Why there is no ‘wrong or right’ adobo, according to the Adobo Queen herself

MANILA, Philippines — Is there a wrong or right way to cook adobo? 

Ask chef and cookbook author Nancy Reyes-Lumen — dubbed as the self-proclaimed “Adobo Queen” — and you’ll get a resounding and confident no. 

“Your adobo is personal,” she told the crowd at the recent launch of her latest cookbook, The US Poultry Adobo Collection, held at the US Embassy in Forbes Park, Makati City. 

Her lifelong advocacy? Promoting adobo — not gatekeeping it — in all its diverse forms.

Many iterations, many stories

The Filipino staple that’s never quite the same, adobo — which is not a dish per see, but a method of cooking — is different almost everywhere you go. Nancy said that because regions across the Philippines work with their own native ingredients, that inevitably shapes their idea of the “perfect” adobo.

For example, there is no one kind of vinegar used by all Philippine provinces, Nancy told Rappler. Areas have their native vinegar, which, according to Nancy, can completely change the endgame of the salty-sour dish.

Yet, adobo remains “national,” partly because its main elements are simple and accessible across regions – vinegar, meat, soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns – but also versatile enough to be tweaked according to your liking.

Even within Luzon alone, communities prepare their adobo very differently. In Bulacan, they use a variety of vinegars, like the Paombong Vinegar, which is named after a town and is made from nipa palm. Sukang Iloko, made from sugarcane, is also widely used, as well as coconut vinegar, which is also a staple in the Southern Tagalog region.

And it’s not always about chicken and pork either! Nancy’s newest cookbook spotlights recipes using US poultry like turkey and duck, and even reimagines adobo in forms that she said adobo purists will faint or rant at, like adobo paella.

“Let them,” Nancy said cheekily. “I’m not excusing myself.”

She’s clear on one thing, though: what makes adobo, well, adobo. “It needs salt and a souring agent — typically vinegar,” she said. And from there, the stage is yours.

Don’t forget to ‘mari-knead’ it

The process of adobo must be slow and unhurried, Nancy said; it cannot be fast-tracked. And as she prepared a street-inspired, barbecue-style adobo chicken for guests alongside US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, she added, “Adobo ages well in time, so let it.”

No matter how you’re making your adobo, Nancy stressed that marination is the first and most important step in adobo — make sure to taste it before you add it to your chicken, and then let them bond together in the fridge overnight.

She recommends choosing a meaty cut with skin and fat (these all help add flavor), such as chicken thighs, deboned leg quarters, or drumsticks. 

But here’s the step many skip: massaging your meat. “Put those hands to work!” she said. It’s a procedure many tend to neglect, and shouldn’t — massaging the meat in its marinade allows it to get under the chicken’s skin and into the muscles, resulting in a more flavorful and juicier adobo.

“This is the key to absorbing the adobo flavor,” she said. Make kneading motions and firm squeezes, almost like you’re making bread. And do it for the length of a three-minute song! 

“Remember: M3M — marinate, then three-minute massage.”

First things first: flavor

When it comes to the marinade, “taste matters ,and balance is everything,” Nancy said. Saltiness, sourness, and umami need to co-exist harmoniously, but essentially, the ratio between soy sauce and vinegar is up to you (some go 1:1, some go 1:2). If the flavors get too strong, you can just add some water or broth to temper things out.

“Don’t season your marinade with salt right away, by the way. The soy sauce might be enough already,” Nancy reminded guests.

Nancy is also particular about the kind of vinegar she uses, favoring apple cider for its fruity sweetness over the harshness of white vinegar. She also suggests cane or coconut vinegar, because they’re not too strong.

When it comes to adding an umami oomph, Nancy advises going beyond the usual and not just relying on liquid seasoning. Try mushroom powder, or even tomato paste, fried potatoes, rendered chicken fat, chicken liver, parmesan cheese, and red wine — “anything that brings out that savory depth,” she said.

But while many Filipinos also love their adobo on the sweeter side, Nancy doesn’t recommend using spoonfuls of brown or white sugar. Her preference? Sprite or any lime soda. 

“It lightens up the vinegar!” she explained. Calamansi syrup, oyster sauce, or apple juice are also welcome.

Taking her adobo chicken barbecue up a notch, Nancy even made a glaze, which she basted on top of the grilled chicken — made with soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, and a bit of sugar, caramelized to add even more umami.

No-no’s to know

Do you add garlic to your marinade? Apparently, this is a no-no according to Nancy — add it only 30 minutes before you start cooking your adobo. Leaving it in your marinade will cause the garlic taste to weaken, due to the vinegar’s acids.

And don’t use whole cloves! Garlic tastes better freshly pressed, crushed, chopped, or minced. 

The same goes for cracked black peppercorns and bay leaves; toast the bay leaves in oil before simmering them with the sauce, Nancy said, and don’t include them in the raw marinade.

At the end of the day, your adobo recipe is yours, and yours only.

“Own it,” Nancy said “It’s part of every treasured family recipe collection. Bring it with you to your neighbors or abroad, and cook it slowly, lovingly, and proudly.”

Now based in Houston, Texas, Nancy continues to teach adobo and other Filipino dishes to non-Filipinos, honoring her roots as a third-generation member of The Aristocrat Restaurant Group, founded by her grandmother, Aling Asiang.

Her past cookbooks include The Adobo Book, and she co-hosts the YouTube show The Commissary Kitchen.

Her newest US Embassy-backed collection features free recipes like: Air-Fried US Chicken Adobo Flakes, Chicken Adobo sa Patis at Pinya, Roast Duck Adobado, Turkey Adobo, Adobo Galette, and more. Some of them are available for free download on the US Embassy in the Philippines Facebook page. – Rappler.com