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
Andre says
Hi , we do have UFC banana ketchup here but in different variety's. Is it the one with the green label ( sweet and spicy )
Lalaine Manalo says
It's ok to use, just adjust the number of chili peppers to suit your tastes ๐
Vincent Serpes says
First of all you are amazing person who replied to all the comments .you are blessed for all the good work you did by providing the amazing recipe. I am going to try your recipe soon
May God bless you
Vincent serpes
Lalaine Manalo says
Thank you, Vincent! I try to reply to all the comments when I can but sometimes life gets in the way and I get behind in approving comments and responding!
Lianne says
I like this new recipe. My guests love the flavor. However, the measure of your ingredients is too much. I used 7.7 lbs. of pork butt less the bone maybe 6.5lbs. I only used half liter of 7up and maybe half of the rest of the ingredients.
Corazon Corser says
Can I use it on spareribs for marinade n cook it on the oven
Lalaine Manalo says
Sounds like a great idea to me ๐
Al says
can I omit the peanut oil or substitute it? Mu son is allergic ๐
Lalaine Manalo says
Hi Al. I'm not sure if you mean the sesame oil? Let me know.
Albert Abraham says
I made half the marinade for 3 pounds of pork butt and the meat was floating in the marinade. It seems like there is too much marinade but maybe it will taste good.
Janice Brandriet says
Had this in Fla at my Step daughter's. Can you break this down for just 2 people like 10 maybe?
Lalaine Manalo says
Hello, Janice,
You can use the recipe card in the post to adjust the number of servings. Change the servings and it will calculate amount of ingredients.
Loli says
I am excited to make this tonight for my party! Thanks
Lalaine says
Enjoy!
Joanne cruce says
Never heard of banana cuts up ?. Where do I find it.?.
Lalaine Manalo says
Hi Joanne. Banana Ketchup is usually found in Filipino or Asian Supermakets.
TastyEat says
I can't find banana ketchup here. Any substitute? Tq
Lalaine says
You can use regular tomato ketchup and just add brown sugar to adjust sweetness to taste ๐
Maricar says
Hi! Can I use white sugar? Thanks
Lalaine Manalo says
Yes, you can ๐ You might have to adjust the amount as white is a bit sweeter than brown.
Cristine says
Hello!!! I donโt have a charcoal grill. Do you think itโs fine to cook it on an electric grill? Thank you!
Lalaine says
Yes, you can use an electric grill. Maybe just grill them without the bamboo sticks?
Nate says
Hello Lalaine,
This recipe looks great. I have two questions. Do you really use 2 cups of garlic for the marinade? Also, do you use vinegar instead of calamansi juice or is that a personal flavor preference? Thanks so much.
Lalaine says
Hi Nate,
I know 2 cups of garlic might sound a lot but this is recipe for 6 pounds of meat or about 100 servings/sticks. You can always halved the recipe if you like ๐
I use vinegar because I live in the U.S and fresh calamansi is not always readily available. Also, I find vinegar tenderizes the meat without leaving a lot of aftertaste. I hope you give this recipe a try, it's delicious ๐
Joanna says
Hello, paano po pag oven ang gamit? Anong temp ang gaano katagal po thank you!
Lalaine says
Hello Joanna,
I haven't tried this pork bbq in the oven but I am sure it can be done. I suggest arranging the strips of meat on a roasting rack for good heat circulation and cook at 375 F until the cooked through and tender. This shouldn't take long as the pork is very small and thin, maybe 15 to 20 minutes? You can then broil them until nicely charred.
Let me know it turns out ๐
lizbeth cinco says
hi po. kapag nag marinate,room temp lang po ba o dapat chiller?thank you
Lalaine says
Hi Lizbeth,
For food safety, please marinate sa refrigerator. ๐
Gigi says
Hi Lalaine, is Pork butt in Tagalog Kasim?
Lalaine says
Yes, I believe it is. I am not familiar with how cuts of meat are called in the Philippines but I researched it and Kasim is Pork shoulder ๐
Gigi says
Hi Lalaine. What is Pork butt in Tagalog? Is it Kasim?