Tips in Cooking Adobo
My husband is fond of buying me recipe books or any books about food. One such book is The Adobo Book (Traditional & Jazzed Up Recipes) by Reynaldo Gamboa Alejandro and Nancy Reyes-Lumen. Not only do you get recipes of various authors but trivia and essays on adobo. The Personal Styles reflect the cook’s preferences. You should read the more than 100 adobo recipe variations ranging from Pork Adobo in Buco Juice, Adobong Tsino, Microwave Adobo, Fresh Oysters Adobo, Adobo sa beer and so much more.
What I’d like to show from the “Adobo Book” are tips for cooking adobo which is entitled the “10+ Commandments in Cooking Adobo”. I am sure you will learn a tip or two even if you have been cooking adobo for years.
1. Pork Liempo is best, tastiest and is better with skin-on. When cooked, becomes sticky and gelatin-y and helps thicken the sauce gloriously.
2. Simmer! Cook meats in low fire from start to finish (till meats are tender) and sauce is reduced [Cook uncovered in the last 10 minutes]
3. The usual ratios are
- 1 kilo meat (chicken or pork): 1/2 cup native vinegar (reduce accordingly to acidity of vinegar).
- 1 kilo meat (chicken or pork): 1/2 cup vinegar: 1/4 cup water
- Soy sauce can range from 2 tablespoon to 4 tablespoon per 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 kilo meat: 1/2 cup vinegar or acid: 1/2 tablespoon coarse salt
- 2-4 tablespoon soy sauce: 5- 10 peppercorns: 1 laurel leaf
4. Cook chicken separately from pork. Flavors come out better. Then combine later when serving.
5. Always have salt in adobo. It helps balance the acidity.
6. Crush peppercorn at the last minute to retain its aroma.
7. 1 medium-sized laurel leaf can add flavor and aroma to 1/2 kilo meat. If you have the chance, use fresh laurel leaves.
8. Garlic. Crush only when about to be used. If left in the marinade overnight, it will lose its strong flavor. Be generous with garlic.
9. Braise meat first in, first out till brown. Then simmer till tender. For a better finish, bake at the last 15 minutes.
10. Mix with liver spread or mashed liver. Broiling or roasting liver over coal adds a nutty flavor.
11. Adobo with gata. Gata can be combined with coco milk and coco cream.
12. Do not stir vinegar till it has cooked. That is, when all the acid has evaporated. Your nose will tell.
13. Cook covered and on low heat (also called simmering)
14. The “Flow Chart” of Cooking Adobo
Marinate –> braise–> simmer –> tenderize –> fry –> reduce –> keep for a day –> serve!
I bet you didn’t know all of the above tips. I must admit that I wasn’t aware of Tip number 10 where you add liver for a nutty flavor.
When it comes to the adobo dish on regular basis, I serve 3 variations of adobo: the Classic Adobo Recipe, the Chicken Adobo in coconut cream and White Adobo.
What about you? How many adobo dishes do you regularly cook?
SharePosted: August 7th, 2010 under **Tips, Supplies & Preparation, Pork, Recipes, chicken with 8,925 views.
Comments: 16
Related Posts
- Tips in Cooking Adobo (Aug 07, 2010)
Copyright Notice: You may use my recipes for your PERSONAL USE. No part of this entry (whether photos, images, opinions or recipes ) may be used in your magazine, website, blog , news article or in any manner whatsover without the owner's written permission.
If you enjoyed this post, then make sure you 
Subscribe to my RSS FEED.
I never knew there was so much to adobo
I like mine super saucy though 
Rias last blog post..Taking it Seriously.
my favorite is chicken adobo with coconut milk.
We’ve always had thrice-cooked adobo, and I cook it now as well. I sometimes put in diced potatoes and/or pork liver as well. My mom would sometimes put in isaw, the sort you see fried for chicharon bulaklak
rains last blog post..Taking A Stance
yeah like the photo above, I added potatoes (fried) as accent to an otherwise brown colored dish. It adds “spice”. The isaw variation tastes yummy too.
i know how to cook a sumptuous caldereta but i don’t know how to cook an adobo. I will definitely try your adobo recipe.
i didn’t know that you can put mashed liver to adobo.
jodianas last blog post..Novartis completes first batch of Swine Flu vaccine
your adobo photo/recipe reminds me of how i love adobo. who (filipinos at least) doesn’t love adobo? thanks for the post.
Red Jasmines last blog post..Recipe: Garlic Sauce
The Adobo Book! Wow, so much interesting info! I’ve bookmarked this page. I never get tired of adobo. It’s the perfect comfort food!
Mmm, these look delicious. I know what I’m having Sunday.
Kristin´s last blog ..Flu – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Wow…I did learned a lot from this post. I am in search for a good adobo recipe because my husband is craving for an adobo dinner…thanks for posting it…I never knew that liempo would be the best cut for this.
Martha´s last blog ..Pressure Cooking Recipes
after years of cooking adobo, hands down, liempo is the best cut of pork to be cooked with the recipe. the tenderness of the meat after simmering cannot compare to the classic pigue or kamto. I prefer the classic dry adobo though, when the sauce has dried out and the fat just oozes in the sauce then fries the meats until it’s flaky. but I set aside some of the sauce before it dries out because the kids love it. thanks for the cooking tips @momblogger!
more or less we have the same recipe of Adobo…i love cooking too… i love to experiment new recipes…i cooked Adobo same way you did but i added turmeric…it ’s good try it.
hey yummy adobo….4ever fave of my family…try adding turmeric w ur gata….yum yum yummy…my kids love it sooo much….even the chicken adobo w turmeric & gata w siling labuyo….4get the diet, postpone it when it’s adobo, anytime go… go… go… tara na kain na!
My mom is an expert cook of chicken adobo. I really love it especially when she adds sugar.
i cooked adobo lunch time …am not suppose to eat a lot coz of cholesterol in it …anyway it was really very tempting to the eyes & the smell so yummy nkakagana amoy palang….huhuhu…iput a lot of spices; luya & siling labuyo, black pepper, lots of garlic to combat the cholesterol hahaha i usually add the vinegar when the meat is already tender then sugar to neutralize the acidity….oh so yummy…the rice was so kulang eh… l mean you really consume so much rice …(diet pospone muna)…so so sinful food…masarap eh!!!what can i do?
my husband really likes adobo for dinner,next time im gonna cook it w/liver..we have lots of potatoes here in baguio city so,it wld be beter to add veggie..kain n rn ng fruits rich in fiber after,hrap na..iwas cholesterol!hehe
my husband really likes adobo,specially chicken..im gonna cook it w/liverspread next time,i haven’t tried it..we have lots of potatoes here in bguio city so wld be better 2 put some veggie..kain n lng ng fruits rich in fiber aftr..hirap na! iwas cholesterol po..hehe