Pork Barbecue Skewers Recipe (2024)

Thread the meat on the skewers by bunching them together, creating folds like an accordion to hold more sauce and stay juicy.

As an option, you can soak the bamboo skewers in water for about half an hour before skewering to prevent them from catching on fire when you grill.

5 from 7 votes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Marinate: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 9 hours hours

Author: Nora Rey

• ▢ 3 pounds pork butt, boneless (see note)
• ▢ ⅔ cup soy sauce regular or light
• ▢ ⅓ cup calamansi or lemon juice (see note)
• ▢ 1 cup lemon-lime soda (see note)
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar sub:any sugar
• ▢ ½ cup banana or tomato ketchup (see note)
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic grated or minced
• ▢ Black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

• Partially freeze the meat for about an hour to make slicing easier.

• Slice them thinly (about ¼-inch thick and 1½-inch wide) and across the grain. Keep them uniform in size, so they cook evenly.

• Make the marinade by combining soy sauce, lemon or calamansi juice, lemon-lime soda, brown sugar, ketchup, garlic, and ground pepper. Taste and adjust as needed.

• Marinate the meat and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.

• Thread the meat on the skewers by bunching them together, creating folds like an accordion.

• Over medium heat, cook leftover marinade for about 10 minutes to slightly thicken and prevent cross-contamination.

• In an outdoor grill: Preheat to a medium-high temperature to get a nice sear. Cook them for about 5 minutes on each side. Brush the meat with basting sauce to keep them moist.

• On the stovetop: Set your grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the pan with oil and place the skewers once it gets very hot. Baste each side as you grill it for about 5 minutes.

• In the oven: Preheat the oven to 400° F (200º C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) and place a grill rack on top, if available. Arrange the skewers and bake for about 30 minutes. Flip them halfway through and brush them with basting sauce. Broil on high for 1-2 minutes toward the end.

• Pork butt: An inexpensive cut, great for feeding a crowd. It has good marbling (white lines of fat between the lean meat), making it tender and moist after cooking. Pork shoulder has less fat and marbling but is a good substitute. Pork belly is full of flavor and great texture, though very fatty.
• Lemon or calamansi: Calamansi is a citrus fruit used in sauces, marinades, and desserts. The flavor is like a cross between a lime and mandarin orange. Lemon is always a good alternative.
• Banana or tomato ketchup: Its acidity tenderizes the meat and adds a reddish color. Banana ketchup is sweeter and less tangy than tomato ketchup.
• Lemon-lime soda: Use any sweetened carbonated drink with a subtle lemon or lime flavor, such as 7 Up or Sprite.