Adobo (Authentic Filipino Adobo Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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Adobo- a Filipino stew or simmer of meat and vegetables cooked with vinegar. This delicious and easy recipe uses both chicken and pork.

Adobo (Authentic Filipino Adobo Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (1)

Adobo (Authentic Filipino Adobo Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2)

Table of Contents

What is Adobo?

Filipino adobo is a delicious stew or a simmer of meat and vegetables cooked with vinegar.

The most common versions use chicken or pork or even both, with soy sauce to flavour. Additionally, bay leaf, black pepper, and garlic are used as the pillars of adobo.

That being said, we also have versions using squid (adobong pusit), long beans (adobong sitaw), and water spinach (adobong kang kong). I have seen people use everything from baby back ribs to catfish in adobo.

I don’t think there is, or will ever be, a truly definitive recipe for Filipino adobo.

Ingredients for Adobo

  • White cane vinegar
  • Toyo
  • Chicken (legs, drumsticks, thighs)
  • Pork belly
  • Black peppercorns
  • Laurel leaves

I like my adobo dark, which is why I use soy sauce. Additionally, I like to mix pork and chicken, despite arguments to the contrary.

I may make adobo using only pork, but I will hardly ever make it using only chicken. The pork makes the whole dish, especially the sauce, more robust so I consider having to fish out of the chicken mid-way a step well worth it.

Cooking Tips

  • Use pork belly that still has the bones attached and skin on – then make your butcher cut it into nice chunks (I like biggish pork chunks in my adobo).
  • The bones and skin will work wonders towards giving your sauce more body. Frying the chicken and pork after they’ve been cooked is a messy affair, but it really does make a difference. The caramelized bits of fatty pork and chicken skin will make cleaning an oil spattered kitchen seem like a small price to pay.
  • One of the oldest adobo adages is not to stir the sauce until the vinegar burns off most of its “acid”. Another bit of advice I’ve heard is to always leave the garlic skin on.

Optional Tips

  • Pop one star anise into the pot to give it a brilliant fragrance and a Chinese flavor.
  • If you would like, add a peeled hardboiled egg towards the end of cooking.
  • Add one peeled sweet potato to add a touch of sweetness.
  • Experiment with different types of vinegars! I also make a version that uses red wine vinegar – and instead of chicken and pork I use lamb shanks and I add in some peeled pear quarters.
  • Add a handful of peeled pearl/spring onions to the mix – they will get all melty as the adobo cooks and enrich the sauce.
  • Slow cook your adobo in the oven while you do chores around the house.
  • Use leftover adobo (flake the meat) for awesome fried rice!

What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?

This dish is best served as the main entree. For a wholesome Filipino meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

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Adobo

Adobo- a Filipino stew or simmer of meat and vegetables cooked with vinegar. This delicious and easy recipe uses both chicken and pork.

4.88 from 8 votes

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By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 4 people

Prep 5 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Total 15 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup white cane vinegar
  • 1/4 cup toyo (our local soy sauce)
  • 3/4 - 1 cup water (you may not use all of it)
  • 3 chicken legs (drumstick and 3 chicken thighs (I like to use dark meat – this should come to about 600-650 g of chicken))
  • 350-400 g pork belly (the part with the bone, skin on, cut into generous chunks (about 2 inches))
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
  • 8-10 cloves garlic (just slightly bashed, skin still on (do not peel!))
  • 2 bay (laurel leaves)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper (a few twists)

Instructions

  • Put all the ingredients except for the water in a Dutch oven or any heavy duty pot and leave for about 30 minutes to marinate.

  • Place the pot over medium heat, add 1/2 cup water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and simmer without stirring until most of the vinegar’s acid has been cooked off – you will know when this is done because it won’t smell as sharp and “sting-y”.

  • Keep simmering over low heat until the chicken is very tender - about 40 minutes to an hour. Taste the sauce. If it’s too salty or too sharp for your taste, add some of the remaining water. I usually end up using 3/4 cup total.

  • When chicken is tender, remove the pieces from the pot and set aside. At this point, the garlic will be very tender as well – you can mash some (not all!) of the cloves against the sides of the pot to incorporate it into the sauce.

  • Keep simmering on low heat a further 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until pork is meltingly tender.

  • When pork is very tender, remove from pot and set aside.

  • Keep simmering the sauce until reduced to your desired consistency. Taste the sauce and if you’d like a bit of sweetness, stir in a pinch of brown sugar – I like to do this, but you certainly don’t have to.

  • Heat a skillet with some oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken and pork pieces to brown.

  • When the sauce has reduced to your desired consistency, add the browned chicken and pork back to the pot. Toss gently and remove from heat.

  • You can eat it at this point, but it gains depth of flavour if you let it rest for a day.

Notes

Recipe by 80breakfasts.

