Pulled Pork Adobo Sliders

Adobo has always meant comfort to me—its rich, savory fragrance blessing the kitchen, simmering slowly in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves. It’s the kind of dish that brings everyone to the table without even being called. So turning it into sliders? I’ll admit, it felt a little rebellious at first. But one bite of that tender pulled pork tucked into a soft, buttery King’s Hawaiian roll, and I knew I was onto something special. It’s a playful twist on a Filipino classic—untraditional, yes, but packed with all the FLAVRRR and heart of the original.

The familiar soy-vinegar-garlic flavors, slow-cooked into tender pulled pork, bring back memories of kitchen steam and family dinners—just with a modern, mouthwatering twist. A little unconventional, but undeniably sarap.

Ingredients:

For the Adobo Pulled Pork:

3 lbs boneless pork shoulder (butt), cut into large chunks

1 tbsp cooking oil

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 medium onion, sliced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup cane vinegar (or white vinegar)

1 cup water

2 bay leaves

1 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tbsp brown sugar (optional, for a slightly sweet balance)

Salt to taste

For the Sliders:

1 pack (12 rolls) King’s Hawaiian Original Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, sliced in half horizontally

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp banana ketchup or regular ketchup (optional)

1/2 cup shredded green cabbage or coleslaw mix

1 small cucumber, thinly sliced (optional, for crunch)

Toasted garlic bits or fried shallots for topping (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork chunks on all sides. Remove and set aside.

2. In the same pot, sauté garlic and onion until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add soy sauce, vinegar, water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and brown sugar.

3. Return the pork to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer covered for 2 to 2.5 hours, until pork is very tender.

4. Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to let the sauce reduce and intensify. Shred the pork using two forks, mix it back into the sauce.

5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place sliced rolls on a baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes until lightly crisped.

6. Mix mayo with banana ketchup (if using) and spread a thin layer on the bottom half of each roll.

7. Pile with a generous scoop of adobo pulled pork. Add cabbage slaw and cucumber slices for crunch and freshness. Sprinkle with garlic bits or fried shallots if desired.

Bite-sized and bougie