Chicken Adobo

Place a Dutch oven over medium heat and toast the bay leaves and peppercorns until fragrant and the bay leaves have a nice sheen, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the spices and crush 3/4 of the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle.

2. Brown the Chicken
Pour the oil into the Dutch oven and brown the chicken thighs and wings/drumettes in batches, skin side down. Cook until golden brown and the fat has rendered, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Be sure to wiggle the chicken occasionally to avoid sticking to the pan. Transfer all the chicken to a plate as you work through the batches. Once done, pour out all but 1 tbsp of oil.

3. Prepare the Sauce
Return the pot to the stovetop over low heat. Add the vinegar, shoyu, beer, brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves, and crushed peppercorns to the pot. Stir and cook for 2 minutes to combine the flavors.

4. Simmer the Chicken
Add the browned chicken back into the pot along with any juices. Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mixture to a low boil. Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 45 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through.

5. Reduce the Sauce