Pork belly, with the rind (skin), is traditional for cooking adobo. If you have access to good quality pork, choose pork belly with the thinnest layer of fat. The marbled fat is what makes adobo what it is but there is no reason why you can't cut down on the amount of fat. Other pork cuts may have even less fat but too little fat, or none at all, will affect the texture and quality of the cooked adobo.

Traditional recipes include chunks of liver but I now prefer to puree the liver to create a thick and rich sauce. For an even more exotic experience, I garnish my adobo with toasted garlic bits and finely sliced onion leaves.

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