Pork Adobo

Peruvian Pork Adobo – adobo de chancho – is a traditional dish from southern Peru. My version of this spicy pork stew features pork loin, ají panca paste (a Peruvian pepper paste), and Peruvian chicha de jora (corn beer). Served with rice and sweet potatoes, it’s spicy, Peruvian comfort food!

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – About Peruvian Adobo

So, I was super excited to get working on this pork adobo recipe, and really pleased with the results. It’s more like a “labor of love.” This Peruvian pork adobo recipe is NOT AN IMPULSE RECIPE! Marinating the pork overnight (24 hours ideally!) is key to developing the flavor in the dish.

If you love to try new recipes, with emphasis on global and somewhat unique recipes, this is a recipe for you! BONUS: Three pounds of pork serves 12 people (8 or 9 big appetites)! It freezes well. We’ve got a few more meals coming out of this one cooking session!

What is chicha?

Chicha is an ancient fermented drink indigenous to many cultures ranging from the Andes up to what is now the southwestern United States, and is not to be confused with chicha morada (a nonalcoholic purple corn drink).I’ve spent a lot of time in the Peruvian Andes, and it’s definitely “a thing.” You’re more likely to find chicha in a village than a store; chicherias are often (if not mostly) identified by a red flag hanging outside the establishment.

📋 Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.

Pork Marinade

• pork – I prefer a boneless cut, and use pork loin in the interest of reducing fat and calories. I do need to mention that pork loin tends to be a little dry even when braised. If you are looking for melt-in-your-mouth succulence, go for pork shoulder instead.
• chicha de jora – You may find chicha de jora (Peruvian corn beer) at your local Latin foods market, but if not, you can order chicha on Amazon. If neither is a good option for you, substitute hard cider or kombucha. You want a tart, fruity flavor with a hint of spice.
• ají panca paste – Ají panca paste is another item that is likely to be found at a Latin foods market, and you can buy ají panca paste on Amazon. There really is no substitute. It has a rich, earthy flavor with very subtle heat…
• red onions – Peruvians use a LOT of red onions, but you can substitute yellow, sweet, or white.
• garlic
• peppercorns
• oregano leaves
• ground cumin
• cinnamon stick
• cloves
• bay leaves

For the Pork Adobo

• cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, and marinade – Reserve after marinating. Don’t discard!
• red onion – Yes, you need red onions twice for this adobo recipe – In the marinade, they get puréed, and in the finished dish, red onion wedges get simmered with the pork.
• rocoto pepper – I buy frozen rocoto peppers at Ruben’s – our local Latin foods market. For a few weeks each year, I can get fresh manzano peppers (nearly identical to rocoto). I have also used these rocoto peppers in a jar. A little of these spicy peppers goes a long way. I use one frozen rocoto in the entire pot! If you can’t find them, substitute a Scotch bonnet/habanero (if you dare!), serrano, etc.

To Finish and Serve

• chicken broth/stock – If the adobo is dry, add chicken broth or stock. This is not a soup, but there should be a generous amount of liquid.
• rice – Peruvians love their carbs! Serve this with simple Peruvian rice or white rice.
• boiled sweet potatoes – Boil hunks of sweet potato until tender.
• salsa criolla – I love salsa criolla with just about any Peruvian meat or poultry. I didn’t make it on photo day, but trust me, it’s good.

🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions

• Make the marinade – I make the marinade in the pot that I plan to cook the adobo in. This is up to you! Add the marinade ingredients to the pot. Stir well to combine.

• Marinate the pork – Add the pork chunks. I cut them in fairly large pieces as this is a rustic dish, and I’m looking to recreate the dish I had in Cuzco… Marinate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

• Purée the marinade – Remove the pork pieces from the marinade, pat them dry, and set them aside. Before adding the marinade to the blender, remove the bay leaves. Pulse until smooth. The peppercorns will require a little extra time.

• Cook the pork – After patting excess marinade from the pork, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the pork on two sides, then pour the puréed marinade over top. Add the bay leaves back in, along with the cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook about 75 minutes. NOTE: Check the liquid level periodically. Add chicken broth if it appears dry.

• Finish the pork adobo – Add the onion wedges, the rocoto pepper (or substitute), and salt. Simmer covered until pork is tender – about 45 minutes. Check seasoning. NOTE: We witnessed this in Cuzco – Use a ladle to smash the rocoto into the pot to spread the heat around. If you prefer a milder adobo, avoid this step! My husband and I like the heat, and 1 rocoto was plenty! We did smoosh it into the adobo…

• To serve – I like shallow bowls for this dish. If serving with rice, plate a scoop of rice. Add the sweet potatoes (if using), and then ladle pork and onions with plenty of liquid. Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, oregano, etc.

I hope this recipe doesn’t look intimidating? The marinade takes just minutes to make, and the bulk of the time is inactive. The ingredients may be more challenging to find, but if you’re interested in cooking Peruvian food, this is a winner!

Peruvian Pork Adobo (adobo de chancho)

Tamara Andersen

This Peruvian-style adobo features tender pork in a flavorful broth based on chicha (corn beer) and ají panca (a mild, earthy Peruvian pepper). Delicioso!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 20 hours hrs

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Marinate 12 hours hrs

Total Time 1 day d 10 hours hrs

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Peruvian

Servings 9 servings

Calories 317 kcal

Equipment

• cast iron Dutch oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Marinate the Pork

• 16 ounces chicha de jora - see Ingredients in Post for substitutions
• 2 red onions - sliced thin
• 3 tablespoons ají panca paste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic - minced (about 6 cloves)
• 3 pounds boneless pork - cut in chunks; see Ingredients in Post

Pork Adobo

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• marinade - puréed
• marinated pork chunks - patted dry
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves - fresh if possible!
• 2 red onions - cut in wedges
• 1 rocoto pepper - see Ingredients in Post for substitutions
• ½ teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground pepper - to taste

Instructions

Marinate the Pork

• Add all marinade ingredients to a large pot/Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
• Add the prepared pork chunks. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours. Overnight is ideal.

Making the Pork Adobo

• Remove the pork pieces from the marinade, pat them dry, and set them aside. Before adding the marinade to the blender, remove the bay leaves. Pulse until smooth.
• Wipe out the liquid from the pot. Add vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the pork on two sides, then pour the puréed marinade over top. Add the bay leaves back in, along with the cloves and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook about 75 minutes.
• Add the onion wedges, the rocoto pepper (or substitute), and salt. Simmer covered until pork is tender – about 45 minutes. Check seasoning. 
• To serve: Remove bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Mash the rocoto if more heat is desired; remove if not. Serve with rice and sweet potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 8g

NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com

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