Adobo is a sauce that is indigenous to the Philippines. When the Spanish colonists settled in the Philippines during the 16th century, they saw this traditional Filipino cooking method and called it adobo (from the Spanish word adobar, meaning marinade). Spanish adobo, however, is not the same as it has a reddish hue due to the addition of paprika.
There are many varieties of adobo in the Philippines however, it is generally accepted that the basic adobo recipe is seasoned only with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, and black pepper.
What does it taste like, you ask? First off, the meat is fork-tender and the sauce — sweet, salty and tangy.
serves 4
2 lbs. pork belly, cut into chunks
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 dried bay leaves
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon peppercorns
My recipe uses an Instant Pot (a combination pressure cooker/slow cooker). If you don’t have one, don’t fret as you can braise the meat. The braising method will produce the same result but the cooking time will be a bit longer (roughly one hour).
Trim any excess fat from pork and season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Plug the Instant Pot in and select the sauté button. Add a splash of olive oil then place the pork in a single layer and lightly brown all over. Drain excess fat if any. Repeat this step if you have more meat to brown. Add sugar and garlic; stir to combine. When garlic is fragrant, add remaining ingredients and stir.
Close the lid in the locked position and make sure the sealing valve is on. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer for 15 minutes. When the time is up, allow the pot to rest 10 minutes before releasing the steam valve. If the sauce seems too thin, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch and one tablespoon of water and add to the sauce. Press the sauté button and let the mixture bubble away until desired consistency (about 5 minutes). Serve on a bed of rice.
The Culinary Chase’s Note: If you’re not a fan of pork, you can also use poultry or fish. Enjoy!
pork belly adobo
Author: The Culinary Chase
Cuisine: Filipino
- 2 lbs. pork belly, cut into chunks
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 dried bay leaves
- ¼ cup vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- This recipe uses an Instant Pot (a combination pressure cooker/slow cooker). If you don’t have one, don’t fret as you can braise the meat. The braising method will produce the same result but a bit longer (roughly one hour).
- Trim any excess fat from pork and season lightly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Plug the Instant Pot in and select the sauté button. Add a splash of olive oil then place the pork in a single layer and lightly brown all over. Drain excess fat if any. Repeat this step if you have more meat to brown. Add sugar and garlic; stir to combine. When garlic is fragrant, add remaining ingredients and stir.
- Close the lid in the locked position and make sure the sealing valve is on. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer for 15 minutes. When the time is up, allow the pot to rest 10 minutes before releasing the steam valve. If the sauce seems too thin, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch and one tablespoon of water and add to the sauce. Press the sauté button and let the mixture bubble away until desired consistency (about 5 minutes). Serve on a bed of rice.
- The Culinary Chase’s Note: If you’re not a fan of pork, you can also use poultry or fish. Enjoy!
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Heather ChaseThe Culinary Chase was coined by my husband whilst in a coffee shop in Hong Kong back in 2006. We wanted something that would be a play on my last name and by the time we finished our coffee, the name was born. As long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed cooking. It wasn’t until we moved to Asia that I began to experiment using herbs and spices in my everyday cooking. Not only do they enhance the flavor of food but also heighten it nutritionally. Over the years, I began to change our diet to include more vegetables, pulses, whole grains and less red meat. Don’t get me wrong, we love our meat, just not in super-size portions (too hard for the body to digest). I always use the palm of my hand as a guide to portion control when eating red meat. If the meat is larger than my hand, I save that portion for another day. Also, if the veggies on your plate look colorful (think the colors of the rainbow) – red, green, yellow, orange etc. then you’re most likely getting the right amount of nutrients per meal. I post recipes that I think help maintain a healthy body. I use the 80/20 rule – 80% of the time I make a conscious effort to eat healthy and 20% for when I want french fries with gravy (poutine). Balance is the key and to enjoy life with whatever comes my way. Thanks for visiting!