Adobo Sauce
A punchy, glossy adobo-style sauce that’s tangy, garlicky, and peppery with a subtle sweetness. Use it as a braising liquid for chicken or pork, a glaze for roasted vegetables, or a quick dipping sauce for rice bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 8 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ⅔ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 leaf bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
-
1
Sauté the garlic: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the avocado oil until shimmering. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and just turning pale golden, about 45–60 seconds (do not let it brown).
(2 min) -
2
Build the sauce: Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, chicken broth, bay leaves, black pepper, and brown sugar until combined.
(2 min) -
3
Simmer and reduce: Bring to a lively simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until the sauce smells less sharp and lightly coats a spoon, 8–10 minutes. (It will thicken more as it cools.)
(10 min) -
4
Finish: Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, then remove and discard the bay leaves. Use warm as a sauce/glaze, or cool and refrigerate.
(5 min)
Notes
- •Consistency control: For a thicker, glaze-like sauce, simmer 2–4 minutes longer. For a thinner “braising” sauce, add an extra 1/4 cup broth and skip extra reduction.
- •How to use (quick ideas): Braise chicken thighs—use 1 to 1 1/2 cups sauce to braise 2 lb thighs, simmering until thighs reach 175°F, then reduce sauce to thicken.
- •How to use (quick ideas): Glaze—brush onto roasted broccoli, cauliflower, or pork during the last 5 minutes of cooking to avoid burning.
- •Salt level: Even with low-sodium soy sauce, this is assertive. If using regular soy sauce, increase broth by 1/4 cup and taste before reducing further.
- •Storage: Refrigerate up to 1 week. Rewarm gently; if it thickens too much, loosen with a splash of water or broth.