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Pork Adobo Recipe

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4.6 from 139 reviews

Pork Adobo is a beloved Filipino dish featuring tender pork shoulder braised in a savory and slightly tangy soy-garlic sauce. The pork is cooked until melt-in-your-mouth soft in a rich, well-balanced sauce that is not too salty, sour, or sweet. Often served over jasmine rice, this comforting classic is elevated by caramelized pineapple for a subtle sweetness and visual appeal. Despite its complex taste, it is surprisingly simple to prepare on the stovetop.

Ingredients

Pork and Marinade

  • 1 kg / 2 lb pork shoulder (ribboned with fat, skinless), cut into 6cm / 2.5″ cubes
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or any neutral flavored oil
  • 1 large onion, cut in half then into 0.8″ / 1/3″ wedges
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup light soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp tightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns (optional)
  • 5 bay leaves (preferably fresh, dried okay)

Optional Pineapple

  • 6 pineapple rings, each cut into 8 pieces (canned in juice, not syrup, or 2 cups fresh pineapple pieces)
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil or any neutral flavored oil

Garnish and Serving

  • 1 green onion, finely sliced
  • 2 batches jasmine rice or any rice of choice

Instructions

  1. Sear Pork: Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over high heat. Sear half the pork cubes until golden all over, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining pork and set aside.
  2. Sauté Onion and Garlic: Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add Braising Liquid: Pour in water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Return the pork along with any accumulated juices back into the pot.
  4. Simmer Pork: Bring the mixture to a boil. Partially cover the pot with a lid, leaving a 2 cm (1″) crack for steam to escape. Reduce heat to low/medium-low to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours or until pork is fall-apart tender, ensuring the simmer bubbles are small and gentle.
  5. Caramelize Pineapple (Optional): While the pork simmers, heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spread pineapple pieces in a single layer and cook each side about 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
  6. Reduce Sauce: Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork pieces and set aside (onion and bay leaves can stay or be discarded). Increase heat to high and boil the sauce until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (375 ml), about 7 to 10 minutes, forming a thin syrupy consistency.
  7. Coat Pork: Lower heat to low. Return pork and caramelized pineapple pieces, including any juices, into the pot. Stir gently to coat with the reduced sauce and warm through.
  8. Serve: Serve the pork adobo over steamed jasmine rice, garnished with finely sliced green onion.

Notes

  • Pork Meat: Pork belly can be used but tends to be fattier. Shoulder with ribbons of fat is preferred for a juicy yet less fatty result. Other cuts like shank, knuckle, forequarter chop, or neck/scotch also work (reduce simmer time for neck/scotch to 1 hour).
  • Soy Sauces: Light soy sauce provides saltiness; dark soy gives rich color. Avoid substituting light soy with dark soy, as it can overpower the dish.
  • Peppercorns: Provide mild spice but can be omitted or substituted with 1/4 tsp ground black pepper added near the end of cooking.
  • Pineapple: Optional but adds a refreshing sweetness and brightens the dish visually and flavor-wise.
  • Simmering Strength: Maintain a gentle simmer with small bubbles for tender, juicy pork. Rapid boiling damages texture.
  • Slow Cooker Not Recommended: Lack of initial browning results in less flavorful adobo.
  • Leftovers: Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Find it online: https://myweeklyrecipes.com/pork-adobo-recipe/