Filipino Pork Adobo
Tender braised pork in a rich, savory-sour sauce of vinegar and soy, infused with garlic and bay leaves. A Filipino classic that's deep in flavor and simple to execute.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork shoulder, boneless
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 8 whole garlic cloves
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole onion, yellow
- 1 cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
Cut the pork shoulder into 2-inch cubes: place the meat on a cutting board and slice it lengthwise into 2-inch-wide strips, then rotate each strip 90 degrees and cut crosswise into 2-inch cubes.
- 2
Peel away the papery skin from each garlic clove by pressing the flat side of a knife on top and letting it roll, then mince each clove until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice.
- 3
Cut the onion from root to tip lengthwise into quarters, keeping the root end intact so the layers stay together.
- 4
Place the 12-inch heavy pot on the stove over medium-high heat, then add 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pot, about 90 seconds.
- 5
Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the pork cubes to the hot oil and sear without moving them for 2 minutes until the exposed side turns deep brown, then stir and sear for another 2 minutes until the second side is brown. Transfer seared pork to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.
- 6
Add the minced garlic to the same pot and stir for 30 seconds until the smell becomes strongly fragrant and the kitchen fills with garlic aroma.
- 7
Pour in 0.5 cup soy sauce and 0.5 cup white vinegar, then use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the stuck-on brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pot until the liquid is uniform and dark.
- 8
Return all the seared pork to the pot, add the three bay leaves, the onion quarters, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 1 cup water, then stir until everything is submerged.
- 9
Cover the pot with the lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, watching for large bubbles breaking the surface, about 5–8 minutes.
- 10
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer with the lid on, stirring once every 5 minutes, until the pork is so tender a fork easily breaks apart the biggest piece, about 30 minutes.
- 11
Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 0.5 teaspoon salt, then taste a spoonful of sauce; add more salt or sugar by pinches if the sauce tastes too salty or too sour for your preference.
- 12
Remove the bay leaves with a spoon and discard them, then remove the pot from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes so the flavors settle.
- 13
Ladle the pork and sauce into bowls, positioning the meat pieces in the center and pouring the dark sauce around them, then serve immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch heavy-bottomed pot with lid
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- wooden spoon
- metal tongs
- ladle
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