What is adobo con pimienta?
Adobo con pimienta is a dry spice blend – not to be confused with the chiles in adobo sauce found in many grocery stores. Adobo con pimienta refers to the blend of spices (much in the same way that “Italian Seasoning” refers to general combinations of a few spices) and not to any sort of manufacturer. Therefore, there are many brands available such as Goya, McCormick, Bohio and so forth. In my experience, this is a very easy ingredient to find. Here in Colorado, I can find at least one brand in the Latin and Hispanic section of almost every grocery store, even outside Denver. Many also carry it in the spices and seasonings sections. Additionally, any Spanish mercado should have it. It also, of course, is available online.
There are many “adobo con —-” ‘s available. All of them are varying blends of salt, oregano, pepper, garlic and other spices, often with an emphasis on a particular spice. This one specifically refers to the adobo spice blend which has an emphasis on pepper. I don’t find it to be particularly spicy. It is, however, quite salty and is most often used in place of salt and pepper- rarely will you need to add any more of these to a recipe. It’s a good spice blend on its own and makes a great rub for meat and fish as well as a sprinkle for vegetables. I typically don’t go for spice blends but this one is so utilitarian for a variety of Latin recipes that I’ve gotta keep my spice rack stocked up. For those avoiding MSG- check your labels. Some have it and some don’t.
I often purchase the Goya brand, and they are easily distinguishable from each other by the color of the lids. As you can see below, Adobo con Pimienta is the one with the red lid!