Course: Filipino Recipes

Cuisine: Chicken

Keywords: Adobo

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Adobo

Amount Per Serving (4 people)

Calories 688Calories from Fat 558

% Daily Value*

Fat 62g95%

Saturated Fat 21g131%

Cholesterol 153mg51%

Sodium 927mg40%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 26g52%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Adobo (Authentic Filipino Adobo Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

What are the 2 versions of adobo? ›

Based on the main ingredients, the most common adobo types are adobong manók, in which chicken is used, and adobong baboy, in which pork is used.

What makes adobo a real Filipino dish? ›

What is Filipino adobo? In the Philippines, which was claimed by the Spanish in 1521, adobo is most often a braise featuring vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns—the ratio of which is dictated by both your family's palate and your own.

What kind of vinegar to use for adobo? ›

The traditional Filipino chicken adobo generally uses palm vinegar. However, unless you live in a major city with massive access to all sorts of pan-Asian ingredients, you're not likely to find that in your local market. My stepmother, who passed on this recipe to me, suggested white wine vinegar as a good substitute.

What does it mean to say that Adobe is a Filipino native dish? ›

When we describe Adobo as a "native dish," we are acknowledging Adobo's place in the cultural history and cuisine of the Philippines. Adobo is a dish that is native to the Philippines, it has been a part of the country's cuisine and heritage for centuries.

Is Filipino adobo the same as Mexican adobo? ›

Filipino Adobo is an indigenous dish that received a Spanish name because it reminded the Spaniards of how they marinated and preserved meat with spices. They are not the same, but they are similar because each culture needed to preserve and flavor food so it wouldn't rot.

What is adobo in English? ›

In English, adobo means “vinegar-braised.” Evenly-cut chunks of meat are first seared in hot fat or oil until they brown. Braising liquids, such as vinegar and soy sauce, are then added, and the mixture is left to simmer over low heat.

Is adobo healthy? ›

Adobo is a delicious Filipino dish with nutritional value, primarily as a source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals. However, be aware of portion sizes, the type of meat used, and the sodium content to enjoy the dish as part of a balanced and healthy diet.

What makes adobo taste good? ›

What Chicken Adobo tastes like. The glaze of Filipino Chicken Adobo is savoury and sweet with a hint of tang, with a distinct soy flavour. The garlic and onion creates a savoury base along with the bay leaves, and the peppercorns add little subtle pops of heat. Don't be afraid of the peppercorns in this!

Can I use rice vinegar for adobo? ›

Traditionally, cane or coconut vinegar is used. For my own recipe, I chose rice vinegar because it's a little less sharp on the palate. But truthfully, I've made so many last-minute adobos with white vinegar, apple cider, or a combination of whatever I have left in my pantry, and they've all turned out great.

What happens if you put too much vinegar in adobo? ›

TLDR: adding a pinch of baking soda to a dish that you put too much vinegar will fix it.

Why do you not stir vinegar in adobo? ›

After pouring in the vinegar, do not stir the vinegar into the soy sauce. This helps to burn off the acid in the vinegar in the bottom of the pot. Using the right vinegar is important. It's crucial to use the vinegars recommended for chicken adobo as some can really change the flavor.

How do you get the sour taste out of adobo? ›

“Some people add coconut milk; some cooks add a bit of sweetness in the form of sugar, honey, ripe fruit or even preserves to round out the adobo's sharp acidity and saltiness,” Ponseca writes.

What is the most famous Filipino dish in the world? ›

Lechon. Lechon is one of the Philippines' most well-known foods whose name translates to “roasted piglet.” However, this dish isn't usually made with piglets, rather with one fully-grown pig, lightly seasoned and roasted whole. Part of what makes lechon so world-famous is its striking visual appearance.

What nationality is a Filipino? ›

In Philippines: Ethnic groups. the Philippines collectively are called Filipinos. The ancestors of the vast majority of the population were of Malay descent and came from the Southeast Asian mainland as well as from what is now Indonesia.

What does rice mean to Filipinos? ›

Rice has been a major part of the Philippine diet for centuries. It was a mainstay even before the Spanish colonisation, and its cultivation and consumption have deep historical roots. Rice is often considered the heart of Filipino cuisine and is a key element in various celebrations and rituals.

What's the difference between adobo and adobado? ›

Though primarily a way to store food, it eventually evolved to be used to season or marinade a dish. Currently, adobo in Spain is more famous as a sauce than a culinary technique. Dishes that are drenched in such sauce are called adobado.

What is the difference between adobo and humba? ›

Although the two dishes resembles in terms of appearance, Humba is sweet, sour, and salty all at once in taste while Adobo is sour and salty. Humba uses all the basic ingredients of Adobo with the addition of brown sugar, salted black beans (tausi), and banana blossoms.

What are the different types of adobo sauce? ›

There are two types of adobo on the island. The wet rub, adobo mojado, consists of crushed garlic, olive oil, salt, black pepper, dry or fresh lippia (Caribbean oregan), citrus juice and vinegar. More widely used on the island is a dry mix, adobo seco. It is easier to prepare and has a long shelf life.

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