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I made the recipe today as is and it was FABULOUS!!!! (even though I had to use the reduced sodium soy sauce because I couldn’t find the Filipino kind). I made a bowl with the adobo and topped it with chopped mango and onions. The kids made tacos with the same and it was a big hit with everyone! I’ll definitely make this again!!!
I’m seriously salivating as I get ready to write about the soy sauce + vinegar + garlic + brown sugar flavors in this thing. Welcome to Crockpot Pork Adobo.
For the Filipino newbies, Pork Adobo is a traditional Filipino dish with pork marinated and cooked in a soy sauce/vinegar sauce until it’s super tender and completely saturated with flavor. The whole thing is usually scooped over a plateful of hot steaming white rice and if you’re me, you add an extra scoop so the rice gets really saucy. I crave that saucy rice.
In the name of full disclosure, I don’t think Pork Adobo traditionally has, uhh, beans. But mine has beans because I saw the aunties making a similar dish (humba) with black beans at one of the houses at the orphanage and couldn’t get the idea out of my head. Stuck. On food. On BEANS. Typical.
And traditional pork adobo isn’t made in the crockpot, either. I think I might be the only person in the one mile radius around our apartment who owns a crockpot. What a weird contraption anyways. Usually Filipinos cook this in a big ol’ regular pot, just boiling or simmering for a while it instead of crock-ing it all day long. Either way works.
I love the crockpot and I love black beans, so this is Lindsay’s version of Pork Adobo.
This is the gateway recipe that started me driving the black bean train into the wild blue yonder, forever and ever amen. Because since this recipe, I cannot stop thinking about black bean recipes. Part of it is my compulsion to get rid of leftover ingredients (there’s a half bag of dry black beans sitting in the fake fridge right now and it’s making me crazy) and part of it is my complete and utter devotion to this gorgeous little bean. Healthy Mexican Sweet Potato Skins are haunting my dreams in the most chipotle black bean wonderful way right now.
PS. The fake fridge is our actual fridge that doesn’t work, so we use it like a pantry and just keep regular food in there. Even though it’s not cold. Fake fridge. We keep our real fridge food in the freezer.
Cause you were dying to know the details of our scrappy kitchen, right?
As of this recipe, I realized how delicious is it to cook black beans all the way from dry little things with one pretty white spot on them, to soft, squishy, nutritionally-dense yummies that go perfectly with almost any kind of food. I use canned beans in lots of recipes, too, but the more I use dried beans and cook them myself, the more I want to eat them, everyday, always. If that’s even possible.
I know I’m asking a lot of you here, telling you that this plate of what sort of looks a little bit like rice and beans garbage is really one of the best dishes I’ve made all year, but you’re gonna have to trust me. This is worth dusting off the crockpot and going soy sauce shopping.
Think about what flavors are going on here: garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, bay leaves, vinegar, peppercorns, and pork. That garlic gets cooked ALL DAY LONG. It’s almost sweet when it’s all said and done. Now imagine the texture of the melt-in-your-mouth shredded pork with the softness of the black beans, and the tangy, salty sauce, and how perfectly it gets soaked up by the rice.
You love it. I knew you would.
Final thought of the day relating to health: I know pork isn’t exactly fat free, and no one believes in white rice anymore (FYI – brown rice is a complete and utter mystery to my Filipino friends) but because so much of this is made up of the black beans, it’s actually got a decent nutritional profile for the average eater. If you wanted to make this with less pork, or less fatty pork, you could try that. I guess.
But… don’t.
Cause pork rules.
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Crockpot Pork Adobo with Black Beans
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
This crockpot pork adobo with black beans is so easy! The garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar make for the BEST flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dry black beans
- 2 lbs. pork shoulder (boneless semi-fatty pork that looks like a roast)
- 3 1/4 cups Filipino soy sauce, divided (the one we use is called Silver Swan)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, divided
- 10 cloves garlic, peeled, whole and smashed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 cup vinegar (I used Silver Swan white cane vinegar)
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- The night before: Rinse the black beans. Soak overnight. This really helps with the texture of the beans, and they won’t take as long to cook. Place the pork in a large bowl with 2 cups soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover and marinade in the refrigerator overnight. I left the meat whole for the marinating, but you can also cut it into pieces before marinating.
