Traditional Pork Adobo from the Philippines

Ingredients

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

Step 1

Stir the pork belly and pork loin in a big bowl. Drizzle in a tablespoon of groundnut oil and toss everything so the meat is nicely coated. Add the garlic, ginger, red chile, peppercorns, brown sugar, bay leaves, and cumin. Then, stir in the diced apple, cider vinegar, and soy sauce. Give it all a good mix, cover, and pop it in the fridge to marinate for at least an hour, stirring a couple of times if you remember.

Step 2

When you’re ready to cook, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Melt a tablespoon of butter, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss in the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Let them cook until they’re soft and fragrant, about five minutes. Add the pork along with all the marinade, and cook until the meat starts to brown, which should take around six minutes.

Step 3

Pour in the lemonade, sprinkle in the cornstarch, and crumble in the bouillon. Make sure the sauce covers the pork and veggies. Turn the heat down low, cover the pan, and let everything simmer gently. Cook until the sauce thickens and the pork is tender but still a bit pink inside, which usually takes about an hour. You can check with a thermometer—the center should hit at least 145°F.

Step 4

About ten minutes before it’s done, stir in the last tablespoon of butter for a bit of extra richness. Don’t forget to fish out the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!