With tender, juicy pork and a sweet and spicy glaze, these Korean Pork Kabobs are bursting with flavor! Great on the grill or baked in an oven!
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Skewers, kabobs, shish kabobs....whatever you call them, they're always a delicious change of pace!! They're fun for adults (and kids!) to eat and this Korean BBQ spin is absolutely incredible!
Ingredients for Pork Kabobs
- Pork Tenderloin - In my opinion, the pork tenderloin is the best cut of pork! It's super tender and juicy when cooked properly. If you don't have pork tenderloin, pork loin (or boneless pork chops) would be another good option though not as tender.
- Sauce Ingredients - Brown sugar, soy sauce, Gochujang (Korean chili paste), rice wine vinegar, honey, garlic and ginger.
- Garnishes - Green onions and sesame seeds.
How to Make Pork Kabobs
First, if you're using wooden or bamboo skewers, be sure to get them soaking in water. You'll want to have them soaking for 30+ minutes so they don't burn on the grill. You can opt to use metal skewers if you have them.
Next, cut the tenderloin in to 1-inch pork pieces. You can make them a little larger, but I don't recommend cutting them smaller as they'll easily be overcooked.
Now, make the sweet and spicy sauce that'll be brushed on the pork skewers. Mix the sauce ingredients and microwave until the brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture has began to boil. You can do this in a saucepan if you prefer.
Set the sauce aside to cool off a bit while you thread the skewers. Add several pieces of pork on each skewer and season with salt and pepper.
And now, you're ready to grill (or bake)! If using a grill, make sure your grates are clean and then grease lightly with olive oil or vegetable oil so the pork doesn't stick. Grill for 8-12 minutes, rotating and brushing the sauce on occasionally, until a meat thermometer inserted in the largest cube of pork registers 145F.
Remove from the grill, top with sliced green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds!
NOTE: Be careful to keep the raw ingredients and plates separate from the cooked to prevent cross-contamination. Have a clean plate or tray ready for the cooked kabobs. Do not use the leftover sauce, unless you bring it to a boil to take care of raw meat juices that may have been transferred by the brush.
Don't have a grill? No problem!
Depending on the time of year, we love making these on the grill or in the oven. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the skewers on the pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Brush the sauce over the pork and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the largest pork cube has reached an internal temperature of 145F. Brush with additional sauce and broil for 1-2 minutes.
PRO TIP: Cut the pork into cubes and make the sauce ahead of time!
You can find gochujang at most large retailers in the international foods section of the grocery store. The brand I use is in a glass bottle.
It will vary depending on the type of grill you're using (gas grill vs charcoal grill) and whether you're grilling with a lid or without. The most important thing to remember is to rotate and brush the pork with sauce every 3-4 minutes and remove them from the heat once they've reached 145F.
I like serving these with a side of rice and steamed green veggies such as sugar snap peas or broccoli florets.
More flavor-packed pork recipes
Korean Pork Kabobs
Equipment
- wooden or metal skewers
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- green onions and sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will help prevent them from burning on the grill/in the oven.
- In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, gochujang, rice wine vinegar, honey, minced garlic and ginger.
- Microwave the mixture for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds. Be careful as the mixture will boil and the bowl may be hot.
- Cut the pork tenderloin into 1 inch cubes.
- Thread the pork cubes onto the soaked skewers and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat and grease lightly to prevent the meat from sticking to the grates.*
- Place the seasoned kabobs on the grill.
- Grill for 8-12 minutes, rotating the kabobs and brushing with sauce every couple minutes.
- Remove from the grill once the largest pork cube reaches 145F.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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