Adobo seasoning is a Spanish marinade made with paprika, oregano, garlic, salt, and vinegar, used to preserve and flavor raw food. The Filipino adobo seasoning is a specific method of preparing meat or fish marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaf, then toasted until crispy. The two types of adobo seasoning are not synonymous, and the Filipino method uses it in a specific meal. The seasoning is also used to flavor commercial products such as snacks, nuts, chips, and soups in the Philippines.
Adobo seasoning is an all-purpose seasoning and marinade used in Spanish cuisine and a specific method of preparing Filipino food. Spanish marinade is a broth or blend of different ingredients such as oregano, garlic and black pepper that is used to preserve raw food and flavor it before cooking. The Spanish named a similar flavoring but a similar but unrelated Filipino cooking method adobo after conquering the Philippines in the late 16th century. The distinct taste of Philippine adobo seasoning is used in a meal of meat or fish marinated in vinegar and garlic and then browned in oil.
The main spice in the Spanish adobo seasoning is paprika. This is what gives the marinade its distinctive red color. Oregano, garlic and salt add extra flavor. The basis of the marinade is vinegar. This marinade is widely used throughout the former Spanish colonies on the American continent. As a result, recipes for adobo seasoning vary significantly between regions and may include ground chiles and cumin.
The Spanish developed this marinade before refrigeration when fish and meats were harder to keep. Paprika has antibacterial properties which, together with vinegar, help extend the shelf life of foods that would otherwise spoil quickly. With the advent of refrigeration, adobo seasoning moved from a preservative to a flavoring and marinade applied before cooking.
This seasoning blend is used to flavor everything from potato chips to black soybeans. Recipes for adobo can be found in many Latin and barbecue cookbooks. Premade adobo can also be purchased at most grocery stores, although the spice blend may differ depending on the origin of the product.
After the Spanish arrived in the Philippines in the late 16th century, they discovered a marinade superficially similar to their own adobo seasoning and gave it the same name. The two types of adobo seasoning are not synonymous. The original term for this Filipino dish and the food preparation method and marinade have been lost. Unlike the Spanish seasoning which is added to a variety of marinated dishes, the Filipino method uses it in a specific meal.
Filipino adbobo typically comprises pork or chicken slow-cooked in vinegar and soy sauce. Crushed garlic, black peppercorns and bay leaf form the core of this type of seasoning. The dish is then toasted or browned in the oven until crispy. The vinegar inhibits bacterial growth, giving this dish a long shelf life.
In addition to its use in Filipino cooking, the adobo seasoning flavor was developed for commercial products. It is used to market many snacks all over the Philippines. Nuts, chips, and soups can all be made and sold as adobo.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
