There are two different kinds of Adobo Sauce; one is Mexican and the other is Filipino.
Both versions have a common base of something acidic such as vinegar, garlic and peppercorns. Mexicans go on to add chiles (often ancho chiles) and herbs; the Filipino version goes on to add soy sauce. Some Filipinos will also add sugar.
The Mexican version is spicy and a dark red colour. It is used as a side sauce as well as for marinating and for cooking meat in. Dishes cooked in Adobo Sauce are called “adobados.” Chipotle chiles, when sold canned, are usually packed in Adobo Sauce which will have a smoky taste from the chipotles.
The Filipino version is often used to cook chicken or pork in, sometimes along with coconut milk. In some regions of the Philippines (such as Bicol Province) they will also use chiles.
Cooking Tips
If you buy chipotles that are canned in Adobo Sauce, definitely keep the Adobo Sauce for other uses if not needed immediately. You can use the sauce for barbequing, or stir a teaspoon or two into your salsas.
Storage Hints
In refrigerator 1 week or in freezer indefinitely.
History Notes
Acapulco in Mexico and Manila in the Philippines were important Spanish ports. There was a great deal of trade between them, starting in 1572, and reaching its heyday between the 17th to 19th centuries. This trade route allowed the two Spanish colonies to trade food ideas, such as Adobo Sauce, and ingredients, such as annatto.