How to Perfect Sticky and Sweet Filipino Barbecue Skewers

Satisfy your appetite for Filipino barbecue with these sweet, sticky glistening skewers of grilled pork or chicken.

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Published April 14, 2025
carrot ribbons in a bowl with rice, cucumber and chicken skewers

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Why It Works

  • Cooking down the marinade ingredients first concentrates the sugars to create a sweet, sticky finish on the grilled meat.
  • Marinating the meat overnight allows the flavors to develop fully.

I've mentioned my love for Filipino cuisine, but it took some time to work my way from dish to dish to develop this fondness. The first delicious item I ever tried that kicked off this journey was Filipino barbecue, a sweet and sticky skewer of grilled pork or chicken.

I rarely leave a Filipino restaurant or family function without having some barbecue, and even though it's so common, it's been a continuous challenge trying to replicate it exactly at home. This recipe first came to me as a list of ingredients—no measurements—from the fiancée's uncle, who is known as the family barbecue chef. I'm still perfecting just the right amount of everything, but I'm proud to say that I've come pretty close. My recipe below grills up a beautiful batch of those glistening sticks of meat and works for both chicken and pork.

October 2008

Recipe Details

How to Perfect Sticky and Sweet Filipino Barbecue Skewers

Prep 50 mins
Cook 20 mins
Marinate 12 hrs
Total 13 hrs 10 mins
Serves 6 to 8 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) Coke

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (7 3/4 ounces; 220 g)

  • 1 medium onion (8 ounces; 226 g), finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) apple cider vinegar

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) ketchup

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

  • 6 medium cloves garlic cloves (50 g), minced (about 2 tablespoons)

  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) oyster sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for tables salt use half as much by volume

  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

For the Meat Skewers:

  • 4 pounds (1.81 kg) boneless pork shoulder or boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 14 (12-inch) wooden or metal skewers (see notes)

Directions

  1. For the Marinade: In a medium saucepan, place all marinade ingredients and whisk to combine. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally, until just warm and sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

  2. In a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, place chicken or pork cubes and pour marinade all over. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and move meat until evenly coated. Refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours, turning bag and redistributing meat in marinade at least twice.

  3. For a Charcoal Grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

    For a Charcoal Grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

  4. While grill is heating, thread meat onto skewers. Each piece of meat should touch the next, but do not push tightly together.

  5. Working in batches if needed, grill, (covered for a gas grill) turning occasionally, until each side is nicely browned and the meat is cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Special Equipment

Medium saucepan, 1-gallon zipper-lock bag, charcoal grill or gas grill, grilling tongs, 14 (12-inch) metal or wooden skewers pre-soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

Notes

If using wooden skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes before using.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
800Calories
49gFat
33gCarbs
55gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories800
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g63%
Saturated Fat 18g89%
Cholesterol 204mg68%
Sodium 2085mg91%
Total Carbohydrate 33g12%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 55g
Vitamin C 7mg37%
Calcium 95mg7%
Iron 4mg20%
Potassium 946mg20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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