as more tender.
What to Do With Leftover Pork Adobo
If you want the adobo to taste extra yummy, let the adobo rest for 24 hours. Remove the pork from the (now gelatinized) adobo sauce and fry on medium heat. This will lock in the flavors and give the pork a nice fried texture. Then cook down the remaining adobo sauce and pour it over the fried pork and rice.
If you’re lazy, you can reheat the adobo using the microwave or on the stove.
Of course, you can save any leftover adobo in the fridge for a decently long amount of time. Just keep in an airtight container for up to a conservative 3 days.
You can also store in the freezer pretty much until you don’t want to eat it due to freezer burn.
How to Make Filipino Pork Adobo
Pork adobo is generally straight forward: brown the garlic and cubed pork. Then add the rest of the ingredients: black peppercorn, vinegar, soy sauce, and bay leaves. Simmer for as long as you can wait (minimum 1 hours) and then serve with white rice and veggies. Full recipe and ingredients list is below.
Prep your ingredients! Cube pork and smash garlic.
In a large pot, saute the pork pieces and garlic together. You can simply sear the pork and brown it since it will simmer for a while and cook through
Add the rest of the ingredients (yes the peppercorns stay whole) and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to a simmer. Ideally you want to simmer for an hour but I’ve often started eating after just 15 minutes. Just remember the longer, the better! Keep the lid on to make sure the liquid stays around.
It is advisable to let the adobo sit overnight to allow the meat to tenderize and full soak up all the flavor. If you absolutely can’t wait overnight, you can serve it now.
Serve with white rice and enjoy!
Why Is My Pork Adobo Soupy/Liquidy?
I get this comment SO often on this recipe and my answer is that there are so many different types of adobo, some regional like the adobong sa gata or coconut milk adobo or even Mexican adobo. I make this adobo my own way and I’m sure it isn’t how everyone is used to adobo. All this to say, this isn’t everyone’s adobo but it is mine.
I also don’t use ingredients found in other recipes. I’ve seen others use salt, brown sugar, onion, or even oregano. I’ve had recipes with some of these ingredients and they’re good! However, I prefer the savory and tangy sauce from simply soy sauce, fish sauce, and vinegar (and the aromatics of course).
Recipe
Filipino Pork Adobo
Ingredients
Method
- Chop the pork into large cubes. Peel garlic and crush once with the flat side of a knife.
- In a large oiled and heated sauce pan, fry the cubes of pork. You probably will have to do this little by little to make sure the pork is evenly cooked. Remove any cubes of pork that are fully cooked. Do not clean your sauce pan. You want to keep all the flavorful goodness.
- To the sauce pan, add the crushed garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, apple cider vinegar and soy sauce. If you have removed any pork, add it back in. Simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour stirring occasionally but not too often!
- It is advisable to let the adobo sit overnight to allow the meat to tenderize and full soak up all the flavor. If you absolutely canât wait overnight, you can serve it now.
- If youâve left it overnight, separate the meat from the gelatinous sauce and fry the meat over medium heat until the meat develops a nicely fried crust
- Cook down the adobo sauce so it thickens slightly. Pour this sauce over the fried pork and serve with rice. Enjoy!
Notes
What vinegar is best for pork adobo?
You can use any vinegar, even white distilled vinegar, but I highly recommend specialty fruit vinegars. This recipe calls for apple cider but I once had a pineapple vinegar that made the adobo so tasty! Keep in mind that vinegars taste different so adjust accordingly. Same goes for soy sauce.Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Yes! You can use chicken instead of pork. You can use any protein for that matter. The recipe is pretty much the same but if you want step-by-step instruction you can use my chicken adobo recipe.How long does Filipino pork adobo last in the fridge?
If kept in the fridge, I’d say you can reheat it up to 1 week after cookingIs pork adobo better the next day?
I encourage everyone to eat adobo the day after as it gives the dish a richer flavor.Other Recipes
As mentioned above there are loads of Filipino adobo variations.
- Adobong sa Gata is adobo with a coconut milk base.
- Chicken Adobo is another classic. Its just harder to keep moist.
- Do you like SPAM musubi? Try pork adobo musubi!
If you’re looking for other Filipino recipes, I’ve got you covered
Sinigang Recipe. Another famous Filipino dish. A beautifully sour soup loaded with with veggies.