Filipino Pork Adobo
Tender braised pork in a savory-salty-sweet vinegar sauce, Filipino-style. Serve over steamed white rice for an authentic, deeply flavorful weeknight dinner.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 485
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1.5 cups water
Instructions
- 1
Pat the pork cubes dry with paper towels by pressing firmly on each piece until no moisture beads appear, so they brown better when they hit the hot pan.
- 2
Smash each garlic clove with the flat side of a chef's knife by pressing down hard on it with the heel of your hand, cracking the papery skin so it falls away easily.
- 3
Set a 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat and wait until a drop of water flicked into the pot evaporates instantly, about 2 minutes.
- 4
Add one-third of the pork cubes to the hot dry pot in a single layer, without moving them, until the bottoms turn deep brown like caramel, about 4 minutes.
- 5
Flip each piece over with tongs and cook the second side until deep brown, about 3 minutes, then transfer to a clean plate using the tongs.
- 6
Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining two-thirds of the pork in two batches, browning the same way and placing all cooked pieces on the plate.
- 7
Pour 0.5 cup of the vinegar into the hot pot, tilting it side to side, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown stuck-on bits from the bottom.
- 8
Return all the browned pork to the pot by sliding it in from the plate, scraping any juices that pooled beneath the meat.
- 9
Pour in the remaining 0.5 cup of vinegar, the soy sauce, and 1.5 cups of water, stirring with a wooden spoon until the liquids blend together, about 30 seconds.
- 10
Add the smashed garlic cloves, 3 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, stirring once to combine.
- 11
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat, watching for large bubbles breaking the surface, about 3 minutes.
- 12
Reduce the heat to medium-low so small bubbles form around the edges but the center barely moves, then cover the pot with a lid.
- 13
Simmer covered for 30 minutes, until the pork is fork-tender — when you pierce a piece with a fork, it should break apart easily with no resistance.
- 14
Uncover the pot and remove the bay leaves with a slotted spoon, leaving the pork and liquid in the pot.
- 15
Taste the sauce and add more soy sauce or brown sugar if desired, stirring until any added sugar dissolves, about 20 seconds.
- 16
Divide the pork and sauce evenly among four shallow bowls or plates, spooning the cooking liquid and garlic cloves over each portion.
Tools you’ll need
- paper towels
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot with lid
- wooden spoon
- tongs
- slotted spoon
- shallow bowls or plates
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