Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2.5 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
- 2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup Filipino soy sauce (or low-sodium soy sauce)
- 1/3 cup cane vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1.5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Get a Hard Sear on the Pork
Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pat the pork shoulder chunks completely dry; a dry surface is essential for browning.
Working in batches, place the pork in the pot in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the pork will steam instead of sear. Let it cook without moving for ~3-4 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms on the bottom. Turn the pieces and continue to brown on all sides. This will take ~8-10 minutes per batch. Transfer the seared pork to a plate.
Build the Braising Liquid
Reduce the heat to medium, and add the sliced onions to the pot, stirring to scrape up some of the browned bits. Cook for ~4-5 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the smashed garlic cloves and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Return all the seared pork and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth, both soy sauces, and the vinegar. Add the bay leaves, whole peppercorns, and brown sugar, and stir everything to combine. Use your spoon to scrape any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pot; this is where a lot of the flavor is.
Braise Until Fork-Tender
Bring the liquid to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low so it maintains a very gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let it cook for ~75-90 minutes. The pork is ready when a piece can be easily shredded with a fork. If it’s still tough, it just needs more time.
Reduce the Sauce to a Glaze
Once the pork is tender, remove the lid. Increase the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer uncovered for ~15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The sauce will reduce by about half and thicken into a dark, glossy glaze that coats the back of a spoon. This final reduction is what concentrates the flavor and gives the adobo its signature finish.
Fish out the bay leaves, taste the sauce, and adjust if you like. Serve the pork and its glaze over hot steamed rice.
Pork Adobo (Filipino)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2.5 pounds pork shoulder cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 8 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 2 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup Filipino soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup cane vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1.5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Pat the pork chunks completely dry with paper towels.
- Working in batches, sear the pork for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook the onions in the same pot for 4-5 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Return the pork and any juices to the pot.
- Add the chicken broth, both soy sauces, vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
- Simmer gently for 75-90 minutes until the pork is fork-tender.
- Uncover and increase heat to medium. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces by half into a glossy glaze.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving.
- Serve the pork and glaze over hot steamed rice.
