Alton Brown Pork Adobo Recipe

This sticky, tender Alton Brown Pork Adobo is made with pork spareribs, sweet soy sauce, and cane vinegar, and is ready in about 1 hour 40 minutes. The tangy sauce slowly reduces into a rich, dark glaze that clings beautifully to the falling-apart meat. I love how this simple one-pot method skips the searing step but still delivers incredible depth of flavor.

Why This Classic Works

Most braises start with a hard sear, but this version proves you don’t always need it. By starting the pork spareribs cold in the vinegar and soy mixture, the acid has time to tenderize the meat fibers while the fat slowly renders out into the sauce, creating a cleaner flavor profile.

The addition of sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) is the real secret here, providing a molasses-like complexity that regular sugar just can’t match. It thickens the sauce naturally as it cooks down, resulting in that signature sticky glaze without any cornstarch or artificial thickeners.

Alton Brown Pork Adobo Ingredients

• 4 pounds pork spareribs, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
• 3/4 cup cane vinegar
• 12 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 3 whole dried bay leaves
• Steamed white rice, for serving

How To Make Alton Brown Pork Adobo

1. Combine Ingredients: Place the pork spareribs, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, cane vinegar, chopped garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
2. Simmer Pork: Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot with a lid, and maintain a steady simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender and the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened.
3. Skim and Serve: Turn off the heat and use a ladle to carefully skim off the layer of liquid fat that has accumulated on top. Serve the pork and sauce warm over steamed white rice.

Recipe Tips

• Ask Your Butcher: Cutting spareribs crosswise into 2-inch pieces requires a bone saw, so ask your butcher to do this for you. This cut is sometimes called “flanken style” or “English cut” chunks.
• Sweet Soy Substitute: If you cannot find kecap manis, you can substitute it by mixing equal parts regular soy sauce and brown sugar or molasses until thick.
• Watch the Heat: Keep the simmer gentle; boiling the meat too vigorously can cause the muscle fibers to tighten up and become tough instead of tender.
• Fat Removal: Pork ribs render a lot of fat; if you have time, let the dish cool completely in the fridge so the fat solidifies and can be easily lifted off before reheating.

What To Serve With Pork Adobo

Steamed jasmine rice is the non-negotiable partner for this dish, as it soaks up the salty, tangy sauce perfectly. For contrast, serve it with atchara (Filipino pickled papaya) or a simple cucumber salad to cut through the richness of the pork fat.

How To Store

Adobo is famously better the next day as the flavors continue to meld. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

FAQs

Can I use a different cut of pork?
Yes, pork belly or pork shoulder (butt) cut into chunks work very well if you prefer boneless meat or can’t find ribs.

What if I can’t find cane vinegar?
Cane vinegar is traditional, but you can use distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a pinch; the flavor will be slightly sharper.

Is this dish spicy?
Not really; the whole peppercorns provide a warm, biting aroma and occasional crunch, but they don’t make the sauce hot like chili peppers would.

Nutrition

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Total Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 1800mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 8g
• Protein: 25g

Try More Recipes:

• Alton Brown Pork Chops Recipe
• Alton Brown Black Beans And Rice
• Alton Brown Bread Pudding Recipe