Filipino Pork Barbeque (BBQ)

Ingredients

⃞          5 pounds of loin or shoulder or belly (you can also mix them up)

⃞          ¾ cup of soy sauce

⃞         ½ cup of calamansi or lemon juice

⃞        1 cup of banana ketchup

⃞         4 tbsp of dark brown sugar

⃞        4 tbsp of oyster sauce

⃞         1 tbsp of minced garlic

⃞         1 tbsp of honey

⃞         1 tbsp of sake or vinegar

⃞         1 tbsp of mirin

⃞         1 tbsp of sesame oil

⃞         1/8 cup of fine cube-cut red onion

⃞         1 teaspoon of whole ground pepper

⃞         ½ teaspoon of salt

⃞         1 can of lime soda

Materials

⃞         Skewers (soaked in water)

⃞         BBQ basting brush

⃞         Propane grill or charcoal grill

Instructions

1.    In a bowl, add all the ingredients. Then mix well.

2.    Cover the bowl and marinate the pork for at least 4 hours (or overnight for best results).

3.    Skewer the pork and grill until cooked through, basting with leftover marinated sauce.

4.    Serve with preferred dipping sauce. Filipinos typically partner this pork BBQ with spicy vinegar dipping sauce.

Notes

I recently discovered that using a meat tenderizer works wonders for ensuring the pork is soft and juicy. I also prefer a mix of Pepsi and Sprite instead of just lime soda for a more balanced flavor. And remember, when it comes to measurements, trust your gut—or the whispers of your ancestors guiding your hand! Cooking is all about intuition and having fun.