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This pork adobo is my Filipino mom’s recipe, made with chunks of pork belly and simmered in soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar until tender. It’s simple, requires no marinating, and tastes even better the next day!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
*The Recipe Card below includes all the full measurements for these ingredients!
Pork belly: Mom’s preferred cut for its fat and rich texture. Cut into about 1 chunks, but feel free to use pork shoulder, butt, or ribs as substitutes (just account for longer cooking times).
Garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns: The classic adobo aromatics. I prefer ground pepper for more even seasoning, but whole peppercorns work for a more traditional, and milder pepper flavor (just try to avoid biting into them whole!)
Brown sugar: This gives the adobo a deep, caramel flavor and balances the saltiness and acidity of the sauce. I like going for dark brown for a deeper taste, but light can also work.
Soy sauce: This will form the basis of our adobo. If you can, go for Filipino soy sauces like Datu Puti or Marca Piña. Otherwise, Chinese light-soy sauce can also work as a substitute.
White vinegar: The key ingredient for adobo, which gives the dish its signature tang. Traditional recipes use either cane vinegar or coconut vinegar. Otherwise, any kinds of vinegar, such as distilled white, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar can work as quick replacements.
Instructions
*The Recipe Card below includes all the full detailed instructions!
Sear the pork: Brown the pork belly on all sides, working in batches if needed.
Add the aromatics: Sauté the garlic, bay leaves, and pepper. Add in the brown sugar and let caramelize.
Simmer until tender: Pour in the soy sauce, vinegar, and water. Let simmer until the pork is tender.
Reduce the sauce: Boil uncovered until the sauce is glossy and can coat the pork. Serve with rice and vegetables.
Cooking Tips
Make it a day ahead: This is how I often prepare my adobo for the best flavor. Partially reduce the sauce, let cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate the adobo overnight to let the flavors develop. When ready, place it back on the stove and finish reducing the sauce when time to serve.
Don’t over-reduce the sauce: The sauce becomes saltier and more concentrated as it reduces. The sweet spot is a boldly-flavored sauce that’s lightly thickened and can coat the pork, not overly sticky or caramel-like.
Experiment with other ingredients: Other variations of adobo include adding star anise, chiles, onion, or coconut milk into the sauce. Dad sometimes likes to add boiled eggs or diced potatoes into the mix for an even more filling meal.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why is my adobo salty?
Like with many Filipino dishes, adobo tends to be more on the bolder side as it’s meant to be eaten with rice to balance its flavors. Over-reducing can also be the issue, as the sauce becomes more concentrated and salty the thicker it gets. You can add a splash of water to dilute the sauce in this case!
Why is my pork adobo still tough?
Depending on the size or cut of pork, it may require longer cooking times. Continue to simmer over medium-low until the pork is fork tender, adding extra water as needed if the liquid gets too low.
How do I store leftovers?
Leftovers can stay good for up to 3 days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. To reheat, simply microwave or heat over stovetop until fully warmed and the sauce is liquid in consistency.
What’s the difference between Mexican Adobo and Filipino Adobo?
While they share the same name, the dishes are entirely different! Mexican adobo is typically made with dried chiles and spices, while Filipino adobo is usually built around vinegar and soy sauce or salt.
Here’s a couple more adobo recipes you might love:
Pork Adobo Recipe (Adobong Baboy)
4
servings15
minutes1
hour20
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hour35
minutesThis pork adobo is my Filipino mom’s recipe, made with chunks of pork belly and simmered in soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar until tender. It’s simple, requires no marinating, and tastes even better the next day!
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Ingredients
650 g pork belly, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce (Filipino soy sauce preferred, or Chinese light soy sauce)
1/4 cup white vinegar (Cane vinegar preferred)
Water, just enough to cover the pork
Directions
- In a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, sear the pork on all sides until browned, doing so in batches, if needed.
- Add in the garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper. Sauté in the rendered pork fat for about one minute, or until the garlic has browned slightly (if there’s not enough fat, add about a tablespoon of neutral oil).
- Add in the brown sugar. Stir and let the sugar caramelize around the pork for about 30 to 60 seconds. Be careful not to burn the sugar, and you may lower the heat slightly if needed at this point.
- Pour in the soy sauce, vinegar, and just enough water to cover the pork. Bring to a boil, then cover, and let the adobo simmer on medium-low for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the pork is fork-tender.
- After simmering, remove the lid and bring the adobo to a moderate boil. Reduce the sauce until lightly thickened and glossy, and can coat the pork, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with rice with a side of vegetables, if desired.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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I did it this morning, ate it at lunch and I’m going to eat it again at dinner. I recommend this recipe and I will most certainly do it again. Thank you
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
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Hi, thank you for posting this recipe. It came out delicious and my partner’s family really loved it!
Hi Erica,
So glad you all enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
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I was struggling on learning how to cook adobo and make it specifically like this, I always ended up having it too soupy or too salty no matter how much I tried. Thanks for this!
Hi Gwen,
I’m so glad this recipe went well for you! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂
This recipe was easy to follow, clear and totally accurate with amounts of ingredients. A perfect adobo – not too salty, not too sweet, not too sour – just right. Loved by the whole family. Thank you!
Hi Nina,
It’s so great to hear your family enjoyed the adobo! Happy cooking 🙂
Thank you, Ian for sharing your recipe and I did made them, was so delicious!👌
Absolutely delicious. The recipe is so easy to follow. Thank you!
Hi Catie, thanks for giving the recipe a try! Glad it went well 🙂
I followed the recipe. I added onion as well.
It came out really good.
Hi Jc! Glad you enjoyed this recipe, love the addition of onions! 🙂
I’ve looked around on the internet for adobo recipes and this is the closest one that tasted like my mum’s adobo. It totally made me happy and a little bit homesick lol. Thank you for this recipe! It’s delicious and it’s perfect with rice and spinach! <3
Thanks Victoria! Spinach sounds great with this and so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
What type of brown sugar do i use for the pork adobo?
Light or dark works! I personally like to go for dark brown sugar.
I tried your recipe yesterday. If you leave it at the soupy stage, the recipe as stated is perfect. When I tasted it at the soupy stage, it was delicious! I decided to reduce the liquid so it would have a glaze. It came out too salty. I would halve the soy sauce next time for the glaze option.