Chicken & Pork Adobo

Submitted by Tired Lil Tinker Hell
Serves 5+

Ingredients

1 c. white or cider vinegar 1 c. water
2 tbsp peeled & crushed garlic 1 tsp salt
3 bay leaves 1 tsp black pepper
3 lbs. chicken (large pieces or hacked small) 2½ lbs pork butt cut into 1½” cubes
2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp peanut oil (optional)
¼ c. red wine (optional) Hot sauce or dried hot peppers (optional)
½ c. to 1 c. brown sugar (optional)

Directions

  1. You can use either your favorite chicken pieces (thighs & legs are frequently used) or “hack” one whole chicken. Hacking refers to cutting a whole chicken into small pieces with the bone still in. Leaving the bone in the pieces helps retain moisture & shape. You do not want to make this dish with boneless chicken.
  2. In a large pot bring to a boil the vinegar, water, garlic, salt, bay leaves, hot pepper, & black pepper. Add the cut up meat & cover with the brown sugar & once again bring to a boil. 
  3. Lower the heat & summer covered for 30 minutes. Add the soy sauce & the wine & cook an additional 10 minutes.
  4. Remove the meat & continue cooking the sauce until it’s reduced by half. 
  5. Optional: While the sauce continues to cook, you may want to brown the chicken & pork pieces in a hot skillet with the peanut oil. If you used large chicken pieces, skip this step.
  6. Serve the meat & the sauce over white rice.
Chef’s Note: Some Latin countries have an almost identical recipe, except they add the ingredients above marked as “optional”.  These are not traditional in the Philippines.