Buy Now → The Best Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe with Coconut Milk
This melt-in-your-mouth tender Filipino pork adobo recipe is a classic. It’s creamy from the coconut milk, or “gata” in Tagalog, which means coconut. It's perfectly tangy and salty for that traditional pork adobo that I crave. You, too, will be craving this dish once you make it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Yield: serves up to 6 people
- Category: mains
- Method: braise
- Cuisine: asian
Ingredients
3 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
1 onion, minced
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp black peppercorns
5 bay leaves
1 can coconut milk (make sure you use no sugar)
Green onion and Thai red chili for garnish
Red chili, sliced, for garnish
Crispy garlic, for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Pork: Cube the pork shoulder into bite-sized pieces if it's not already cubed.
Sear the Pork: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the cubed pork to the skillet without any oil. The fat from the pork will render out as it cooks, allowing it to brown without additional oil. Cook the pork until it's nicely browned on all sides, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. This may take about 15 minutes.
Add Aromatics: Once the pork is browned, remove and set aside.
Add the minced onion and smashed garlic cloves to the skillet. Stir and cook for a few minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
Deglaze: Pour the soy sauce, water, and vinegar over the aromatics. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom.
Sugar and Spices: Add the brown sugar, black peppercorns, and bay leaves to the dutch oven. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Add back the PORK: Add back the pork.
Simmer: Lower the heat to medium-low and let the pork mixture simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the sauce to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
Add Coconut Milk: After simmering for 30 minutes, pour in the can of coconut milk. Stir well to incorporate it into the pork mixture.
Reduce and let the pork tender: Allow the mixture to simmer again, this time with the coconut milk, until the sauce thickens and becomes silky smooth and glossy. This might take an additional 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Garnish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat once the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Garnish the pork adobo with chopped green onions, sliced red chili, and crispy garlic.
Serve: Serve the pork adobo hot over steamed jasmine rice, with the garnishes sprinkled on top. Enjoy your delicious classic Filipino dish!
Notes
- For slow cooker/Instant Pot pork adobo, brown pork, then add all ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (slow cooker) or high pressure for 30 minutes (Instant Pot).
- Browning the pork without oil enhances flavor by allowing the fat to render. Ensure even browning for rich taste.
- Simmer uncovered initially to concentrate flavors. Maintain a gentle simmer throughout cooking to prevent the sauce from becoming too thick or the meat from drying out.
- Adjust seasoning gradually. Taste as you cook to achieve the perfect balance of salty, tangy, and sweet flavors.