Oven-Roasted Pork Barbecue
It has been raining lately to think that it’s almost summer. Since March, we have only used our outdoor barbecue grill a couple of times. It’s not only because of the weather but mostly it’s the cleaning part after. Besides, in our part of the world, we have more cold and/ rainy days than beautiful sunshine. But that’s not gonna stop us from enjoying skewered pork barbecues all-year-round. There’s always a way!
At first, I was hesitant to do it in the oven. I thought it might easily burn or come out dry. But I have to muster some strength somehow and get on with it. At the end, I gave it a go and so glad I did. Now, even when the weather is nice outside, I roast it in the oven…saves me time and cleaning up is a breeze.
This recipe can be done either in the oven or on the outdoor grill. The result is almost the same as if you did it outside. Broiling it at the end makes a big difference and your guests won’t believe it’s not done on the grill.
Oven-Roasted Pork Barbecue
Ingredients
Pork Barbecue Sauce (enough for 4-5lbs or 2.2 kgs of meat)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup Sprite lemon-lime soda
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce or more ketchup
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon paprika optional
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons chili flakes optional
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well. Transfer to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be kept in the fridge for a week.
For the barbecue:
- Thinly sliced pork shoulder or pork belly (up to 5 pounds) sliced like bacon
- ¼ cup of canola oil mixed with ½ cup barbecue sauce for basting**
- Wooden skewers soaked in water for 1 hour
- Thin strips of foil to cover the exposed skewer sticks
- Baking sheet lined with foil and topped with rack that’s been brushed with oil I used 12×18 pan with 1 inch border
Here’s How:
- Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Thread the pork slices on the skewer, making sure to leave about 2 – 2 ½ inches of the stick exposed and cover the top of the skewer completely with meat to avoid burning. Once done, cover each exposed stick with foil and place on top of the greased rack and arrange side by side.*
- Preheat the oven to 400F and position the oven rack in the middle. Brush the skewered pork with the sauce used for marinating. Roast for 20minutes. Remove pan from the oven and flip each skewer. Brush this side with the new sauce that’s been combined with oil.** Put back in the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven again and flip. Baste with the remaining sauce or make more if needed. Transfer the oven rack one slot up or third position from the top and switch oven setting to BROIL. Broil for 3-5 minutes on each side, making sure the oven door is slightly open. Keep an eye on it as it burns quickly. Brush or spray a little bit more oil to speed up browning.
- Serve with spiced vinegar** (see notes)
Hi . Looks yummy! Can we substitute chicken to the pork in this recipe? Thanks!
Yes you can, Daryl. Use boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces and thread them tightly on the skewer. Bake for 10 minutes then another 10 on the other side. Be generous with basting because chicken tends to dry out faster. Broil for about 3 minutes on each side or until desired color is achieved. Watch carefully as oven temperatures vary.😊
[…] Pork barbecue is very popular and is usually served on Filipino parties or picnics. Marinated Filipino-style (on the sweet side), it is best grilled on the same day you want to eat it. […]