Filipino pork adobo is made with pork belly braised in a tangy, sweet, and savory sauce with lots of garlic. It is so simple and easy to make with minimal ingredients.
Leftover adobo makes an amazing adobo fried rice.
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What makes a good Filipino pork adobo
A good Filipino pork adobo is where meat has been seared first and simmered long enough to become tender and flavorful.
The sauce is slightly tangy and savory, while the sweetness varies between cooks.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Pork belly: Use pork belly with or without the skin, preferably boneless — the leaner, the better. It is the same cut used for grilled pork belly and lechon kawali (fried pork belly). You can also use pork butt, pork shoulder, or pork ribs.
- Soy sauce: Use regular or light soy sauce. A little dark soy sauce is okay for color, but not to replace it entirely. Tamari with no wheat is a gluten-free alternative. It is darker and richer, so you will need less of it.
How to make this recipe
Prepare the meat and aromatics
(1)Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces of about 1½ inches. Trim off any excess fat.
(2)Roughly chop the onions. (3)Smash the garlic cloves with the heel of your hand.
Sear the meat
Set a 4.5-quart Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
(4)Sear the meat in a little oil for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely browned. (5)Sear them in batches and set aside.
PRO TIP: Don't overcrowd the pot when you sear the meat, preventing it from steaming.
Sauté the aromatics
(6)Remove most of the oil by soaking it with a paper towel. (7)Sauté the garlic and onion for about a minute, or until slightly softened.
Simmer
(8)Add the meat, soy sauce, vinegar, ¼ cup of water, sugar, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. (9)Lower the heat to medium when it starts boiling.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat is tender and the sauce has slightly thickened.
(10)Check if the meat is tender using a fork. (11)Remove the fat layer on top. Give it a taste and make adjustments as needed. I always add extra sugar because we like it sweeter.
PRO TIP: If the sauce is too thin, continue simmering uncovered until the desired consistency is achieved. If it gets too dry, add a little more water.
How to serve
You can serve Filipino pork adobo with white rice to soak up all that flavorful sauce. Boiled eggs go well with it. Garnish with fried garlic and scallions.
How to store and reheat
Refrigerate Filipino pork adobo for up to four days in an airtight container. Shelf life also depends on how it was handled or how long it was out before refrigeration. You can freeze it to extend its shelf life.
Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. The sauce may need to be thinned out with water as it gets thicker as it sits.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you definitely can. Make sure to use bone-in chicken thighs with their skin on for full flavor.
Yes, you can make adobo in an instant pot or another electric pressure cooker. There’s no need to add extra water since the moisture gets locked in. The meat will let out extra liquid as it cooks.
You can add some sugar and water. Check if you need more soy sauce. Play around with the flavor until it's just right for you. If you end up with more sauce, you can thicken it with cornstarch.
More about Filipino Pork Adobo
Here are frequently asked questions about Filipino pork adobo including extra tips, troubleshooting, and more.
Watch how I make it here
Other pork recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Filipino Pork Adobo
Equipment
- 4.5-quart Dutch oven or a heavy bottomed-pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds pork belly 1½-inch pieces (see note)
- ½ cup soy sauce (see note)
- ⅔ cup cane or white vinegar sub: apple cider or rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar more to taste
- ground black pepper or peppercorns to taste (I used about ½ teaspoon)
- 1 head garlic crushed or smashed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 bay leaves dried or fresh
- neutral-flavored oil (canola or vegetable oil) for searing and sautéing
Instructions
- Working in batches, sear the meat for about 2 minutes on both sides until nicely browned. Set aside.
- Sauté the garlic and onion for about a minute, or until slightly softened.
- Return the meat to the pot and add the soy sauce, vinegar, ¼ cup of water, sugar, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir and let it come to a boil.
- Lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until the meat is tender and the sauce has slightly thickened.
- Check if meat is tender using a fork and remove the fat layer on top.
- Give it a taste and make adjustments as needed. I always add extra sugar because we like it sweeter.
- If the sauce is too thin, continue simmering uncovered until the desired consistency is achieved. If it gets too dry, add a little more water.
- Serve it with white rice to soak up all that flavorful sauce. Boiled eggs go well with it. Garnish with fried garlic and scallions.
Video
Notes
- Pork belly: Use pork belly with or without the skin, preferably boneless — the leaner, the better. You can also use pork butt, pork shoulder, or pork ribs.
- Soy sauce: Use regular or light soy sauce. A little dark soy sauce is okay for color, but not to replace it entirely. Tamari with no wheat is a gluten-free alternative. It is darker and richer, so you will need less of it.
Bim
Wow, one of my favorite Filipino food. I’ve tried so many times to cook adobo but I cannot find a recipe that is so good and easy to follow recipe. Cooked this today for lunch and my family asked for more. Thank you Nora.
Nora
That is so nice. I am always happy to know you guys enjoyed it. Thank you!!!