Pork Adobo (Pampanga-Style)
Almost as many as the dialects spoken in the Philippines are the ways pork adobo can be prepared. Other regions prefer it “soupy”, swimming in the juice, and other parts, like as it is prepared here, simmered to dry with just enough grease to make a cardiologist cringe.
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
3 lbs boneless pork shoulder, pork leg or pork belly, cubed
1 1/2 cup vinegar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 large onion, sliced
1 head garlic, minced
1/4 tsp peppercorn, crushed
3 to 4 cups water
2 tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 onion, sliced into rings
1 to 2 pieces bay leaf
Procedure
Wash, cut pork shoulder into serving cubes and place in deep bowl. Add soy sauce, onions, garlic, bay leaf and pepper. Marinate for around 30 minutes. Squeeze marinade out of meat. Set aside liquid.
In a heavy skillet or wok, heat oil until very hot. Saute marinated pork plus the onions, garlic and bay leaf in skillet. Allow to brown, stirring constantly.
Add vinegar and allow to boil for around 1 to 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium-high. Simmer uncovered until vinegar is reduced, around 10 minutes.
Add water and reserved marinade, lower heat to low, and cover. Simmer for around 35-40 minutes, or until pork is tender, and juice is reduced and natural grease from meat has seeped out.
Add onion rings and cook for an additional minute or two.
Serve with piping hot steamed rice.
Tip:
You can add potato quarters or slices, browning potatoes first and add to adobo during the last 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time.
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Pinakbet (Sauteed Native Vegetables in Shrimp Paste
More Good Food!
I tried the adobo tonight for my family’s dinner and it turned out great! I have made adobo before and has always turned out either too sour or too salty so I stopped trying. So I gave this recipe a try and it turned out great. My family loved it, even my 4 year old picky eater ate it. I followed the recipe as written, mine turned out more saucy but we did not mind it at all since we liked the sauce. Will make this again in the future. Thanks for the recipe Lalaine. Keep them coming!
Now, how about some Adobo (batangueno style)?
Hi Zel! So interesting that after 20 years of friendship, we are now talking about what to cook, and not about what to wear! Geez! I keep forgetting we are OLD!!
Thank you for the support and enthusiam you have for my “baby” website. Talk to you soon.
Sunshine,
Hi! Batangueno-style? Had to ran to the living room and ask my husband (he hails from Lipa City, Batangas). He says it’s basically the same, just more sauce. I believe the way to cook this version is putting all ingredients together in a saucepot and simmering until pork is tender. My friend who is from Northern Luzon also prepares it with gata (coconut milk).
your recipe above lacks the bay leaf (laurel) as shown in the photo. i know it’s just an oversight. instead of pork shoulder, try liempo with ribs, skin and its layered fat. batangas style adobo uses achuete oil (fry the achuete seeds to extract its color) to fry first the pork and render its fat before adding the liquid ingredients.
Thanks, Claude! Corrected it!
Yes, a friend of mine did say batangas adobo uses achuete…I don’t know what I was thinking asking my husband who has never seen pots and pans in his life!
wow! for a first time cook, this recipe was easy! but i would like to ask, how sour is too sour? i don’t have a basis for comparison… haven’t cooked before…
Hi Jeff!
I am glad you found the recipe easy to follow.
About “how sour…”, that is really subjective but I’d say Adobo should be more on “the salt” side of soy sauce than “the sour” of vinegar. Did you allow the vinegar to simmer before adding the rest of the marinade? Uncovered?