Adobong Puti, also known as “White Adobo” is regarded as the true, original version of Filipino adobo from the pre-colonial Philippine era. It’s tangy, savory, and much lighter compared to its soy sauce-based adobo counterpart.

Table of Contents

What is White Adobo?

Adobong Puti literally means “white adobo” in Tagalog. It’s called “white” since it lacks the addition of soy sauce from what is most commonly seen in the more popular version of adobo.

In general, adobo in Filipino cuisine refers to anything stewed and/or marinated in a mixture of salt, vinegar, and other spices/aromatics.

It was a preservation technique practiced by the indigenous Filipinos, for which they relied solely on vinegar, salt, and other spices as means to prolong the life of their foods in such as a hot and humid climate.

Soy sauce was directly introduced to the Philippines via Chinese traders and settlers in the islands, which is how Filipino cuisine began to use it in their dishes. Over time, soy sauce would gradually replace the sea salt in adobo, eventually becoming the version most people now know as the “classic” Filipino adobo.

Some regard this version as the “true” recipe of adobo since it utilizes most of the ingredients pre-colonial Filipinos would have used prior to colonization and contact with other countries.

Other common types of adobo are made with either chicken or pork. More underrated adobo variants include adobong sitaw (green bean adobo), adobong kanin (adobo rice), or adobo sa gata (coconut milk adobo).

Differences Between White Adobo and Standard Adobo

Taste: Firstly, adobong puti does not contain soy sauce, which makes it much less savory and less deeper in flavor compared to the standard. This isn’t a bad thing; in truth, I actually somewhat prefer white adobo for its lighter taste and simplicity!

Second, while some adobo recipes will contain sugar, most adobong puti recipes will not. This means that the white version tends to be more tangy and salty, hilighting the core flavors of the vinegar, salt, and spices.

Adding sugar is optional, but I do personally like it since it helps to balance out all the bold flavors. If you’re looking for the adobong puti to taste more similar to the standard version, I’d recommend using sugar as well.

Appearance: Adobong puti, like the name suggests, is “white” or “clear”, compared to standard adobo which is brown in appearance due to the use of soy sauce.

Classic soy sauce-based adobo (much darker)

Depending on how you prepare the adobong puti will directly affect its color as well. Some adobong puti recipes will have you simply put all the ingredients into a pot and let it stew all at once, giving you a paler, more “white” appearance. Searing the meat, and adding sugar to caramelize, on the other hand, will give the adobo a more darker brown color.

Texture: While most standard adobo is commonly served with some sabaw (soup or sauce), a common way to prepare adobong puti is by letting the sauce reduce until the pork’s own fat renders out to fry the pork. The resulting adobo is crispier, and slightly more oily (also known as nagmamantika).

Ingredients

Pork belly: For this version of adobo, we’ll be using pork belly as a classic protein. You may also use chicken if you prefer.

Garlic: I like to use one whole head of garlic for this recipe. Since there’s less ingredients that go in this version, you’ll really want to make sure the ingredients shine and contribute tons of flavor.

Black pepper: Traditionally, whole peppercorns are used for adobo. I know some people hate this (chewing on a whole pepper isn’t fun), but I do like the mellow spice that it gives. You can use ground black pepper if you’d like, the spice will just be a bit more pronounced.

Bay leaves: You can use fresh or dried bay leaves for this recipe.

Vinegar: To give adobo its signature tang, we’ll be using a good amount of vinegar. You should ideally be going for cane or coconut vinegars, though standard white vinegar can also work.

Sea salt: I use coarse sea salt to make my adobong puti, and yes, changing the type of salt affects the taste!

Kosher salt is a good substitute. Although it’s a bit more flaky than coarse sea salt, inter-changing the two in this recipe shouldn’t matter too much.

*If going with table salt (or any fine-grain salt), you’ll need to lower the amount of salt instructed in the recipe. Start off with 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt and add more if needed when the dish is nearly complete.

(Optional) Sugar: Most adobong puti recipes won’t actually include sugar in their recipes, and the original pre-colonial adobo contained no sugar either. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help myself, and I do, however, find it really tasty (sorry, purists).

Adding sugar will make it taste closer to the more standard adobo you might already be familiar with. Not adding sugar will lean more into the savory, tangy side, which is also pretty tasty with a side of rice.

I’d suggest you try both and let me know which one you prefer the most!

Instructions

In a pan over medium-high heat, add in the pork and sear on all sides until golden brown and its fats begin to render.

Add in the garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Sauté the spices and aromatics in the rendered fat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Pour in the vinegar, coarse sea salt, sugar (if using), and just enough water to cover the pork. Stir well.

Bring the adobo to a boil, and let boil uncovered for 2 minutes to cook off the raw vinegar taste. Then lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer covered for at least 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, turn the heat to high and begin reducing the adobo liquid to your desired consistency (the longer you boil, the more sticky and thick the sauce becomes).

Serve warm and with a side of fresh rice. Enjoy!

“Traditional” Instructions

I wanted to add this part briefly since this recipe is technically part of my “Palayok Series” where I cook traditional Filipino dishes in a Palayok (Filipino clay pot).

With palayoks, sears aren’t that great. This is in part due to how they retain heat and what material they’re typically made of (clay). That being said, following the instructions in this recipe will still work, just don’t expect amazing browning.

Adobong Puti (Filipino White Adobo) in a palayok

Traditionally, you’d just throw all the ingredients into the palayok and let it simmer away for hours until the natural fats of the pork begin to come out.

Once the pork is tender, you can serve as-is, or you can re-fry the pork in a separate pan to crisp them up slightly!

Cooking Tips

Ensure your pork belly chunks are uniform: Ensuring an even size and cut with your pork pieces will provide even cooking and tenderness for all pieces of meat.

Reduce your sauce accordingly: Adobo can be made in many different ways. You can make it soupy, have a thin glaze, or have no sauce at all. The longer you boil off the sauce at the end of cooking, the thicker it becomes.

Most recipes of adobong puti will have you reduce the sauce until only the pork’s fats remain, causing it to crisp up and become browned (I personally like mine with a little bit of sauce!)

Add potatoes or boiled eggs: A common technique used by Filipinos to make a dish more filling and/or to feed more mouths is by adding chunks of potatoes and boiled eggs into dishes. You can do the same with adobo and the pairing tastes phenomenal with these additions!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftovers?

Adobong puti can last for up to 5 days refrigerated in an airtight container. You can also freeze this for up to 2 months.

To reheat, simply heat the adobo in the microwave or stove until the sauce is no longer gelatinous and the meat has softened/warmed adequately throughout.

How do I serve adobong puti?

This adobo is typically served with a side of fresh rice to offset and balance the bold flavors of the salt and vinegar.

You may also use the meat for pastry/bun fillings or a mix-in for fried rice!

Looking for more easy and delicious recipes? You might enjoy these: