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
K V says
Can I make this in advance, skewer and out in freezer for a few days before making them?
Lalaine says
Yes, you can ๐
Jr says
What kind of vinegar do you use???
Lalaine says
I use any Filipino brand ๐
Maita d says
Hi! I like to try this the next time i grill. Can you use the marinate again after the 1st batch of pork? I'm considering this as my next business venture. Thanks
Lalaine says
Hi Maita,
I won't recommend using the marinade again for food safety especially since you're going to be selling them. The mixture will be contaminated by the raw pork.
Steph says
Hi! How do you freeze the extra? Do you mix the meat and marinade and place directly in freezer? Or should I marinade first (for 4+hours) then remove marinade and freeze meat only?
Thank you for the recipe!
Lalaine says
Hi Steph,
I usually marinade it first and then transfer to resealable bags with just the meat. I think the ones they sell in the stores are also just marinated meat and without the liquid.
Steph says
Hi Lalaine,
Thank you for the recipe I will try it today ๐
Can you clarify the instructions if I want to freeze any extra marinated meat? Should I let it marinade overnight, remove the meat and then freeze it in a bag? Or should I mix the meat with the marinade and then freeze it all (marinade included) in a bag.
Thank you!
Sarah says
Um, I was so excited to make this I accidentally mixed the banana ketchup in the marinade ๐ฌ I hope it turns out ok!
Lalaine says
It will still turn out ok ๐
Tim says
I was in Manila for a few months last year. Iโm not back on the east coast of the US , and really missing some of the food I ate in the Philipines . I took me forever but I can finally make decent garlic rice. I have your recipe marinating right now and Iโm super hopeful it tastes like the street food I had . My question is. After using the marinade and removing the meat . Can the marinade be stored in the freezer to be used again . A lot the the ingredients are not easily available to me where I live . And this and qweck qweck ( which I havenโt figured out how to make yet ) where two of my favorites
Lalaine says
Hi Tim,
Due to food safety, I wouldn't recommend saving the marinade the raw meat has sat in for hours. If you need to, you might want to boil it for about 10 to 15 minutes and then freeze. I have a recipe for kwek kwek if you'd like to give it a try. https://www.kawalingpinoy.com/kwek-kwek/ Enjoy!
Tim says
Thank you
Beth says
Hi Lalaine, just want to clarify. You donโt mix the catsup and sesame oil in marinating the meat only in basting sauce?
Lalaine says
Hi Beth,
Yes, I don't mix the catsup and sesame oil in the marinade. Just use for basting. When the meat starts to lose its pink, you can start brushing the catsup mixture on. ๐
P says
Hi, What kind of sauce do you use? Regular (full sodium), low sodium, light, dark... so many haha
Lalaine says
I use Filipino soy sauce, Datu Puti ๐
Joy says
Can i use calamansi instead if vinegar?
Lalaine says
Yes, you can ๐
Candice says
Is it really 6 cups of sugar??? I'm planning to do this recipe tonight and 6 cups of sugar seems like an awful lot!?
Lalaine says
The recipe is for 6 pounds of meat so the sugar is correct. You can adjust if you like but I find the amount perfect for my taste. ๐
Candice says
Ok cool thanks!!!
Lalaine says
Let me know how they turn! ๐
Adam says
Is the meat very tender when cooked this way? I have always braised or bbq'd my pork butt on low heat for a long time to get the collagen to break down? When cooked quickly on the grill is it not tough?
Lalaine says
Hello Adam,
The pork butt is sliced pretty thinly so it shouldn't take long to cook on the grill.
Adam says
Is the pork butt not tough when cooked for a short time on the grill? Ive always cooked my pork butt on low heat for a long ti,e to get the collagen to break down. Is the meat tender when cooked following this recipe.?
Haly says
Can I use tomato ketchup instead? I don't have sprite either, can you please recommend substitute ingredients? Thank you and God bless!
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, you can use tomato ketchup. You can use 7-up or club soda in place of Sprite.
Sharlene Chan says
I made this 2 weeks ago and it was amaziiing. I'm thinking if I can use this for chicken..
Lalaine says
Yes, the marinade will be great with chicken as well. Thanks, Sharlene!