Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe
Filipino Pork Belly Adobo is a classic Filipino braised pork dish simmered in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves until tender and deeply flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, high-smoking-point oil
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 5 pieces bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar, optional
- 4 cups water
- 4 tablespoons vinegar
Instructions
- To prepare the pork, trim and cut the pork belly into 1-inch pieces.
- To sear, in a pan over high heat, add the cooking oil and the pork belly. Stir-fry until lightly browned.
- To build flavor, add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the bay leaves, the black peppercorns, the soy sauce, and the sugar if using. Cook for 1 minute.
- To braise, pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce to low heat, and cook for 45 minutes until the pork is tender.
- To finish, uncover and pour in the vinegar. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes without stirring to allow the vinegar to mellow and the sauce to reduce.
- Serve hot with steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- Brown first: Searing before simmering builds deeper flavor directly in the pan.
- Simmer gently: Keep the heat low to prevent the pork from becoming tough.
- Do not stir after adding vinegar: Letting it cook undisturbed allows the acidity to mellow properly.
- Reduce for a thicker sauce: Simmer uncovered longer at the end if you prefer a richer glaze.
- Leftovers taste better: Adobo develops even deeper flavor overnight.
- Protein swap: This method works beautifully with chicken thighs or drumsticks — adjust simmering time accordingly.