Vinegar-Braised Filipino Pork Adobo with Garlic and Bay Leaves

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pork chunks slowly braised in a tangy vinegar and soy sauce mixture infused with garlic and bay leaves for a classic Filipino comfort dish. This Filipino-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 75 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes, white vinegar, soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 60 min Serves 4 Filipino cuisine 420 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Dutch ovens worth buying for low-and-slow cooking → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and add 2 lbs pork shoulder cubes, browning them on all sides for about 6-7 minutes until they develop a golden crust.
  2. Step 2: Add 6 crushed garlic cloves and sauté with the pork for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt.
  3. Step 3: Pour in 1/2 cup white vinegar and allow it to simmer without stirring for 3 minutes to cook off the strong vinegar smell.
  4. Step 4: Stir in 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 cup water, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, and 1 tbsp brown sugar, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
  5. Step 5: Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer the pork adobo for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the pork is tender and the sauce has slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.
  6. Step 6: Season with salt to taste, remove bay leaves, and serve hot with steamed rice.

Related recipes