Try this melt in your mouth Pork Adobo Recipe with a perfect balance of saltiness, and acidity. Slow-cooked and then sauteed in browned garlic for richer and fuller flavors. 
Adobo has become an iconic dish that represents Filipino food worldwide. It is always present and usually takes the top place in all the Filipino food list you can find.
There was even a movie called 'American Adobo' back in 2002. Which is not about Adobo really but about the lives of five Filipinos living in the USA.
They used the name of the dish as the title in the film as a symbol that reflects the clashing characters and their different struggles in life living abroad.
But despite the conflicts in their characters, in the end, everything ended up well, just like in cooking Adobo that is acidic (vinegar), salty (soy sauce), meaty and full of spices, all ingredients are thrown together to create such a unique and delicious dish.
What is Adobo?
Adobo is a way of cooking meat (or vegetable) in a brine solution with vinegar, soy sauce, onions, and peppercorn. Dried bay leaves and garlic are usually added for extra flavor and fragrance.
It also refers to the popular Filipino dish that is cooked using this technique.
Different meat can be used for making this dish. Most common is chicken (Adobong Manok) or Pork (Adobong Baboy). Vegetables like, snake beans, water spinach, and eggplant are also cooked in this manner. So are fishes and squid.
How to make Pork Adobo tastier
My pork Adobo recipe is done a bit different than the others.
However, you will also learn that a lot of them have different ways of cooking Adobo. Some people just boil it and prefers a thinner sauce. Others marinate it in the sauce before cooking it. I, on the other hand, do not marinate but cook it twice!
It is like braising but in reverse.
- Simmer the meat in the soy sauce-vinegar solution with onions, peppercorn and bay leaves, low and slow until it becomes fork tender.
- Then separate the meat from the sauce and saute the meat in browned garlic.
- The sauce is, finally, added back and simmered until it is reduced to a caramelized sauce.
This is the way my Mama thought me and most of my titas (aunties) and cousins do it the same way.
Browning the garlic and adding it at the end makes the sauce richer with a fuller flavor.
Which cuts to use for pork Adobo
- Pork belly -(Liempo) the more popular choice because it is the most flavorful cut because of the fats in it.
- Pork shoulder - (Kasim) than pork belly. A tough cut with lots of fat and tissue that make it ideal for slow cooking.
- Pork ham - (Pigue) If you want meatier and leaner meat that is also good for slow-cooking.
- Pork hocks - (Pata) also great for making this pork Adobo recipe with a good combination of bones, skin, and meat flesh.
Although it seems that Chicken Adobo is more popular on the international scene, you should also give the pork version a try. You can even mix them if you like. As a Filipino, I cannot say which one is more popular in the Philippines. I think both are equally loved as they are equally delicious. Adobo is Adobo, regardless of the meat you use.
Other Filipino Pork Dishes to try
- Lechon Kawali - pork belly fried to a crisp
- Pata Tim - Braised pork hock
- Pork Hamonado - a little similar to pork Adobo recipe but with added sweetness from pineapple and no vinegar
- Pochero - a stew of pork with loads of vegetables, banana, and legumes
- Kapampangan Pork Asado - tomato-based stew with thickened sauce
- Tocino - sweet-savory cured pork
- Kare Kare - Pork stew with savory peanut sauce or try the crispy Kare Kare version.
Pork Adobo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds pork belly - cut into 1x1 or 1x2-inch cubes
- ⅓ cup dark soy sauce
- ½ cup vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 10-12 pieces peppercorn
- 3 pieces bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar - optional
- 1 big onion - chopped coarsely
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
Instructions
- Place pork belly in a pot. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, water, peppercorn, bay leaves, brown sugar, and onions. Bring to boil over high heat.
- Cover the pot with the lid and lower heat to low. Let it cook for about an hour or until the meat is really tender and liquid is reduced to half. Separate meat from the sauce.
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium-low and add the minced garlic. Cook garlic until golden. Remove some of the garlic from oil leaving about ½ in the pan and transfer the rest to a small bowl.
- Add back the meat to the skillet and cook for a minute or two. Add the sauce again and let it simmer for some minutes until the sauce is reduced some more and becomes thicker.
- Transfer the Pork Adobo to a serving dish and top it with the browned garlic. Serve with hot steaming rice.
Hi, had this last night. Followed exactly what was written so that We would know how it will turn out. It was super duper delicious! Thanks a lot. Will do your humba next. Be safe always.
Glad you like it and hopefully the humba recipe too.
I’d made chicken adobo before, but never pork. I was skeptical about the addition of sugar and cooking twice, but this turned out to be really good!!
