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Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe

"Served with white rice to soak up all the salty goodness, this is my ultimate comfort food, my very favorite thing to cook and to eat."
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 45 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino

Equipment

  • large enameled Dutch oven or nonstick pot (3.5 to 5 qt.)
  • Measuring cup
  • Measuring spoons
  • wooden spoon
  • Tongs

Ingredients
  

  • 3-5 lbs. pork shoulder or butt (trimmed of excess fat and cut into about 2” cubes)
  • 1 large yellow or white onion (thinly sliced)
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic (minced)
  • 2/3 cup dark soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup white vinegar
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • 5 small red skinned potatoes
  • 2 tsp. ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
  • 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • Canola oil

Instructions
 

  • Season the pork with one teaspoon of black pepper.
  • Heat enough canola oil to just cover the bottom of a big pot over medium-high heat, and brown the pork, using tongs to turn the pieces as they brown so they are very brown on all sides.
  • Do this in 2-3 batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot, adding more oil as necessary.
  • Remove the pork from the pot and add the onion. Sauté for a couple minutes.
  • Add the garlic and sauté for another couple minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
  • Deglaze the bottom of the pot with 1/3 cup of water, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, and add pork back to the pot.
  • Add soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 cups of water. The liquid mixture should cover the pork about ¾ of the way.
  • Add bay leaves and remaining teaspoon of black pepper.
  • Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about an hour and a half, stirring a few times. Check the pork every so often to make sure it is not boiling, and adjust the heat as necessary. 
  • After an hour and a half, add the potatoes to the pot. If the liquid doesn’t cover the potatoes, add a little water to bring it up a bit. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
  • Create a slurry by whisking the flour with about ½ cup of water. Make sure the liquid in the pot is bubbling, and mix the slurry in, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil and let it thicken with the slurry. It should be the thickness of a thin gravy, but again, this can be adjusted to your personal taste! 
  • Taste the gravy for seasoning. Add more black pepper to taste. Serve over white rice with steamed or roasted broccoli, or any veggies your family likes!
Keyword Filipino food, pork adobo