#62_Pork Adobo

PORK ADOBO with a little twist

I added Oyster Sauce,
a non-traditional ingredient to a Pinoy Adobo

The preparation starts with the basic sauteing of garlic and chopped onions in a little canola oil. When the onions are translucent, add the meat and continue to saute.

My mother taught me to saute the meat (pork or chicken) really well before adding any water into the pan. By sauteing the meat really well means when clear juice starts coming out of the meat or in other words the meat starts to render its own fats, you have sauteed the meat really well. After sauteing the meat really well, you can add some water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, crushed garlic and bay leaves. Cover the pot and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes till the meat is tender, adding some water or broth when necessary.

If doing a combination of chicken-pork adobo, I would suggest to simmer them separately as chicken gets cooked faster than pork and then combine the two.




This is one of those cooking sessions that I do without measuring the ingredients. I call it eyeballing or free style. But I will post a recipe and approximate measurements of ingredients to serve as guidelines. ( On this particular adobo, I didn't put much sauce (it had some, not a lot) in it because I was going to use it for SIOPAO fillings (siopao recipe coming up).

I used some meat from a pork loin (for roast pork) when I made this. You can use any cut of pork like pork chops or whatever you have. Filipinos like to have some fat in their pork adobo and often use pork belly.

Ingredients for Pork Adobo or Chicken Adobo:

2lbs. pork, washed and cubed or chicken thighs, drumstick or cut up stewing chicken

3 tbsp canola oil for sauteing

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 cup water

3-4 tbsp. soy sauce

3-4 tbsp. oyster sauce

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 cloves garlic, crushed

peppercorns

bay leaves

1/2 cup sprite or 7-Up (secret ingredient, now revealed)

NOTES from MaMely:

1) Here's another secret that I will share:

Ususally the night before, I marinate the cubed pork or chicken in soy sauce, sprite and crushed garlic.

When ready to cook, I discard the marinade and proceed to sauteing. Marinating makes the meat so full of flavor.

2) I was watching a show on the food network, "Ask Aida", Aida was making an Asian dish called Shuyo Chicken, and she put all of the ingredients in a pot and simmered it for 30 minutes until the sauce was cooked downed
.

So here's an idea: I've never done it this way before, but from what I saw from Aida, I guess after marinating the meat overnight, (she didn't marinate her chicken though) you can cook the adobo just like she did her dish specially when you're pressed with time....just an idea!

Update: 11-11-11
Here's a recipe for Lemongrass Adobo, click here.