- The next morning: drain the beans. Discard the pork marinade, reserving the bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns. Cut the pork into 2-inch pieces. Place the black beans in the crockpot, cover with the pork, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Pour 1 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 cups water, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top. Stir once to get the liquid in and around the beans. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.
- The last hour: check on the adobo – the pork should be very tender and some of the pieces might naturally fall apart, there should be enough liquid to keep the whole mixture “saucy”, and the beans should be soft. Add the vinegar and cook for another 20-30 minutes. Turn the crockpot off and let the mixture cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
You can use canned black beans instead of the dry ones. If you do, I would suggest omitting the water and just adding the drained canned black beans at the end of the cook time, at the same time that you add the vinegar.
There should be a lot of liquid left over in the crockpot. That’s okay because it helps keep it saucy as it sits in the crockpot, and you can use it to spoon more sauce over the pork/rice.
Japanese soy sauce (Kikkoman) is too heavy for this dish. Try to use a Filipino brand like Silver Swan or, as a last resort, just use the lowest sodium soy sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Filipino
Keywords: pork adobo, black beans, crockpot pork adobo
Well this certainly looks delicious to me! I’m a huge advocate for beans and I try to eat them almost every day– they’re so so good for you! I used to make a batch of dried beans to last me for the week but I suddenly got lazy and just started stocking up on canned beans. I do notice a huge difference though in taste when I can actually bother myself to make the dried kind. I need to start this up again!
BTW, I really love your new blog design. Looks very fresh and clean. 😀 And your bio picture is super cute.
Thanks Stephanie! 🙂 High five for beans!
Amen-pork does rule!! Although I try to serve my family brown recipe-they complain. So I stick to white rice. We are huge black bean fans-I cannot wait to try this! I think I’m salivating just typing this!
Ok, you sold me. I went on a black bean kick and got a little tired of them a while ago. I think it’s time to bring them back. And it’s got to be with this dish.
PS I love hearing about your scrappy kitchen! It makes me think ‘if she can do THAT in that kind of kitchen, I can do it too!’
It’s crazy to me to think about my “little” kitchen back home complete with microwave, freezer, and labeled oven temperature controls. 🙂 seems so ritzy! Glad you’re also on the black bean train (or getting back on)!
I just did pork in the crockpot a few days ago and fell in love! This looks so yummy, I love the beans!
I love black beans! My family loves pork in a crock pot. I’m not sure what they’ll think if I try your recipe and combine them, but I’m excited to give it a try. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
By the way, how long are you and Bjork planning to stay in the Philippines? Each time I read one of your posts I’m reminded that the school year is almost over and you’ve been there for a long time already! It sounds like your time there has been life-changing! I admire that you both gave up life here in MN to try something new and different! I’m sure God has used you in many amazing ways!
Thanks Karen! 🙂 We are heading back to Minnesota at the end of May. Our school year ended mid-April, so now I’ll be teaching summer school for the next few weeks before heading home! Can’t believe it’s almost that time already.
I was also wondering when you were going back to USA. Glad to hear! Recipe sounds amazing – must try:)
This sounds delish!! And you can’t beat a crockpot meal!
1) I petted a sweet pug yesterday. I thought of you. 🙂
2) Black beans and garbanzo beans rule my world… every day, for at least one meal.
3) I am totally making your cabbage salad recipe from yesterday. I’m going grocery shopping tomorrow night… and I am way too excited about that fact!
4) This pork & black bean recipe looks like heaven to me.
5) When you come home, bring me back a green papaya. 😉
THE PUG!!! Yes. And the green papayas are huge, but I can try. 😉
Well that looks delicious! and easy! I love using dried black beans, too. For the second half of that bag you could make black bean tacos or black bean and bacon soup. (Two of my faves!)
