Sprite Adobo Recipe

IMAGE Roselle Miranda

The beauty of this unique pork adobo recipe is that it's still cooked like your regular adobo recipe but instead of using plain water to simmer the meat in, a soda, specifically a lemon-lime-flavored soda, is used. 

What Is Sprite Adobo 

It's easy to think of "adobo" as a stew, normally using pork or chicken (or both), simmered in a liquid mixture of soy sauce and vinegar and seasoned with garlic, laurel leaves, and black pepper. Households around the Philippines have developed their own recipe for adobo, some so old they're unique heirloom recipes passed down from generation to generation, but the crux of the recipe is really the vinegar. 

To cook an adobo is really to cook (or formerly, to preserve) meat in vinegar. The soy sauce was a later addition when the Chinese introduced Filipinos to soy sauce, and the common brown-colored stewed became a popular dish. 

 

The classic pork adobo dish is made with vinegar and soy sauce.

Photo by Shutterstock

In this recipe, the vinegar is preserved and so is the soy sauce. In fact, little is changed in the regular recipe for an adobong baboy recipe that many of us are familiar with. The big difference is that water is not used. Instead, a soda flavored with lemon-lime is used to give this adobo a unique taste that uses up an ingredient that might otherwise be thrown out. Not only that, the soda eliminates the overnight marination that many adobo recipes require since it will tenderize the meat as it cooks. 

The resulting dish is a Filipino ulam recipe made with the pork adobo cut that cooks faster and has a touch of sweetness that is welcome to our sweet-tooth tastes. 

How To Serve Sprite Adobo 

 

This pork adobo gets its flavors enhanced by the lemon-lime soda Sprite.

Photo by Roselle Miranda

Just like any adobo, this Sprite adobong baboy recipe is fantastic served with lots of steamed rice so it can absorb the delicious thickened adobo sauce. 

You can even shred the meat, letting it absorb the sauce even more, to create a Filipino version of the pulled pork in adobo sauce instead of tomato sauce. Stuff this shredded adobo pork into pandesals and you've got a winning combo for breakfast, lunch, or merienda! 

How To Make Sprite Adobo 

The best way to start this recipe is to sear the pork cubes in oil first. This develops a delicious flavor that you can't get any other way! The browned sides are essential in creating a meaty and savory depth of flavor that makes this adobo recipe extra malinamnam! 

Pour and add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil then lower the heat, covered. Let it simmer until the pork is tender and the sauce is thickened. If necessary, add water if the pork is not yet tender by the time the liquid is thickened. 

That's it! You can adjust the seasonings by adding more soy sauce, black pepper, or even a little splash more of Sprite to give it that sweet-citrus taste that you might be looking for! 

Tips To Make Delicious Sprite Adobo 

1 Use any lemon-lime soda. 

We used Sprite for its more citrusy flavor which is also less sweet than its rival 7-Up but either can be used in this recipe. In fact, any lemon-lime-flavored soda will work in this recipe because the citrus acid in these kinds of soda tenderizes the meat while enhancing the other flavors in the marinade. We use the same technique when we make Pinoy pork barbecue. 

2 Use the meat of your choice. 

 

This chicken was simmered in Sprite, creating a delicious sauce! 

Photo by Majoy Siason

Pork has become more expensive over the past few years, rivaling the prices of beef cuts. If you want to use chicken, you totally can because the adobo sauce made is delicious with chicken, too! We can even see this Sprite-adobo sauce combo pairing well with shell-on shrimp to create a beautiful dish worthy of a party! 

How To Store Sprite Adobo 

Adobo is one of those dishes that becomes even more flavorful the longer it is stored. This is because not only is vinegar a food-preserving ingredient but so is soy sauce. The soy sauce is loaded with salt and since it is already fermented, it only becomes more potent and thus more flavorful with time. 

However, meat can still go bad, especially if not stored properly. The good news is that it's easy to store! Keep your adobo edible by placing any leftovers in a container with a lid (adobo is aromatic and will cause your other food to absorb its flavors) and store it in the refrigerator or the freezer for even longer storage. 

Watch: Sprite Adobo Recipe

Sprite Adobo Recipe