Filipino Pork Belly Adobo
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds pork belly
1 ½ cups vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
10 garlic cloves (around 1 whole head of garlic), smashed
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8-10 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
DIRECTIONS
- Place the pork, vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns, and seven of the smashed garlic cloves in a shallow pot over medium heat. Add one cup water, plus more if necessary, to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork and set aside. Allow the broth to continue simmering.
- In a large skillet or flat griddle, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic cloves. Add pork and sear each piece on both sides until golden brown.
- Return pork to the pot, and reduce the sauce by simmering for another hour to half an hour, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your liking.
Some versions of adobo have coconut milk, some versions omit the soy sauce altogether, some versions have added sugar or hard-boiled eggs or chilis. This version is my family’s but it’s also a pretty classic preparation (and the best recipe out there). If you ever make it, I’d love to hear about it!