Pork Chops Adobado

I distinctly remembered the garlicky-vinegar flavors dominated the pork adobado dish my mother used to cook. So, I made my own version of Pork Chops Adobado.

I was recently chatting online about this adobado I was cooking with renowned chef Claude Tayag, author of his newest book The Ultimate Filipino Adobo, Second Edition. I mentioned to him how it was a regular recipe my mother Lulu cooked and I figured it was an adobo variation she learned from her Ilonggo roots and brought to our Kapampangan household after she married my father. And yes, this Adobado starts off just like the classic Filipino Chicken Adobo I also learned from mom, which I wrote about on Simply Recipes.

What is Adobado?

The term ‘adobado’ comes from the word ‘adobo’, the latter means to cook with vinegar, from the Spanish phrase ‘adobar’, as explained by Claude Tayag in his two newly-published adobo books. In the Visayan dialect, Philippine historian and museum docent Elena B. Mangahas clarified that ‘inadobado’ in Ilonggo means ‘cooked the adobo way’.

And true enough, my mother cooked pork belly cubes in a mixture of garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt and pepper. Then, to transform it to her adobado, she added sliced onions, potatoes, bell peppers, and tomatoes to the same stockpot — the vegetables grown by my father in our backyard. The simmering stew was heady with the garlic aroma, and the mixture of the ingredients gave off the most marvelous scents in the kitchen, we couldn’t wait for dinner to be cooked, as I recall from my childhood.

After watching my mother cook pork adobado countless times at our home in Tarlac, I was able to recreate this dish from memory in my own American kitchen. I used boneless pork loin chops for my version and the tangy-savory flavors were just as I remembered it.

Ingredients needed:

Most of these ingredients are probably in your refrigerator or pantry, yet you’d be surprised at how you’ll be able to cook such a wondrous one-pot meal:

• Pork chops – use boneless pork chops if possible. These are sometimes labeled as pork loin filets at the supermarket, and are lean with hardly no fat. Or substitute with cubes of pork belly or pork shoulder.
• Garlic – use at least one whole head of garlic, which has about 8 to 10 cloves. Peel them and mince them in a mortar and pestle or else with the back of a large knife.
• Vinegar – best to use Heinz cider vinegar for this recipe. Or substitute with white distilled vinegar.
• Soy sauce – I prefer to use Filipino brands like Silver Swan, which are sold at Asian markets or online sources.
• Peppercorns – use a teaspoon of whole peppercorns that need to be crushed slightly using a mortar and pestle.
• Bay leaves – use two dried bay leaves. Be sure to always check when spice ingredients were last purchased or the expiry date on the package.
• Vegetable oil – a few tablespoons are needed to brown the pork chops. You can substitute with canola or olive oil if preferred.
• Broth – use pork broth if possible. If not available pour water with a bouillon cube in it.
• Salt and pepper to taste. The soy sauce is already salty, so a sprinkle of salt is enough.
• Red onions – have a powerful flavor and it’s what I use for this recipe.
• Potatoes – use potatoes that are often added to stews like Russet or Yukon gold. Two large pieces, peeled and quartered will do.
• Tomatoes – they don’t have to be perfect, and can even be bruised ones. Use the plum or roma variety if available. They add a mildly sweet flavor and reddish hue to the simmering stew.
• Bell Peppers – I used one medium-sized red bell pepper, washed, seeded and sliced in strips. You can substitute with green bell pepper.

The Process of Cooking Adobado:

This is a one-pot, all-in-one-meal that starts and ends cooking in one stockpot. This is also one of the easiest meals to prepare and cook for a family meal or if friends are coming over.

Like any adobo recipe I cook, I suggest start by marinating the pork with the basic adobo ingredients of garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and peppercorns. Marinating at least six hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator gives off the best results.

On the day of cooking, I braised the pork chops in vegetable oil for a few minutes till they turned golden brown on both sides. Then, I placed all the rest of the ingredients around the pork, poured the broth and the marinade. Simply cover the stockpot and let the meat and ingredients simmer over a medium-low heat, till everything is cooked, and the meat is so tender, it flakes apart if you touch it. This savory stew is most enjoyable when served with steamed rice, a staple in most Filipino meals. Let’s get cooking!

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