I used pork belly, kikkoman red (not sure if that’s dark or light soy sauce)
and datu puti. On day 1, I followed this recipe’s step 1-2, separately stored the pork and gravy in fridge overnight, and the next day, skimmed the fat from the gravy, and proceeded with steps 3-4.
I added some jalapeños to my husband’s when frying his portion—a bastardization, but he prefers stuff spicy.
I served this with a side of steamed jasmine rice, steamed bok choy and a hard boiled egg—Delicious!
This is now my FAVORITE adobo recipe, and I can’t wait to make it again. I’m about to buy some LKK soy sauce right now. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Mimi, I am glad to know that you loved our pork adobo recipe. About the jalapeños, no judgment here, I support you all the way! (My bestfriend would also ask me to add hot chili peppers whenever I make adobo (or anything else actually) when we were still roomies back in the days, and I totally get it! That is also great tip about removing the excess oil from the pork fat, thanks! 😘
Wow! This is one of my favorite pork adobo recipes (only like this and another version). Thank you thank you!
Thanks for the stars, Maria.
Hi... If I were to use pork hock instead of belly, would I need to cook it longer than the belly? Please advise. Thank you.
That could be the case, Garrett. Because hocks are usually tougher than the belly cut. But just check the tenderness from time to time all the same.
Hi,
I've been craving Pork Adobo since I've moved to WA from HI.
Do you think I can use apple cider vinegar instead of regular vinegar?
Yes, you can but use a bit lesser as it could be too sour.
I cannot wait to try this recipe. Do you have any suggestions on the best type of VINEGAR to use?
Any vinegar that you like actually. I normally use cane vinegar but I also like using red wine vinegar sometimes for a different flavor.
Made this for the first time tonight. I think it’s my new favorite way to prepare pork belly. Very tender and flavorful. I made a Filipino fried rice out of riced cauliflower to compliment the pork. Both were excellent.
That is great, Joel. Glad you like our recipe. You can also try it with chicken, here is our Chicken Adobo Recipe.
1st time to cook adobo and follow this. It was amazing. Thanks for this
Glad you like it, Mark.
Looks so yummy! Gonna try this one 😊
It's delicious and great. I did it yesterday. My whole family loves this dish. The formula is simple, effective and fast. It is great. Thank you for the very helpful article.
That is awesome, Jack, happy that you all like it!
I can’t seem to get the color right.... the taste is there and delicious. I didn’t use a dark soy sauce and I used a “pork loin” cut into cubes. Do you think it’s the type of pork I used?
Lean meat tends to be whiter than the fattier cut, so I could be that.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. Ang sarap sarap ng adobo! Believer na ako ngayon. Now I know why people recommend your site.
Wow! what a nice thing to say!
Hi Bebs!
I’m so glad I found your website. This is the way my late mom cooked Adobo, except for the onions. I did try to add onions and it turned out so good, too. I cooked this for dinner last night and it was a hit! My two granddaughters are picky in foods but we were surprised that they asked for more. Yaaay! I felt so proud of myself. Unfortunately I didn’t cook that much because I was not expecting these two picky eaters would love it but I promised them to cook it again this weekend. Thank you so much! Today, I will try your Chicken Teriyaki. I’m sure this will be another hit.
Way to go, Maria! Glad your picky eaters loved it!
Best pork adobo recipe I did ever. I love peppercorn so I put it many. The smell is so great!
That's great to hear, Jimmy!
Looks good and delicious but this can not be authentic Filipino adobo recipe if there is onion. This would be closer to a pork steak recipe than adobo... just saying 🙂
Hi Kirix, I had to check other recipes upon reading your comment, 😊. It never occurred to me that some people cook adobo without onions (silly me). This has always been how it is done in our family and actually by everyone I know, only we have different ways of cooking it. But as for being closer to pork steak, I have to disagree. Onions are more enhanced in pork steak because it is added at the last part of cooking while in "our" adobo it is simmered with the pork and garlic until they melt into the sauce. Pork Steak has no vinegar too...just saying 😊
Yummy! Normally my wife makes Chicken Adobo. I don't think I have had the pork version. I'm going to have her make this asap! Looks so good. Thank you for the recipe.
Finally the best adobo recipe! Thanks for this recipe.
Hi! great that I came across your site. I am away from PH and can't easily get adobo or I always fail. Maybe I was in a rush or just pretend how I saw our yayay do it. But this is an exemption, I did it! and cravings was satisfied. Also, my non-pinoy partner loved it. So, thank you. I'm proud to have cooked Adobo. I can easily invite friends or bring a pinoy dish to an international potluck. Keep it up!
That is great, Rose! Happy that you like our recipe and hopefully your friends too..
Hello Bebs, if I have 3lbs of meat, do I double the soy sauce and vinegar too?? Thank you.
If you are going to reduce the sauce a lot, then just add a bit soy sauce or else it might get too salty.
