Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between adobo and Filipino adobo? ›

Philippine adobo has a characteristically salty and sour, and often sweet taste, in contrast to Spanish and Mexican adobos, which are spicier or infused with oregano.

Most modern-day Filipino adobo is prepared with vinegar and soy sauce. Some families keep it simple with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper. Others add fresh ginger or coconut milk.

There's no doubt that adobo is a mainstay in Philippine cuisine — thanks to its complex flavours rooted from a simple vinegar-braised method, it's one of the most well-known gateway dishes that introduces foreigners to the curious and nuanced world of Filipino food.

Adobo is really a kind of cooking method, originating in the Philippines. IT involves simmering meat and even seafood in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic. The result is a tangy, savory dish that changes slightly with whatever protein you decide to cook.

Adobo!” And, there you have it. 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's the best adobo to buy? The most popular brands are Badia, Goya, and McCormick. These dry adobos, which usually come labeled as adobo completo or complete seasoning, are mostly a blend of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, and other dry herbs and spices.

You can stir it while it's simmering or boiling. But, as for my father's words, do not stir it after you add the vinegar because "it may ruin the taste of the adobo." Bay leaves are quite optional to put when I cook my adobo.

GOYA® Adobo adds super flavor in a flash. GOYA® Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning with Pepper is the perfect blend of garlic, oregano, black pepper and Latin spices that adds quick flavor to any meat, chicken, fish and vegetables. A simple shake before cooking is all it takes. If it's Goya ... it has to be good!

In Mexico, adobo sauce starts with dried chiles like guajillo and ancho peppers. The chiles are rehydrated and combined into a thick paste with an acid like vinegar or citrus juice and flavorful additions like onions, garlic, cumin, and oregano.

Some side dishes that go beautifully with Filipino adobo are fluffy white rice, brown rice, quinoa or mashed potatoes. You'll want something starchy to soak up the delicious sauce. A simple green salad or cucumber salad would be the perfect side dish with chicken adobo.

What is the old name of adobo? ›

The Spanish word 'adobar' refers to a marinade or pickling sauce. In his writings, Pedro de San Buenaventura labeled the Filipino version 'adobo de los naturales' – adobo of the natives. The name stuck.

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.

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.

According to the food historian Raymond Sokolov, the ingredients for adobo already existed in the Philippines before Ferdinand Magellan even laid eyes on our shores. Because the dish's original name was never recorded (and in a case of what Sakolov calls “lexical imperialism”), the Spanish label stuck.

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 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!

Mexican adobo is such a well-loved sauce that you can find it pre-made on supermarket shelves. While it shares the same base as the Spanish version—vinegar, garlic, peppercorn, oregano, and paprika—it takes on a new flavor profile thanks to the addition of common Mexican ingredients tomatoes and chilies.

Did you know we have over 100 variations of adobo? Here are some of the different ways that the different parts of the country prepare everyone's favorite Filipino food.