Pinoy Pork Adobo

My version of the traditional Filipino dish. This can be prepped well ahead of time, leaving the pork to marinate for at least a couple of hours, the longer the better. Adobo is the name for the marinade. Use either all pork belly or a mix of it plus other pork cuts such as loin and shoulder. Key elements are the use of dark soy sauce, not light, sparkling lemonade, and apple (Pink Lady®, Jazz™, or Pacific Rose™ are ideal). Serve with rice.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 258 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• ½ apple, diced
• 3 bay leaves, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 12 whole black peppercorns
• ½ pound pork belly, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• ½ pound pork loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons groundnut oil, divided
• 1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 red chile pepper, chopped, or more to taste
• 1 pinch cumin seeds, or to taste
• 1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1 cup sparkling lemonade

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine pork belly and pork loin in a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon groundnut oil to coat. Add garlic, ginger, red chile, peppercorns, brown sugar, bay leaves, and cumin. Mix in diced apple, cider vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir to coat the pork. Marinate in the fridge, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the pan and sprinkle in salt and pepper. Add onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the pork and marinade; cook until pork starts to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in lemonade, cornstarch, and bouillon; sauce should cover the pork and vegetables.

Step 3

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until liquid is reduced and pork is tender but still slightly pink in the center, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter 10 minutes before pork is finished cooking. Discard bay leaves before serving.