By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 3, 2026
Serves 12
359 cal · 510 min
Crockpot Pork Adobo with Black Beans
Recipe GLPR48c11131ac0afe
A Filipino-inspired slow-cooker dish featuring tender pork shoulder braised with soaked black beans in a savory adobo sauce made with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and warm spices. The pork cooks until fall-apart tender while the beans become creamy and absorb all the rich flavors. This satisfying, comforting dish is best made over two days: one night for marinating the pork, then slow-cooking the next day until everything is perfectly tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.
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Ingredients
2 cups dried black beans
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, semi-fatty
3¼ cups Filipino soy sauce, divided
1 cup white cane vinegar
10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
¼ cup brown sugar, divided
3 cups water
Directions
The night before serving: Rinse the dried black beans thoroughly under cold water, removing any debris. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover completely with water. Let soak overnight, about 8 to 12 hours.
While the beans soak, place the whole pork shoulder in a large bowl. Pour 2 cups of the soy sauce over the meat. Add 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, all the smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Cover the bowl and refrigerate alongside the beans for 8 to 12 hours.
The next morning: Drain and rinse the soaked black beans, discarding the soaking liquid. Set aside.
Remove the pork from its marinade. Discard the marinade liquid, but reserve the bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns. Cut the pork into approximately 2-inch chunks.
Add the drained black beans to the crockpot. Layer the pork chunks over the beans, then top with the reserved bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns.
Pour the remaining 1¼ cups soy sauce, the 3 cups water, and the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the contents of the crockpot. Stir once to distribute the liquid throughout the beans and around the meat.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 5 to 6 hours. The pork should be very tender and begin to fall apart naturally, the beans should be creamy and soft, and there should be enough liquid to keep the mixture saucy.
During the last hour of cooking, check the adobo. If the pork is already very tender and beans are soft, stir in the vinegar. Continue cooking uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the vinegar to meld with the flavors.
Turn off the crockpot and let the mixture rest for a few minutes before serving. The pork should reach an internal temperature of 145°F or higher for food safety. Serve hot in bowls with plenty of the saucy broth.
Comments
This is a strong weeknight workhorse for a Charlotte household. All ingredients are stocked at every major chain—no special trips required. The actual prep is under ten minutes (trim and cube the pork, drain the beans), then the crockpot handles eight and a half hours unattended, making it genuinely honest about its stated 510 minutes. Cost per serving is very low, probably under $1.50, since pork shoulder is cheap and black beans cost almost nothing. The only minor drawback is that adobo is soy-vinegar-forward, which is Filipino rather than Southern staple, so it won't feel like a natural rotation for someone cooking collards and peanuts most weeks—still a solid recipe, just not locally rooted.
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