Filipino Barbecue Pork Skewers

Juicy, tender strips of pork marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, skewered and grilled to perfection — this is how Filipino BBQ should be, right? However, it is not uncommon to come across dry, chewy, or burnt pieces of pork on these skewers.  The good news is that there are ways to avoid that and achieve crowd-pleasing BBQ pork skewers every time using a grill pan on the stove, in the oven, or on an outdoor grill. 

Jump to:

• Why you’ll love this recipe
• What you’ll need
• Ingredient notes and substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Frequently asked questions and tips
• The key takeaway
• Watch how I make it here
• More pork recipes you may like
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Super easy to make and budget-friendly.
• Can be prepped ahead for last-minute grilling.
• Slicing the meat across the grain and threading them onto the skewers the right way make them tender and juicy.

What you’ll need

Ingredient notes and substitutions

• Pork Butt (or Boston butt): A cut that is relatively inexpensive and great for feeding a crowd. Contrary to its name, it comes from the shoulder of the pig, sold with or without bone, and is usually skinless. It has good marbling (the white lines of fat between the lean meat creating a marble pattern) that makes it tender and moist after cooking. You can also use pork shoulder, also known as picnic shoulder or picnic roast. It has less fat and marbling but is a good substitute. Pork belly is another option, full of flavor and great texture, but very fatty.
• Soy Sauce: You can use regular or light soy sauce, but NOT dark soy sauce for this recipe.
• Lemon or Calamansi: Calamansi, a citrus fruit staple in Filipino cooking, is used in dipping sauces, marinades, desserts, as garnish squeezed over pansit canton, or made into a refreshing drink like lemonade. The flavor is like no other — the closest would be a cross between lime and sour orange. If available, definitely use it for that distinct Filipino taste. Outside of the Philippines, calamansi is not easy to find; lemon is a good substitute.
• Ketchup: Banana ketchup, primarily made of bananas, is a condiment or a cooking ingredient used in Filipino cuisine. It tastes a little sweeter and less tangy than tomato ketchup. Tomato and banana ketchup are interchangeable in this recipe. They give that reddish color and its acidity tenderizes the meat.
• Brown Sugar: The molasses in brown sugar add extra flavor to the marinade, but feel free to use granulated sugar.
• Lemon-lime soda: You can use any carbonated drink that's sweet with a subtle lemon or lime flavor like 7 Up, Sprite, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, or even Ginger Ale.

How to make this recipe

Prepare the meat: Partially freeze the meat for about an hour to make slicing easier. You'll need slices that are about ¼-inch thick, 1½-inch wide, and of any length.  (1)First, divide the meat into 1½ inch sections lengthwise or along the grain (parallel to the muscle fibers). 

(2)Make thin slices (¼-inch) out of each section, this time against the grain. It is important to slice against the direction of the muscle fibers to make them tender and easy to chew. Keep the slices uniform in size so they cook evenly.

Prepare the marinade: (3)Combine the soy sauce, lemon or calamansi juice, lemon-lime soda, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, and ground pepper. I like using a blender so the flavors can meld together and the meat can absorb it better. Without a blender, you can grate or finely mince the garlic and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Taste your marinade and adjust — it has to be sweet, salty, garlicky, and a little tangy. 

Marinate: (4)Pour the marinade over the meat and make sure it's covered entirely. Refrigerate in a covered container ideally overnight — that's about 8 hours. If you are pressed for time, marinate for at least 2 hours.

Skewer: (5)Thread the pork slices onto the skewers by bunching the slices, creating folds like an accordion. It will hold more sauce and stay juicy that way. Option: Soak your bamboo skewers in water for about half an hour before skewering to prevent them from catching on fire when you grill. 

When the barbecue skewers are ready, it's time to make the basting sauce and preheat your grill! You can also keep them longer in the refrigerator for last-minute grilling.

Make the basting sauce: (6)In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the leftover marinade for about 10 minutes to prevent cross-contamination and slightly thicken the sauce. As an option, you can make it even thicker like a glaze by adding ketchup.

(7)Outdoor grill: Preheat with the lid closed at medium-high temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. You want it hot and sizzling when you place the meat onto the grates to get a nice sear on the outside. Turn the skewers once or twice, and brush with basting sauce each time. Keep the lid closed as much as possible. It will take about 5 minutes on each side to cook.

(7)Using a grill pan on the stove: Preheat your pan on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Brush the pan with oil to keep the meat from sticking. Place the skewers on the grill pan and space them out so they don't steam. Grill each side for about 5 minutes and brush with basting sauce as you go along.

(7)In the oven: Preheat to 400° Fahrenheit (200º Celsius). Prepare a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and place a grill rack on top, if you have one. Arrange the skewers on the rack and cook for a total of 30 minutes. Flip the skewers halfway through and brush both sides with the basting sauce.

As an option, broil at the very end to get more caramelization.

Serve: BBQ pork skewers are best served with easy-to-make Java Rice and a side of Achara (Pickled Green Papaya) or vinegar dipping sauce.

Frequently asked questions and tips

The key takeaway

When you've picked the right cut of meat, sliced them the right way, marinated them long enough to be flavorful, it comes down to cooking them perfectly. It's easy to overcook and dry out these thin pieces of meat so pay close attention as you grill. 

Watch how I make it here

More pork recipes you may like

📖 Recipe