Thai Grilled Pork Skewers (Moo Ping)
These marinated skewers, coated in an umami-rich mixture of fish sauce, brown sugar and aromatics, are based on Thailand’s street food grilled over hardwood charcoal.
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time1 hour
- Active time plus coolingplus chilling and marinating
- 4
In Thailand, moo ping is sold by street vendors who cook the skewers over hardwood charcoal on grills set out on crowded sidewalks. Pork shoulder is the best cut to use as it has a decent amount of fat, which is essential for flavor and juiciness. Partially freezing the meat firms it so it's easier to slice. Aim for ⅛-inch-thick slices to minimize the chewiness. And if the pork doesn't wind up in neat strips, don't worry—they can be folded or pieced together as they're threaded to make neat-looking skewers. Though moo ping is tasty on its own, a dipping sauce is customary and adds a whole other flavor dimension. We liked ours with a chili-lime sauce called jaew.
Don't thread the meat loosely on the skewers. The pieces should be scrunched together somewhat tightly. This helps guard against overcooking. If you're using a charcoal grill, don't push the meat all the way to the bottom of the skewers; the protruding handle end of the skewers may prevent you from being able to position the meat directly over the coals.
Step 1
Place the pork on a large plate and freeze until the meat is firm and partially frozen, 1 to 1½ hours. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the garlic, cilantro, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, oil and ½ teaspoon white pepper.
Step 2
Using a sharp chef's knife, slice the partially frozen pork into pieces about ⅛ inch thick. The slices will be irregularly shaped; cut them into strips 1 to 1¼ inches wide (it's fine if the strips are not uniform).
Add the pork to the marinade and mix with your hands until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
Step 3
Thread the pork onto ten 10- to 12-inch metal skewers, evenly dividing the meat and scrunching it together and packing it quite tightly. If some pieces are too wide, too wispy or awkwardly shaped, fold the meat or tuck in the edges as you skewer. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish, cover and refrigerate while you prepare the grill.
Step 4
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute the coals evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents.
Heat the grill, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, then clean and oil the grate. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat, covered, for 15 minutes, then clean and oil the grate.
Step 5
Place the skewers on the hot side of the grill (if using charcoal) and cook until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the skewers, then brush with some of the coconut milk. Cook until the second sides are lightly charred, about another 3 minutes.
Flip the skewers again and continue to cook, occasionally brushing with coconut milk and turning every couple of minutes, until deeply charred on both sides, about another 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with the sauce.
