Pinoy Pork Barbecue is a dish composed of marinated pork slices that are skewered and grilled. The concept is somewhat similar to kebab, except that this only requires meat, there are no vegetables involved.
I enjoy eating this several times a week when I was in the Philippines. There is a stall just outside our subdivision that sells pork bbq along with other skewered meats. I also make it for my family on weekends. Living outside of the Philippines is not an issue because I can make it anytime I want. I have a handful of different recipes for Filipino pork bbq. This is one of my favorites.
How to Make Pinoy Pork Barbeque
The secret to a tasty barbeque is always the marinade. Basting it while grilling also helps to make it flavorful. This version is simple yet delicious. I tried to play around with the ratio of the marinade ingredients until I came-up with something that I liked. It is really good.
The first thing to do is arrange the sliced pork on a large mixing bowl. Make sure that the pork is sliced thinly. This makes it quicker to cook and it can also absorb the flavors from the marinade fast.
Squeeze some lime or calamansi on the pork. Calamansi or calamondin is a citrus fruit native to the Philippines and its surrounding countries. It is a common ingredient for marinades and dipping sauces. Add soy sauce, banana ketchup, sugar, garlic powder, and Knorr Liquid Seasoning. Mix everything together. These are the only ingredients that we are using. No need for salt and ground black pepper unless you prefer to add some.
Cover the bowl and marinate the meat overnight. Don’t forget to place it inside the fridge to keep its freshness. If you are in a hurry, marinating for 3 hours should be enough.
Next is to skewer the marinated pork. Bamboo skewers are required for this recipe. This is how traditional Filipino pork BBQ is done. Make sure to put enough pork slices in each skewer. It is always good to be generous on each serving.
You can grill the skewered pork right away. However, I suggest to prepare the basting sauce first. The ingredients are almost similar to the marinade. I opted to make a fresher batch instead of using the marinade as basting sauce. See the recipe below for details.
Grill the skewered pork for 2 minutes and then flip it over. Make sure to baste every time you turn it over. Continue the process of grilling per side for 2 minutes or so and then flipping until the bbq is completely cooked.
This is usually eaten as a meal with rice. I like it best when dipped in spicy vinegar such as sinamak or pinakurat.
Try this Pinoy Pork Barbeque Recipe. Let me know what you think.
Pinoy Pork Barbeque
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork shoulder sliced into thin pieces
BBQ marinade
- 3 tablespoons Knorr Liquid Seasoning
- 4 pieces calamansi or 2 pieces lime
- ½ cup banana ketchup
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Basting sauce
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Knorr Liquid Seasoning
- 1 piece calamansi or ½ lime
- ¼ cup banana ketchup
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place the pork in a large bowl. Add all the BBQ marinade ingredients. Mix well. Cover the bowl and place inside the refrigerator. Marinate for at least 3 hours. Note: marinating for a longer period of time is ideal for the meat to absorb the flavors from the marinade.
- Skewer the marinated pork in bamboo skewers.
- Prepare the basting sauce by combining all the basting sauce ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat-up the grill. Grill the pork barbeque for 2 minutes. Baste the top part using a brush and then turn it over. Baste the top again. Continue to grill one side for 2 to 2 ½ minutes while basting every time its flipped until the BBQ is done.
- Arrange in a serving plate. Serve with rice on the side and a dipping sauce of spicy vinegar. Share and enjoy!
Stephanie Hänggi says
Hi Vanjo
Can I omit the Knorr Liquid Seasoning as I am not a fan of MSG? Will this taste just as good? Thanks.
Vanjo Merano says
Stephanie, this is a great ingredient. However, you can also use soy sauce with a little bit of hoisin sauce as an alternative.