Step 1

Rinse the black beans. Soak overnight. This really helps with the texture of the beans, and they won’t take as long to cook. Place the pork in a large bowl with 2 cups soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover and marinade in the refrigerator overnight. I left the meat whole for the marinating, but you can also cut it into pieces before marinating.

Step 2

drain the beans. Discard the pork marinade, reserving the bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns. Cut the pork into 2-inch pieces. Place the black beans in the crockpot, cover with the pork, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Pour 1 1/4 cup soy sauce, 3 cups water, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar over the top. Stir once to get the liquid in and around the beans. Cook in the crockpot on low for 8 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

Step 3

check on the adobo – the pork should be very tender and some of the pieces might naturally fall apart, there should be enough liquid to keep the whole mixture “saucy”, and the beans should be soft. Add the vinegar and cook for another 20-30 minutes. Turn the crockpot off and let the mixture cool for a few minutes before serving.