Filipino Pork Barbecue on a Stick are as much fun to eat as they are delicious. With a sweet, salty, and slightly spicy flavor combo, they're absolutely addictive!
Since our weather is beginning to heat up here in Texas, and G has been firing up the charcoal pit almost every day, I thought I'd repost our favorite thing to grill.
Filipino pork barbecue is a meat kebab made of pork slices marinated in a sweet and savory sauce and grilled to perfection. It's popular street food in the Philippines, commonly peddled on makeshift grill carts at street corners. It's also a regular mainstay at parties and special gatherings and widely enjoyed as a viand with hefty servings of rice or as portable appetizers to complement ice-cold beer.
Pork cut to use
The success of your pork barbecue is half the marinade and half the type of pork you use. For the best texture and flavor, choose a cut with adequate ribbons of fat, such as pork butt (kasim). Pork belly is too fatty to use, and pork loin or tenderloin is too lean and dry.
Make sure to slice in very thin, uniform sizes to ensure even cooking and across the grain for a tender chew. You can also have the butcher slice the meat for you; ask for pang-BBQ.
Marinade ingredients
Like most mainstream dishes, every Filipino cook or household has their version of barbecue pork. While calamansi or lemon juice appears to be standard for most Filipino pork barbecue recipes, I use vinegar instead to help tenderize the meat.
I first marinate the thin pork slices in a mixture of vinegar, 7-up, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, chili peppers, and copious amounts of garlic to amp up the flavor and then finish off the partially grilled meat with a basting mixture of oyster sauce, banana ketchup, and sesame oil to achieve gooey, sticky, yummy goodness.
This recipe makes about 50 barbecue sticks. Who needs 50 pieces of Filipino pork barbecue, you say? Please take one bite. Youโll thank me later.
These barbecue pork on a stick are seriously addictive; you'd wish you made more! A delightful marriage of sweet, salty, and spicy, you'll be hard-pressed to stop at just one.
Ready to grill a batch? Check out my tips below for the best pork barbecue ever!
Helpful tips
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before skewering the meat to prevent them from burning when grilling.
- Drain the sliced pork well and pat dry so the excess liquid does not dilute the marinade.
- For great depth of flavor, marinate the meat for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. I don't recommend marinating the meat longer than overnight as the acids in the marinade will break down the protein fibers of the meat.
- For food safety, discard the marinade and make a fresh batch of basting sauce. If you want to use the marinade, boil it for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce the marinade and kill off any bacteria from the raw meat.
- To prevent excessive charring and the meat from burning before fully cooked, grill the pork FIRST for a few minutes on each side before basting. Once the meat changes color, start brushing with the sauce.
How to serve and store
- Filipino-style barbecue is traditionally enjoyed as a snack or party appetizer. It's popular street food, usually with vinegar dipping sauce and a pulutan served with hard drinks.
- It's also commonly served as a main meal with pancit or rice. Try it with Java rice and homemade atchara for a delicious feast the whole family will love!
- As the recipe makes a huge amount, you may want to keep the seasoned meat in the freezer for future use. Transfer to resealable bags or air-tight containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
More grilled recipes
Ingredients
- 6 pounds pork butt, sliced to 1-inch wide and ยผ-inch thick
- 3 cups 7-up
- 2 cups soy sauce
- 2 cups vinegar
- 2 cups oyster sauce
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup garlic, peeled and minced
- 10 Thai chili peppers (siling labuyo), minced
- 2 cups banana ketchup
- ยฝ cup sesame oil
For the Spiced Vinegar Dip
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ยฝ onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 Thai chili peppers, chopped
- โ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ยผ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse pork strips and drain well. Pat dry.
- In aย large bowl, combine 7-up, soy sauce, vinegar, 1 cup of the oyster sauce, brown sugar, garlic, black pepper, and chili peppers.
- Add pork and massage meat to fully incorporate. Marinate, turning meat once or twice, in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Thread 2 to 3 meat slices onto each skewer.
- In a bowl, combine remaining 1 cup of oyster sauce, banana ketchup, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Grill meat kebabs over hot coals for about 2 to 3 minutes each side.ย
- When pork starts to lose its pink, baste with oyster sauce-ketchup mixture. Continue to grill and baste, turning on sides, until meat is cooked through.
- Remove from heat and serve as is or with spicy vinegar dip.
For the Spiced Vinegar Dip
- In a bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, onion, chili peppers, ground pepper, and salt.
Notes
- Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before skewering the meat to prevent them from burning when grilling.
- Drain the sliced pork well and pat dry so the excess liquid does not dilute the marinade.
