This is what I would call a Desert Island Meal, a dish so good that I could not live without it. I’m eating much more vegetarian, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to quit this incredible Filipino classic.
The dish I am talking about here is Pork Adobo. This is a classic recipe that I have not altered since I first had it as a child the way my Mom made it and the way her Dad taught her how to do it. Don't be fooled by how simple the plating is, this dish doesn't need any bells and whistles. If you have not had this, follow along…it’s easy and it will blow your mind.
When I make adobo, I go big and do up a big pot of it!
INGREDIENTS
• Pork Shoulder or Pork Butt
• Soy Sauce
• Vinegar
• Bay Leaves
• Peppercorns
• Water
• Canola Oil
Take your pork and cut into about 1" chunks or so. Don't try to use a less fatty cut of meat because it needs the fat to become SUCCULENT. Heat a small amount of oil in the pan to keep the meat from sticking too much, put in an amount of chunks to cover the bottom, but don't over crowd. Brown the meat and continue doing this in batches until you are done.
While the meat is browning, you can prep your garlic and by 'garlic' I mean do the whole head! It is not going to be overly garlicky or be too much for your delicate palate, believe me. Prep it all and cut up or smash.
Once all of your meat is browned, put it all back into the pot and now you will add all of the other ingredients.
Generally, you will want to use equal parts vinegar and soy sauce and twice that amount of water. So if you use 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of soy sauce, you will put in a full cup of water. All that being said, you will want most of the meat covered by the liquid so you may have to adjust the amount to accommodate this. Use a large cast iron or Dutch oven especially if you are using a big piece of meat like I did.
Take your peppercorns, a small handful of 25-30 and give them a light crush in a mortar, don't pulverize them, just lightly break them. It is fine if some are still whole. Put that into the pot along with the garlic, 3-4 bay leaves and set stove top to med high and get it to a boil, then lower it to a slow simmer and cover. The meat will now need to cook for at least an hour or more. Set your timer for every 20 minutes and circulate the meat and make sure that the liquid is not evaporating. Add more if needed.
After about an hour, test the doneness of the meat. It should be starting to get very tender and the house should be very fragrant with this mouth-watering aroma. If you've never had this, you may have a tricky time determining the exact flavor. Don't be afraid to add more water (slowly) to even out the taste because the vinegar and soy sauce can be intense, but that's the beauty of this dish...it is intense!
When it's done, remove as much of the oil that will be floating on the top. I braised a bit of savoy cabbage to go along with it. Pour some of the cooking liquid over the top of your plated dish and enjoy!
Adobo will continue to gain flavor and intensity over time and it keeps well for several days.
I really hope someone who has never tried this takes the plunge. Let me know what you think!
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