Pork Adobo

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This is a recipe post for Filipino Pork Adobo. It is a dish composed of

pork slices cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. There are version
wherein onions are also added. Adobo is a popular dish in the
Philippines, along with Sinigang.

Adobo, in general, can be cooked using different kinds of protein.

Chicken is the commonly used ingredient. Have you tried cooking
Filipino Chicken Adobo yet? Our tried and tested recipe should be able to
help you.

Filipino Pork Adobo vs. Mexican Adobo

The word Adobo was derived from the Spanish word “adobar”. It means
to marinate. This can be in the form of a liquid marinade or to rub using a
combination of powdered ingredient.

This version of Filipino Adobo suggests marinating the pork in soy sauce
and crushed garlic. By preference, vinegar can also be added as a
marinade ingredient.

Mexican adobo, on the other hand, makes use of chillies, garlic,

cinnamon, and oregano as marinade.

Both dishes look and taste different. It will be unfair to compare which
among the two dishes are best because each of us has our own preference
when it comes to flavor.
Filipino Pork Adobo Versions

The Philippines is composed of composed of many islands. It was

initially estimated to be around 7,107. At present, the count rose to 7,641.
Each of these islands belong to a cluster, which are divided into regions.

Almost every region in the Philippines have their own pork adobo
version. Sometimes, there can be more than one version in a location.

The Basic Pork Adobo version is what you see in the recipe below. There
are also similar versions with additional ingredients.
Pork and Chicken Adobo is perhaps one of the favorite when it comes to
family picnics. This is a dish wherein pork and chicken slices are
combined and cooked inadobo style. It can be done the same way as this
recipe, with or without onions. This is our clans signature summer dish in
the Philippines. I remember my tito’s and tita’s prepare a large portion
every summer outing. We would go to Pansol in Laguna to rent a
swimming pool for the clan and they would bring with them two large
cauldrons (kaldero). One has the adobo in it, while the other is for the
rice.

Pork Adobo with Potato is another version that I tried. This is a saucier
pork adobo version with cubes of potatoes in it. I’m not sure where this
dish originated. It might have been initially created as a filler to feed
more people. Nevertheless, I liked the taste. I think that it can be
improved by pan-frying the potato first. Most of the flavors gets absorbed
by the potato. It can be a carbohydrate overload when you eat the potato
with rice. This is a good dish to have when before going to the gym or
before starting a marathon.

I cook Pork Adobo with Eggs all the time. This is my favorite. There are
two ways to make it. Both ways require boiling the eggs beforehand.  The
first version is cooked by adding boiled eggs once the pork gets tender.
The eggs absorb the soy sauce, thus becomes darker in color. Be cautious
about the time when cooking this way. We don’t want to overcook the
eggs.

How can we tell if an egg is overcooked? It is simple. Egg yolk contain

iron. When eggs are cooked longer than the usual, the iron turns greenish.
This color formation happens between the yolk and egg white. We often
refer to this as rings. Slice the boiled egg in half and try to examine the
color of the outer yolk. When you see a dark ring around it, that means
the egg is overcooked.

The other version of the adobo with egg is easier and does not put the
eggs at risk of overcooking (unless it was overcooked during the boiling
process). Simply add boiled eggs on the serving plate before serving. The
eggs also retains its white color.
Pork Adobo with Tofu is a protein-rich adobo version. This is perfect for
people who like their adobo mild in flavor. This version requires fried
tofu. Always use extra firm tofu when making this. You can purchase raw
tofu and fry it, or you can get packaged fried tofu from the supermarket.

The tofu absorbs most of the sauce in the process which tones down the
flavor a bit. This is a good dish to prepare when you are into body
building or into a protein-rich diet. Make sure to use lean cuts of pork
though.

A favorite among our group of friends who like to drink beer is Spicy
Pork Adobo. This is the perfect pulutan as far as I am concerned. The
spicier it gets, the better it becomes. I tried making this dish using the
former spiciest chili pepper in the world, Bhut Jolokia (It lost its crown to
the Carolina Reaper, which is way spicier).  The result was a very
delicious and extremely spicy adobo. The spice lingers in the mouth for a
while. Be forewarned.

Adobong Baboy sa Gata is a classic. This is notorious for making people

on limited-rice-diet crave for more rice. It is very rich, tasty, and
delicious. Add a few pieces of Thai chili pepper, and you will not get
enough of it.

How to Cook Pork Adobo

This version suggests marinating the pork to make it more flavorful. Pork
belly and other fatty cuts of pork are ideal for this recipe.

The first thing to do is marinate the pork belly in soy sauce and crushed
garlic. It is best to marinate it overnight. If time is limited, one hour
should be enough. Some like to add vinegar during the process. You may
do so if preferred.

Drain the marinade. Save it for later. The marinated pork needs to be
browned. Heat a cooking pot. Add pork with garlic. You can also add a
few tablespoons of cooking oil. Cook the pork until it turns brown.

The pork needs to be cooked until tender. Do this by pouring the

remaining marinade, if any. Also add water. Let the liquid boil. This is
the part where I put the whole peppercorn and dried bay leaves. These
ingredients complete my pork adobo. Boiling for 40 minutes should be
enough to tenderize the pork. There are times when you have to cook
longer.

If you have not added the vinegar as part of the marinade, pour it into the
pot and let it cook for 10 minutes. Salt is an optional ingredient for this
recipe. Use it only if you think its needed.

Pork Adobo Alterative and Additional

Ingredients

Pork – Use any cut of pork that you prefer. I suggest pork belly for best
results. However, use leaner parts if you are trying to avoid fats. Pork
tenderloin is a healthier choice. This is very tender and contains way less
fat than pork belly. You can also use other proteins such as chicken and
goat meat using this recipe.

Onion – This recipe does not suggest the use of onion. I think that onions
help improve the taste of adobo. Use red, yellow, or white onion for this
recipe. Make sure to chop it into small pieces.
Dried Bay Leaves – this is an ingredient that you can almost always find
most of the time in the spice section of your local supermarket. Believe it
or not, but this makes a huge difference when cooking adobo.

Whole Peppercorn – this is a traditional ingredient. It will not matter if

you use crushed peppercorn or ground black pepper. Sichuan peppercorns
are also good alternatives.

Sugar – adding a teaspoon of sugar will move your pork adobo on the
sweeter side. I personally love the taste of adobo with a bit of sugar.

Try this Pork Adobo Recipe and let me know what you think.