Instant Pot Pork Adobo

This delicious, melt-in-your-mouth Filipino Instant Pot Pork Adobo is guaranteed to impress! Succulent pork shoulder is braised in an easy soy sauce and vinegar sauce that's exploding with flavor. Serve it over a bed of white rice for the ultimate satisfying dinner!

Jump to:

• 🍗 What Is Filipino Adobo?
• ⭐️ The Best Filipino Pork Adobo
• 🧂 Ingredients
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Instant Pot Pork Adobo
• 💭 Top Tips
• 🥡 Storing & Freezing
• 📖 Recipe FAQs
• 🍽 Looking For More Asian Dishes?
• 📋 Recipe

🍗 What Is Filipino Adobo?

"Adobo" comes from the Spanish word adobar, which means “to marinate.” In traditional Adobo, meat is marinated in a soy-vinegar mixture that's also flavored with garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. It's then braised in the same marinade until all the flavors meld together and the meat becomes deliciously fork-tender. 

Before refrigeration was available on the Philippine islands, the only way to preserve meat was by marinating it in soy sauce and vinegar. The high concentration of salt and acid prevented spoilage and bacterial growth.

Filipino Pork Adobo Vs Mexican Pork Adobo

Adobo is a common term used in both Filipino and Mexican cuisine. In Filipino Adobo, the prominent flavors are soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, and bay leaves. The base of the sauce is usually water, resulting in a thinner and more viscous texture.

On the other hand, Mexican adobo is vibrant red and thicker with a paste-like texture. The sauce is made by puréeing dried chiles, tomatoes, vinegar, oregano, and cumin. Canned chipotles in adobo is a popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine - I use it in my Mexican Meatballs. While both sauces are used to marinate and flavor meats, they have completely different flavor profiles!

⭐️ The Best Filipino Pork Adobo

Adobo is an iconic Filipino dish - it's even been deemed the unofficial national dish of the Philippines! Chicken or pork are the two most popular meats used, but succulent pork is my favorite for this Asian dish.

Instead of standing over the stove for hours, save time and effort by using the Instant Pot pressure cooker! It cuts down the cooking time without sacrificing any flavor. The result is super juicy, tender pork that soaks up the savory, tangy, and effortless adobo sauce. This Instant Pot Pork Adobo recipe is a breeze to whip up and the bold and intense flavors are hard to resist. The whole family will be asking for more!

Why You'll Love It

• Quick and easy: Thanks to the Instant Pot, Pork Adobo can be made in just 1 hour instead of several hours! Skip the marination and traditional braising technique for an effortless and faster Pork Adobo.
• Affordable: One of the highlights of Instant Pot Pork Adobo is the accessible and simple ingredient list. Besides the pork, it's all pantry staples. That means you can always have a tasty Filipino meal whenever the craving hits!
• Versatile: Instant Pot Pork Adobo holds up well and is a great option for meal prepping lunch or dinner. It's also fancy enough for holidays, parties, and celebrations.

🧂 Ingredients

• Pork shoulder: Can also be referred to as pork butt or Boston Butt pork roast. Pork shoulder and butt are cut from opposite ends of the shoulder, but can be used interchangeably. You can also ask your butcher to cut the meat into 3-4 inch pieces for you. Pork shoulder is one of my favorite cuts because it's affordable, full of protein, and versatile - I also use it in Instant Pot Pork Ragù and Thit Nuong (Vietnamese Pork Skewers).
• Garlic: I like to keep the cloves whole in Instant Pot Pork Adobo. They soften & deepen in flavor after they've been cooked.
• Soy sauce: Gives the dish its signature rich umami taste. I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to keep the salt content to a minimum.
• White distilled vinegar: Adds a punch of acidity to the dish. It also preserves the meat and gives the dish a longer shelf life. Also try it in Vegan German Potato Salad!
• Cooking oil: Avocado oil is my favorite oil to cook, fry, and sauté with because of its high smoke point (500°F) and neutral flavor.
• White sugar: To help balance the vinegar.
• Bay leaves: Has a mild menthol taste that elevates the adobo sauce. 
• Whole black peppercorns: Adds a little spice. Whole peppercorns offer a fresher aroma and taste, but you can substitute with ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
• Green onion: for garnish.

Substitutions & Variations

• Pork belly is another popular cut of meat used in Pork Adobo. I'd recommend buying large, skinless slabs and cutting them into 2-3 inch segments. You can also try pork ribs or loin.
• For the most authentic tasting Filipino Pork Adobo, use Filipino soy sauce (toyo) and vinegar. I recommend Silver Swan Lauriat Soy Sauce and Datu Puti Cane Vinegar. Both can be found at Asian markets.
• There isn't a great substitute for white distilled vinegar for this recipe, other than Filipino vinegar. You can try apple cider, rice, or malt vinegar but add a little more than the recipe calls for since they're sweeter and more mild.
• Add more vegetables if you'd like. Shallots, onions, ginger, a died chile, or potatoes would be great in this dish.
• I find that white granulated sugar works best in this dish. But you can substitute with brown sugar, coconut sugar, or simply leave it out for a punchier adobo or sugar-free dish.
• To make this gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Instant Pot Pork Adobo

⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.

