Adobo sa Asin (Adobong Puti)
Adobo sa Asin (White Adobo) is a pre-colonial Filipino dish where pork belly is slowly cooked in its own rendered fat with garlic, rock salt, and vinegar until tender inside and lightly crisped outside. Unlike the more common soy sauce-based adobo, this heritage version showcases the pure, concentrated flavors of the meat enhanced by salt and aromatics, resulting in a naturally preserved dish that develops deeper complexity over time.
Equipment
- Kawali (Traditional Filipino wok) or deep frying pan For even heat distribution and proper meat browning
- Sharp knife & cutting board (Kutsilyo at sangkalan) For cutting meat into uniform pieces
- Wooden spoon (sandok na kahoy) For stirring without scratching the pan
- Heavy-bottomed pot (optional) If cooking larger quantities
- Measuring cups & spoons (Panukat) For precise ingredient portions
Ingredients
- 1 kilo pork belly liempo, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 whole garlic heads ulo ng bawang, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons rock salt timmappi/asin
- ¼ cup white vinegar suka
- 1 cup water tubig
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns paminta
- 2-3 bay leaves dahon ng laurel
Instructions
- Start by patting dry 1 kilo of pork belly and cutting it into 1-inch cubes. Mince 4 whole heads of garlic. Set both aside.
- Place the pork cubes in a deep pan and add just enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let the water evaporate completely, about 15-20 minutes.
- Once the water is gone, continue cooking the pork in its own rendered fat. Let the meat brown on all sides until slightly crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the browned pork and set aside.
- Using the same pan with the pork fat, sauté the minced garlic until light golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and a small pinch of rock salt.
- Return the browned pork to the pan. Pour in ¼ cup vinegar but don't stir – let it boil for 2 minutes first. Add 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns and 2-3 bay leaves.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid reduces and the meat is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Add rock salt to taste. The sauce should be slightly thickened from the rendered fat.
- For extra-crispy meat, continue cooking until the pork starts to fry in its own fat again. Taste and adjust seasoning – it should be pleasantly salty with a subtle vinegar tang.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving with hot rice. Save any leftovers – this adobo tastes even better the next day.
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Never stir vinegar immediately after adding it - let it boil first to remove the raw taste (hindi hinahalo ang suka pagkalagay)
- Use rock salt instead of iodized salt for better flavor development
- The meat should be room temperature before cooking for even browning
- Don't rush the browning process - this develops the flavor
- Save the rendered pork fat (tinapa) for future cooking
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 28gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.03gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 890mgPotassium: 35mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 17IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!