Chicken-Pork Adobo

Adobo, the Philippines unofficial national dish, has united and divided a nation. It unites as it is a most popular dish in Filipino cuisine. The ultimate Filipino comfort food, one overcome acute nostalgia for home cooked meals, parental embrace and nationalism. However, it divides having the countless geographical and ethnicity variations from sweet-salty to creamy-spicy. And every Filipino household thinks their recipe is the original or the best, such a silly notions because they are not as good as this one.

Adobo, also known as the Philippines adobo, is prepared by marinating and braising meat in the acidity of vinegar, saltiness of soy sauce, and seasoned with spices, mainly with garlic, bay leaves and black pepper. This dish is the easiest recipe almost a no-recipe dish as we can just throw all the ingredients together and leave it to cook. This is no brainer recipe anyone could cook this and the flavor from tanginess of vinegar, umami of soy sauce and the level of spiciness would depend on your taste, there is no way you can get this wrong. Here is my version:

My Chicken-Pork Adobo

The recipe yields 6-8 servings.

Preparation Time:                         10 - 15 minutes

Cooking Time:                               1 hour - 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons                                cooking oil or lard

1 bulb head                                    garlic

1300 grams                                    chicken, preferable drumsticks, about 14

500 grams                                      pork shoulder

50 grams                                        chicken liver and heart*

1/2 cup                                           vinegar

1/3 cup                                           soy sauce

2 teaspoons                                   Worcestershire sauce*

1/2 cup                                           sprite or 7-up*

2 cups                                            water

3 pieces                                         bay leaves, small

2 teaspoons                                   powdered milk*

2 teaspoons                                   brown sugar

2 teaspoons                                   black peppercorns

                                                       salt and pepper for taste

Procedures:

1.  Cut meat, chicken and pork, into serving pieces. Season chicken liver and heart with salt and pepper.

2.  In a deep frying pan, sauce pan, or a Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid, heat the cooking oil or lard over medium heat and sauté half of the garlic and brown the pork slices, and chicken liver and heart on all sides.

3.  Add the rest of the garlic, chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sprite or 7-up, water, bay leaves and half of black peppercorns.

4.  Increase heat to high and bring quickly to a simmer.

5.  As soon as it starts to simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook slowly about 1 hour – 1 hour 10 minutes or until meat is almost tender. Test with fork.

6.  Add milk, sugar, and the rest of black peppercorns. Continue cooking for about 3-5 minutes, stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Taste and adjust.

7.  Remove from fire when chicken and pork are tender and brown.

NTS:

   Best served with steamy hot rice.  

   May start by marinating meat over night with 5 basic ingredients, namely, garlic, black peppercorns, vinegar, soy sauce, and bay leaves.

   May add sprite to help tenderized the meat.

   Ideal vinegar and soy sauce ratio is 3:2, but greatly depend on your taste.  

   Add potatoes and hardboiled eggs for volume.

   Add coconut milk instead of powdered milk for creamier and more aroma.

   *optional

That is my adobo. Please give it a try and share your thought and comment below. Feel free to share your version of adobo. Also post any corrections, suggestions and violent reactions, as constructive criticism will definitely inspire and help create better content. Thank you so much.

As always enjoy!