STEP ONE: First, season the pork on all sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Then, on your Instant Pot, press the "Sauté" button to "More". When it reads "Hot", add a splash of oil and a single layer of pork. Make sure to not overcrowd the pressure cooker and let meat sit for 2-3 minutes to develop a brown crust. Repeat on all sides, transfer the pork to a plate, and repeat with the remaining meat.

STEP TWO: Turn off the Instant Pot. Add garlic cloves and stir constantly to let toast lightly until fragrant. Add a splash of water and use your cooking utensil to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom.

STEP THREE: Pour in the remaining water, along with the soy sauce, white vinegar, sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add the pork back in along with any of its juice. Nestle it into the adobo sauce until partially submerge.

Seal the Instant Pot, turn Venting Knob to "Sealing", and pressure cook pork on High for 35 minutes. Natural Release for 10 minutes, then quick release. Transfer pork to a plate - option to shred if you'd like.

STEP FOUR: Turn "Sauté (Normal)" back on. Simmer the adobo sauce for 5-8 minutes or until reduced to half. Remove the peppercorns and bay leaves, and season to taste. Option to stir pork back in or to spoon sauce all over meat in individual serving bowls.

💭 Top Tips

• Sear the pork for maximum flavor. This will caramelize and brown the surface of the pork, creating delicious flavor in an otherwise simple Pork Adobo. Adjust the heat of the Instant Pot as needed - start out on "Sauté: More" but if it smells like it's burning or charring too quickly, turn it down to "Normal" or "Less".
• Don't overcook the garlic or it'll will turn bitter. Turn the heat off after searing the pork and then add in the cloves. The residual heat is more than enough to lightly toast the garlic without burning it.
• Make sure to scrape all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. These bits are called fond, and they're little packages of flavor. They'll come off easily with a splash of liquid.
• Be careful with your salt because the flavors of the sauce will intensify once it's cooked down. There will be a good amount of salt from the pork and soy sauce already, so season to taste after it's reduced and adjust as needed.
• After the pork's been cooked, there will be quite a bit of liquid remaining from the sauce and rendered fat. Boil it by sautéing for a few minutes. This will intensify the flavors of the sauce and reduce the amount of liquid so your Pork Adobo isn't soupy.
• If you prefer a thicker, gravy-like adobo sauce, whisk together 1 tablespoon corn starch with 2 tablespoon of the remaining liquid and pour it in. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency.

What To Serve with Instant Pot Pork Adobo

Filipino Pork Adobo is full of protein and bold flavors, so don't forget to pair it with a starch and vegetables for a well-balanced meal.

• Starch: Plain white or brown rice is my favorite to soak up the adobo sauce. But Vietnamese Garlic Noodles, Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or Fried Rice would also be delicious!
• Vegetables: Keep the vegetables simple with Roasted Carrots and Green Beans, cauliflower rice, or Bang Bang Brussels Sprouts.
• Hawaiian: Pork adobo is also a favorite in Hawaii! Serve it with local dishes like Hawaiian Mac Salad with Tuna, Hawaiian Garlic Butter Shrimp Kabobs, or Ube Cheesecake Bars.
• Tacos: Shred the Instant Pot Pork Adobo and stuff it between tortillas for a Filipino-Mexican fusion dish!
• Parties: Serve a wide spread of dishes to keep your guests happy! Some party favorites are Air Fryer Crab Rangoons, Pork Pâté Chaud, Korean Popcorn Chicken, and Jumeokbap (Korean Rice Balls).

🥡 Storing & Freezing

Storing: Let the Instant Pot Pork Adobo cool completely. Then transfer to an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. After cooling in the fridge, the fat will separate on top. You can discard this layer if you'd like.

Freezing: You can store cooked Pork Adobo in the freezer. Let it cool completely, then place into a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag with as much air removed as possible. It can stay frozen for 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes with the sauce. You can also warm it up in a small pan or pot on the stove over medium-low heat.

Make Ahead: You can make Pork Adobo 1-2 days in advance. The flavors in the sauce will intensify, but there's a chance the pork may dry out slightly. I'd recommend serving it fresh for parties and events.

📖 Recipe FAQs

🍽 Looking For More Asian Dishes?

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment. It's always greatly appreciated!

📋 Recipe