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Meat Lunch / Dinner Main Courses Skewered

Grilled pork adobo

Published: 03.16.2022 » Last updated: 02.07.2023

Filipino adobo gets a makeover! Pork belly slices are skewered and braised in adobo sauce then grilled to char the surface.

Skewered and grilled Filipino pork adobo garnished with sliced scallions

Filipino adobois both ubiquitous and comfort food, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be an attractive party dish. On the grill, the surface gets charred and the fat turns lightly crisp. Best of all, it can be served as a main dish or as finger food to go with drinks. What’s not to love about grilled pork adobo?

And here’s the best part. The first stage of cooking can be done days ahead. On the day of the party, just take out the precooked skewered pork and lay on the hot grill. In less than five minutes, you have perfect grilled pork adobo.

First stage of cooking? Precooked? Let me explain.

Braising skewered pork belly in Filipino adobo sauce

My grilled pork adobo is made with three-quarter-inch thick pieces of pork belly. If cooked directly on the grill, the meat wouldn’t be as tender. Over high heat, the surface will char and the meat will get cooked through but it won’t reach that stage of tenderness that separates good adobo from mediocre versions. Only long and slow cooking can make that happen. So, I did the cooking in two stages.

I cut the pork and skewered the pieces. Then, I let the skewered meat braise in adobo sauce. One hour was all it took.

Grilling skewered pork adobo

The pork was cooled to room temperature then grilled over very high heat. Two minutes per side and they were perfectly done. And, to add more interesting contrast, I basted the grilled pork adobo withsimple syrup infused with kaffir lime leavesand continued grilling for a few seconds longer.

So, this grilled pork adobo requires a stove top grill? Oh, no. A wood-burning grill or one heated with glowing charcoal will give the meat better flavor and aroma. But it was raining the day I cooked the grilled pork adobo so I had to do the grilling indoors on the stovetop grill.

Grilled pork adobo

Connie Veneracion
A fatty pork cut is ideal for cooking Filipino adobo. Enough said.
Skewered and grilled Filipino pork adobo served with rice
Print Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 5 mins
Cooling time 1 hr
Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • bamboo skewers

Ingredients
  

  • 700 grams pork belly
  • ¼ to ¼ cup vinegar
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup soy sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic - lightly pounded
  • ½ teaspoon crushed peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig oregano
  • ¼ cup simple syrup

Instructions
 

  • Cut the pork belly into ¾ inch slices. Cut each slice into pieces about two inches wide.
  • Thread the pork pieces with bamboo skewers, three to four pieces per stick.
  • Spread non stick paper on the bottom of a wide shallow pan. Arrange the skewered pork in a single layer.
  • Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce. Add the garlic, peppercorns, bay lead and oregano. Bring to the boil then lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer the pork for about 30 minutes per side.
  • Cool the pork in the remaining sauce.
  • Heat the grill. Very high temperature is essential. Lay the skewered pork adobo on the grill and cook for two minutes per side. That should be just enough time to char the surface of the meat and allow the fat to turn a little crisp. Brush with simple syrup and grill for another few seconds.
  • Serve the grilled pork adobo over rice or with beer.
  • Or serve with nothing else. It’s perfect by itself anyway.

Notes

If making a huge batch of grilled pork adobo, you can use a baking tray. Line with non-stick paper, lay out the skewered pork, add the seasonings and spices, cover the tray tightly with foil and bake in the oven for about an hour at 325F.
If you’re cooking for a crowd, you can chill the pork after it has cooled. No need to transfer to another container and no need to pour off the remaining sauce. Just keep tightly wrapped with foil. The skewered pork adobo must be brought down to room temperature before grilling.
Print Pin Recipe
Keyword Filipino Adobo, Grilled, Pork Belly

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Connie Veneracion, Chiang Mai, 2020

Hi, I’m Connie!

Welcome to Umami Days, a blog that advocates innovative home cooking for pleasurable everyday dining. No trendy diets, no food fads and definitely no ludicrous recipe names like crustless quiche, noodleless pho or chocolate lasagna.

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