adobo

noun

ado·​bo ə-ˈdō-bō  ä-ˈt͟hō-bō 

plural adobos

1

: a Philippine dish of fish or meat usually marinated in a sauce containing vinegar and garlic, browned in fat, and simmered in the marinade

2

: a spicy marinade used in Latin American cuisine and usually containing vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers

chipotles in adobo

3

: a seasoning mixture that typically includes ground dried garlic, ground dried onion, oregano, salt, and pepper

Examples of adobo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Add ketchup, water, adobo sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, and black pepper to blender; process until very smooth, about 30 seconds. —Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2023

Badman's plates highlight local, Arizona vegetables with dishes such as cauliflower adobo with i’itoi onion relish, perfect paired with Arizona wines like ‘Renato’s' Grenache blend from Los Milics, her partner's vineyard. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 20 Feb. 2024

Working over the sink, carefully remove pork from plastic wrap, discarding any remaining adobo. —The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2023

Traditional adobo sauces are commonly enriched with coconut milk, and the dish is frequently made with pork. —Sunset Magazine, 28 Dec. 2023

Pour over adobo in batches, using your fingers to push adobo deep into the meat. —The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2023

This sliver speaks of smoke and salt and the adobo aromatics of young pork meat that has been roasting for hours, all under the protective shell of that hardened skin. —Tim Carman, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023

This bell pepper, cilantro, and garlic base will serve as the foundation for saucy pollo guisado, a fall-off-the-bone adobo chicken braise loaded with tomatoes and olives. —Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appétit, 29 Nov. 2023

But Torres and Corona Ruiz have learned to apply the elder’s minimalist adobo — salt, garlic, pepper and oregano, supplemented with a housemade annatto oil rubbed over the animal — in ways that leave the meat moister and more consistent than the traditional multiday cure. —Tim Carman, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish, "marinade," noun derivative of adobar "to arrange, prepare, cook, marinate," borrowed from Old French adober "to arm (a knight), prepare," from a- (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + -dober, borrowed from Old Low Franconian *dubban "to strike"; akin to Old Frisian dubba "to hit, knock" — more at dub entry 1

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1