Drool-Worthy Filipino Adobo Recipe Is Super Simple to Make (9 Ingredients) by Donna John

You know the saying, "when it rains, it pours?" This year it has poured. My sweet friend, Elisa Schmitz, who is one of the kindest and most generous people I know, sent me a care box that showed she knew just what I needed in my self-care kit to help me relax and unwind. The box had items for the kitchen, including a copy of Half Baked Harvest Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard.

The first recipe from the cookbook I made was the Quick Filipino Adobo. Wow! This simple pork recipe has minimal prep and simmers on the stovetop, not needing much attention. Yes, it almost cooks itself, but the flavor is what will have you wanting more.

"Not only is adobo one of the simplest meals, it is mouthwateringly good, too," Tieghan writes in her cookbook. "Traditionally, adobo is pork marinated and braised in a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar. It's a little bit sweeter, a touch tangy, and completely full of flavor. I kept this recipe as traditional as I could, only swapping out the brown sugar for honey, adding pineapple chunks, and serving each plate with fresh jalapenos for some heat."

If you want to bring the flavors of Filipino cooking into your home, you need to try this super simple recipe. Here is your short shopping list: pork butt or pork shoulder, black pepper, low-sodium soy sauce, white vinegar, honey, olive oil, fresh garlic, bay leaves, pineapple (check out the health benefits of pineapple) and optional jalapeno peppers and fresh cilantro for serving. Tieghan serves it with coconut rice, which I highly recommend. For the coconut rice you only need two ingredients: jasmine rice and a can of coconut milk.

The pork is cut into chunks and seasoned simply with black pepper (check out the health benefits of black pepper). After being browned, the pork simmers in the other ingredients until it is tender. The pineapple is the last ingredient to join the party, and adds a burst of freshness to the dish. You may notice that salt is never mentioned in this recipe. You do not need it. The salt from the soy sauce is enough.

Spoon the juicy morsels of pork and pineapple over rice for a dinner you will not soon forget. This high-protein dinner will be made often at my house. Thank you, Elisa, for the cooking inspiration – and friendship. May the sun come out soon for both of us.

Cuisine: Filipino / American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork butt or shoulder, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch cubes
• black pepper
• 3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
• sliced fresh jalapenos or fresh cilantro, for serving (optional, but recommended)
• coconut rice, for serving (optional, but recommended)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the soy sauce, vinegar, water and honey into a small bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Pat the chunks of pork dry with a paper towel and season all over with black pepper.
   
3. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or large skillet with a lid over high heat. When hot, add half of the pork and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.
   
4. Put all the pork into the pot and then add the garlic. Stir for about 1 minute.
   
5. Add the soy sauce mixture.
   
6. Toss in the bay leaves.
   
7. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 30 to 40 minutes. (I cooked mine almost a full hour. Watch it as it cooks to determine with the pork is tender and sauce reduced enough to your liking. If the sauce reduces too much, add another 1/4 cup of water.)
   
8. Add the pineapple chunks. Stir to combine. (I used canned pineapple chunks.)
   
9. Taste and add more black pepper, if needed.
   
10. Serve over coconut rice or regular cooked white rice and garnish with sliced jalapeno and/or fresh cilantro, if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave.
    

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