I can’t believe how much I’M salivating just reading about it! And crockpot cooking is my kind of deal these days – thanks in advance for dinner this weekend 😉
This looks delicious! what kind of vinegar did you use in this?
Silver Swan brand white cane vinegar!
Does this have a strong vinegar taste? One cup sounds like a lot for this dish.
Yes, adobo sauce is primarily vinegar and soy sauce. If you’re hesitant just add 1/4 cup, taste, and add more as desired.
I am loving all of your slow cooker/Mexican inspired recipes. I have to try this one!
I’m so glad you added the beans! Looks amazing 🙂
I don’t eat pork but the flavor combo in this dish sounds incredible! I can, however, make those sweet potato skins! I’ve never cooked with dried black beans, always canned, but you are inspiring me to cook them myself. 🙂
This looks so delicious! I will have to make this soon! My husband will love… what good man wouldn’t appreciate a main dish of meat and beans!?! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Lindsay! Just recently discovered your blog, and I love not only your recipes, but reading about your experiences living in the motherland. I’m Filipino, and although no one can top my dad’s adobo, I may have to give your version a try because of the black beans!
Ooh you should sent me your Dad’s recipe Ivy! I would love to have a more traditional version. 🙂
Love the idea of adding black beans!I love adding eggplant to my adobo for a health kick as well. I’ve always wanted to try adobo in the crock pot and now I’m definitely going to try it. I want to try this and put it in a burrito. My hubby is Mexican and he suggests putting everything in a tortilla! hahah we’ve had Bistek burritos and chicken adobo tacos with shredded cabbage. Tastes great.
I like it! Adobo burritos sound awesome!
This just looks SO delicious! Anything with black beans is winning in my house, and using the crockpot makes it even winning-er!!
Wow looks great. I can’t wait to try this.
This looks delish. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Hi Lindsay!
I have been making chicken adobo for close to 30 years now, and I use the Silver Swan brand Soy Sauce, but I always just use white distilled vinegar.
I have a seen a Filipino brand of coconut vinegar in the Asian stores, and there’s always rice vinegar too. What vinegar is most authentic?
I plan on making your pork adobo soon, it looks yummy!
Hi Lindsay! Since you’re such a lover of black beans, I was wondering if you’d ever tried refried black beans? I just got back from Guatemala where they serve these delicious beans with everything. I think I ate them 3 times a day! Often they were served with a little cream cheese stirred in. Yum. Thought I would suggest it because I can relate to a black bean obsession! Enjoying your blog!
Erika
Hi Erika! Funny you should ask – I’ve only made refried black beans once, but they were so good! And actually I just bought all the ingredients to make them again this week. 🙂
It looks like a semi-healthy version of Filipino Pork Adobo. Though I hate anything black on my plate, I’ll replace it with garbanzo beans, my favorite. The Filipino traditional cooks will get irate when they see this adaptation.
Okay… first– I love this. I’m really glad you added the black beans!!
But second (and most important!)– what is the difference with the Filipino soy sauce? I keep several kinds of soy sauce on hand but I’m hard-pressed to find many special ingredients in my back-woods grocery stores. Help me out cause I need this meal in my life!
From what I understand, Filipino soy sauce is thinner and less salty than the regular Kikkoman brand soy sauce that you can buy in most US grocery stores. If that’s the only brand you have or if you can’t find a Filipino brand like Silver Swan, try to find the lowest sodium option. 🙂
This totally the ulimate comforting sort of dish I can imagine Filipina grandmas making for a whole kitchen full of family. I love anything with the salty, sweet, tangy thing going – SO good with pork.
I have just bought myself a crock pot and some black beans. Seriously. I normally tend to use black-eyed beans as that is what we use in Sierra Leone but I want to use black beans a bit more. Looking forward to trying these (I can actually taste how good these will be ….)