Adobo - a Filipino Entree for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner or just a Snack

I had to demonstrate Filipino Cuisine to the West Point Grey Baptist Church Cooking Class, mostly wealthy Chinese ladies immigrants, on October 14, 2016.  So I decided on Adobo as an entrée and Leche Flan as dessert.  Rice and bottled atchara were the sides. Before doing so, I researched and experimented various adobo recipes including those previously posted. To taste test, I requested James a Taiwanese student whose feedback with his Chinese palate was very helpful.

  

So here it goes:


There over 28000 variations in the preparation and cooking of Adobo.  Philippine adobo is different from adobo done in Mexico, Spain or other Latin American countries.

Adobo came from the Spanish word “adobar”” which means a seasoning or marinade.
The way Joseph will do it is considered the classic style.  Simple and easy.

All the ingredients are simply placed in a pot, covered and simmered for hours. Sometimes, with the long period of cooking, the chicken meat disintegrates into strips floating with its own fat, but it tastes deliciously the same.  Americans love adobo.

Chicken or Pork Adobo

Ingredients

·         1 whole chicken cut into pieces (or  a package of chicken thighs, or pork side ribs/pork back ribs, or pork belly, or rabbit, or eel, etc.)  I prefer meat with bones - bones give taste and contains gelatin good for the skin.

·         1/2 c soy sauce or 3/4 c soy sauce (if you prefer it more soy-ish)

·         1 c vinegar (Filipino coconut/palm vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

·         1/2 c water or 3/4 c water if using 3/4 c soy sauce

·         1 head garlic (peel out skin, pressed using mortar and pestle or any heavy object, and sliced into pieces) – the way you work on garlic affects its enhancing taste see The Best Way to Mince Garlic  or How to Mince Garlic  

·         1 tablespoon ground pepper

Note: based on James' taste testing, I realize Chinese prefer a more soy sauce -ish marinade whereas moi prefer a more sour vinegary immersion.

Put all ingredients in a bowl.  Do not use anything aluminum as the coating on most aluminum pans react with the vinegar.

Marinate the adobo overnight in a refrigerator (or at least a couple of hours before cooking). Some cooks include 2 pieces of bay leaf.  Joseph doesn’t.  I find the smell overpowering and unnecessary.

The following day transfer the chicken and marinade into stock pot – again do not use aluminum pots.

Simmer, without stirring, in low fire for about 1 hour.   Do not touch chicken while cooking in vinegar.  Only move it around when cooked.  Moving it can affect the flavor, according to older ladies.

Reduce sauce.

When sauce is bubbling thick, turn off heat.  Pull out chicken pieces.  Brown fry in a separate pan in cooking oil.  Do not use canola or olive oil.  Healthier alternative is coconut oil.  Frying gives texture and crunch to the skin.

Once golden brown, pour in the remainder of the reduced sauce.

OR

You can simply let the chicken stay in the sauce while reducing.  This may cause the chicken to shred tender into pieces.  With pork, this is not an issue.  Just reduce till pork marinade becomes almost its own fat.  In a way this is pork adobo confit.

Season to taste with lemon or fish sauce or a combination.  Serve with steamed white rice and as a side: atchara (Filipino pickled thin green unripe papaya strips) or steamed veggies of your choice.

For leftovers refrigerate the adobo (will last for two weeks) or leave on the kitchen counter (will last at least 4 days in tropical room temperature).  Vinegar kills bacteria and is pickling. 

RESPONSE:
The 30 Chinese ladies and man love the Adobo – everything was gone – and they had many questions.  Can they use duck or turkey?  I tried turkey but it was average because turkey has little fat.  Fatty meats or parts work best.  Can they add rice wine?  Why not, try it.  Is there a Filipino restaurant nearby?  Now that is a benchmark!