Ready to bring the bold and smoky flavors of Thailand straight to your backyard? This Thai BBQ pork recipe, inspired by the beloved street food Moo Ping, is a flavor-packed recipe that’s easy to make and even easier to love. This recipe is all about simplicity and bold flavors, combining cilantro, coconut milk, and fish sauce to create a marinade that works magic on the grill. Serve it with Thai sticky rice and extra sauce to complete the meal and savor a perfect medley of authentic Thai flavors. Perfect for gas or charcoal grilling, these skewers are your passport to the vibrant streets of Thailand.
While Thai satay often steals the spotlight, Moo Ping is the unsung hero of Thai street food. Trust us—this dish deserves the hype! Juicy, smoky, and downright irresistible, these skewers are a guaranteed hit for parties, BBQs, or casual dinners. We keep coming back to this recipe because it’s always a hit. Imagine tender, juicy pork with a perfectly caramelized, smoky crust—it never fails to win over a crowd or satisfy a Thai street food craving.
If you’re craving more Thai flavors, be sure to check out our Nam Tok Neua or Thai Larb Gai recipes
Why You’ll Love Moo Ping
- Easy and Accessible: With basic ingredients and clear steps, anyone can master these flavorful Thai BBQ skewers.
- Street Food Experience at Home: Experience the thrill of Thai street food right at home! These smoky, caramelized skewers capture the authentic taste of Moo Ping—no plane ticket required (but a visit to Thailand is always a good idea!)
- Bold, Balanced Flavors: The recipe perfectly balances sweet, savory, and umami flavors with ingredients like palm sugar, fish sauce, and garlic, creating a mouthwatering marinade that makes the pork irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients (and substitutes)
- Pork: Pork butt or pork shoulder are the best cuts to use for this recipe. They have the best ratio of fat to meat when sliced and grilled.
- Oyster Sauce: A must-have for the marinade. It adds a rich umami flavor that sticks beautifully to the pork.
- Soy Sauce: This recipe uses a combination of three different types of soy sauce. Dark soy sauce for richness and color, regular for flavor, and lastly, I like to add a bit of sweet soy sauce as it clings well to the meat and caramelizes really well when grilling. Sweet soy sauce is optional though. Dark and Regular soy sauces are a must.
- Sugar: Chopped and melted palm sugar is the traditional ingredient to use here. However since it’s a bit more work and harder to find in stores, I like to substitute golden (light) brown sugar.
- Neutral Oil: For Thai cuisine, the best oils to use are vegetable oil, canola oil, or sunflower oil. These have a mild flavor that lets the other ingredients shine without overpowering the dish. Avoid using oils with strong flavors, like olive oil, which can clash with the delicate balance of Thai flavors.
- Coconut milk: This is a key ingredient. Full-fat coconut milk or even coconut cream is preferred for this recipe. I have tried it with light coconut milk but we have found that it does not have a rich enough flavor for the marinade.
- White Pepper: Adds a subtle earthy aroma to the marinade. You can find white pepper at most Asian grocery stores or in the international aisle of larger supermarkets.
- Black Pepper: Adds a nice peppery aromatic kick.
- Corn Starch: Helps thicken the marinade and make it cling to the meat. Tapioca starch or rice flour can work if you’re in a pinch.
- Garlic: For the rich savory kick! The spicier the garlic cloves the better in our opinion but to each their own.
- Cilantro: Stems are key for adding an earthy, herbal flavor to the marinade. If you can find cilantro root, it’s even better, but stems work perfectly if you can’t.
How to make this Thai BBQ Pork recipe
The thing we love most about this Thai grilled pork recipe is how easy it is to make and how closely it resembles what we had at street food stands while traveling the streets of Thailand.
Prepare the Garlic and Cilantro
In a mortar and pestle, grind cilantro stems and ginger. Add to a bowl with the remaining marinade ingredients (except the pork and cornstarch) and mix well.
Make Marinade
Add mashed garlic and ginger to a large bowl, add the remaining marinade ingredients (except the pork and cornstarch) and mix well.
Marinate the Pork
Slice the pork into ½-inch thick pieces, about 1-2 inches long. Add to the marinade, mix to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is best).
Thicken Marinade
Before grilling, stir in the cornstarch. Reserve some marinade for basting (optional).
Skewer and Grill
Thread the marinated pork onto soaked skewers (soak bamboo skewers for 30 minutes to prevent burning). Preheat your grill to medium heat, then grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until the pork reaches 145°F. Let them rest for about 3 minutes before serving
Questions about how to make this Thai BBQ pork recipe
What kind of meat should I use?
The name, Moo Ping, essentially means “grilled pork”. Since this recipe relies on grilling as its primary cooking method it is very important to choose a cut of meat that has enough fat and will not dry out while being cooked. We would recommend cuts like pork butt, pork shoulder, or pork neck (collar). Leaner cuts are ok too, however, if you choose to use these we suggest incorporating some fatty cuts as well such as pork belly along with the lean meat. During cooking the fat will drip down onto the hot coals or burner and provide help to contribute to the smokiness and wonderful flavor this recipe is known for.
How long should marinate Moo Ping?
We suggest marinating for at least 3 hours. While you can marinate it for less, the flavors need time to develop. If you can, marinate overnight—it only gets better!
How do you serve this Thai BBQ Pork recipe?
Our favorite way to serve these skewers is with a side of Jasmine rice as well as a green papaya salad, or a light cucumber salad. For a real treat, pair these amazing skewers with a side of Nam Jim Jaew sauce. This sauce pairs particularly well with this marinated pork recipe either as a dipping sauce or drizzled on top.
Thai BBQ Pork Recipe (Moo Ping)
Equipment
- skewers metal or wooden
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork shoulder or butt boneless
- 5 cloves garlic diced
- 3 tbsp cilantro stems chopped
- 2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp black soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or palm sugar
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp corn starch
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a mortar and pestle, combine chopped cilantro stems and ginger. Grind until well mashed. Add the mashed cilantro and ginger mixture to a large bowl. Add all remaining marinade ingredients except the pork and cornstarch. Stir well to combine.
- Add the Pork: Slice the pork into ½-inch thick pieces, about 1-2 inches long. Add the pork to the marinade and mix well to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight is best). If marinating longer than 3 hours, use an airtight container or ziplock bag.
- Thicken the Marinade: Right before cooking stir in the cornstarch into the marinade to thicken the marinade and help it stick to the pork. Reserve a small amount of marinade to brush over the pork while grilling (optional).
- Skewer: Thread the pork onto skewers. If using bamboo or wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning.
- Grill: Preheat your grill to medium heat. Grill the pork, turning occasionally to prevent charring, and adjust heat to medium-low if needed to control flare-ups. You can baste with the reserved marinade while grilling (optional).
- Check for Doneness Grill until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Let the skewers rest for about 3 minutes before serving.