Hi,
What if I put too much pepper? 🙁 We don't have any peppercorns but we have here crashed peppercorns. Not sure if I converted it properly 🙁
Ok, that might be more peppery if you added crushed instead of the peppercorns. Depending on how strong your pepper is, if it is a mild one then it should still be fine.
This is my new go to website for ALL Pinoy recipes. Everything I've tried is good. Thank you for creating this site.
Hey Noel! That is such a great and nice comment! Thanks for the 5 stars...
This is my favorite adobo recipe and believe me i tried A LOT of different recipes. 🙂
Aaaww..thanks for your nice words, May.
I made this with pork last week tonight I'm using chicken. Very easy to make and there were no left overs. I'm so glad I found this site.Family loved it.
Thanks for the nice comment, Marilyn.
Followed your recipe and achieved the taste I was looking for! Thanks for this recipe! Will cook it again later.
Glad to hear it, Tina.
Your food look inspiring and delicious
Thanks for the nice comment and excellent ratings, Romell!
Instead of pork, I used chicken. Your Adobo recipe is very delicious, and I'm glad I found you!!! THANKS!
Hi Fely, I do have a Chicken Adobo recipe but yes, they are are mostly the same. Thanks for the stars..
The best pork adobo recipe I've tried so far! Thank you!!!
Hi Annie thanks for the great review!
Sinubukan kong lutuin ito and nagustuhan naman ni mr, super like niya, kaya ngayon ayan nagpapaluto na naman, pero sana hindi magbago yung timpla ko kasi usually sa pangalawang try ko hindi na masarap, Ouch. Pero eto try ulit, Sobrang sarap kasi nanuot yung lasa sa karne, and ang ginagawa niya is ipapaluto noya ngayon, bukas niya kakainin. Tsaka yung late na ilagay yung bawang is kakaiba, thumbs up. Thank so much, godbless! INGAT PO
Hi Garland, adding the fried garlic at the end has always been the way Adobo is done in our family and it truly adds a ton of flavors. Glad you like it.
I used 1/3 cup of ACV instead, and another tsp of brown sugar, and it works just fine. My husband loved it! Finally found the best adobo recipe. Thanks much Bebs, you made my day. 😍
Aaaww...that is so nice of you to say Elle.
Hi, I’m wanting to try this recipe. I love pork belly and never made it this way.
What kind of vinegar do I need?
Thanks!
Hi Daniel, we usually have the cane vinegar but actually it will work with any kind of vinegar. Of course, it will affect the taste. I tried using red wine vinegar and loved it.
Hi Bebs,
Been trying out adobo recipe...to educated my bf who is a chef on it. I'm trying this now while watching Men Try Videos...thanks for the recipe!
How did the bf like it? the Adobo and the lesson, lol...just looked up Men Try Videos, I am hooked...haha
Thank you so much for the recipe. The adobo is so good and easy to cook because of your instructions. Really thank you so much!
Hi David, glad you like our Adobo recipe. Try some of our other recipes as well! 😊
Thank you!
You are welcome, Julie!
This was sooo delicious when I made it for dinner tonight. And easy to make.
That is awesome Susan! Glad to hear you like it!
Easy to understand recipes.
Will try chucken instead of pork for adobo as I already did the pork.
Thank you Bebs just found your website today 12/2/19.
Glad you like it Emet. We also have a recipe for chciken adobo here. Enjoy!
Was looking for adobo just like how they made it at home in Pampanga with sauce and lots of it! Thanks for this recipe!
You are welcome, Celine!
hello ma'am pork adobo is the favorite food of my children..thank you..
You are most welcome, Malou...
This is amazing!! My husband loves adobo but before I used another recipe, but for this one, he complements this so much. Thank you beb for sharing this! 😘😘😘
Your welcome, Leah! and happy that your husband loves it..
I have alwasy been making adobo since this has been my husband's favorite Filipino dish. (He is Caucasian btw) But by far this is his favorite version of adobo! More power to you 🙂 and thank you for this.
Aawww...that is just so nice to hear Charm. Thanks for the perfect rating too!
have you tried this recipe in a pressure cooker like the Instant Pot or even a slow cooker? If so what are the times you would suggest for each appliance?
Hi Mary Jo, I usually cook Adobo the traditional way so I haven't tried it in a pressure or Instant Pot and I am not entirely sure if you can as you need the time to cook the vinegar. I will let you know once I am able to cook it successfully with the same result.
Hey there - just wondering does it matter what vinegar you use?
Thank you
Hi Mercy, I usually just use what I have on hand. I've tried coconut, cane, apple, vegetable even red wine vinegar and so far they all worked fine. Each leaves a subtle distinct taste which is also good. The sourness or acidity should be gone anyway once it is cooked.