- For great depth of flavor, marinate the meat for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. I don't recommend marinating the meat longer than overnight as the acids in the marinade will break down the protein fibers of the meat.
- For food safety, discard the marinade and make a fresh batch of basting sauce. If you want to use the marinade, boil it for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce the marinade and kill off any bacteria from the raw meat.
- To prevent excessive charring and the meat from burning before fully cooked, grill the pork FIRST for a few minutes on each side before basting. Once the meat changes color, start brushing with the sauce.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
ADA says
hi can i omit the Thai chili peppers. I wanted to make it for kids. baka maanghang
Lalaine says
Hello Ada,
Yes, you can omit the peppers ๐
Leen says
Lalaine,
Thank you for this recipe. This is exactly what I was looking for. The best Filipino street BBQ! The same yummy taste I've been yearning for. Reminds me of my childhood memories when I was growing up in Manila, the vendors with their abaniko fanning the BBQ on their grills. Again, thanks Lalaine for this awesome recipe you've shared. My whole family loves it!!!!! God bless. Leen
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you so much for your feedback! I am glad you enjoyed it!
Viel says
Hi is this more sweet or savory? I am looking for a recipe more on the sweeter side than savory if that makes sense.
Lalaine says
Hello Viel,
This BBQ is more on the sweet side. ๐
Mary rose says
Hi maam , bakit po walang asin s marinate nyo po?
Ilang tablespoon po nyang sugar, chili pepper, ground black pepper,? Plz help coz i want to try
Rose..
Lalaine says
Hello Rose,
May soy sauce na kasi kaya I don't put salt. Nasa recipe po yung measurements for the ingredients ๐
Leen says
Mary Rose,
I don't want to be rude but... Did you read her recipe at all? All your questions can be answered by reading it. Also, the sodium content in the soy sauce would be enough hence no salt needed.
Jeson says
Good day Ma'am Lalaine..can i copy your recipe?..My wife and i are planning to do business with pork barbecue, we would like to try it. Hehehe..
Lalaine Manalo says
No problem ๐ Good luck with the business!
Judy Chiu says
How long does it take to grill the pork??? I need the estimate time??? thanks
Lalaine says
Hello Judy,
I would say about 10 to 15 minutes depending on how thick the meat was sliced.
Jeriel says
Hi. Could you please help me with the measurements of ingredients if I will be cooking only 1 kilo of pork? Thank you ๐ God bless.
Lalaine Manalo says
You can use the recipe card; just adjust the number of servings and it will calculate the amounts ๐
Cristy villamor says
Can use an oven instead of grill
Lalaine says
It might work in the oven, try using a roasting rack so the pork gets caramelized all over. ๐
jhu says
Im planning to open a bbq street food stool here in palawan i will give it a try bout this recipe of yours. ๐ i need to save a lot for my bby . Hope that this recipe i choice could give me a big boom! ๐๐๐
Lalaine says
Wow, how exciting! I am so honored that you'll be using this recipe for your business. I wish you best of luck and prosperity. ๐
Mark says
Is That 2liters of 7Up or 2 cups just want to make sure of the marinade
Lalaine says
Hello Mark
It's 2 liters as this recipe uses 6 pounds of meat and makes a lot! I hope you enjoy your BBQ. Yum!
Mateo says
2 liters of soda, 2 cups of vinegar, 2 cups of oyster sauce, cups of banana ketchup for 6 aside from dry ingredients for 6 lbs of meat?
OH MY!!!
Lalaine says
LOL, yes, that much! Trust me, these BBQ pork sticks are awesome!
Kaypee says
Hello lalaine ๐ I think this recipe is amazing but I can't find a good brand of oyster sauce here in south america.Can I omit it?
teddy says
This is one of the worst tasting meals I've ever tried. What a waste of good pork...
Lalaine says
Hello Teddy
I am sorry this BBQ pork recipe was not to your liking. I understand how frustrating it can be to spend a good amount of time and ingredients only to be disappointed. I was very surprised, though, as this is my personal favorite and have received many positive reviews from readers who have tried the recipe themselves. May I ask please if the recipe was followed to a T or substitutions were made?
Jeffrey says
Bakit, po, walang calamansi sa recipe?
Lalaine says
Hello Jeffrey
I use vinegar instead of calamansi ๐
Cestmoisb says
Hi Lalaine. Is it really 2 liters of 7up or 2cups? Thank you. Will be making on Christmas. (:
Vivian Noronha says
I love pork but currently I have these beef steaks that I want to bbq. Can I use this recipe with beef as well?
Lalaine says
Hello Vivia
I've never tried it with beef but I don't see why you can't ๐