Grilled Filipino Keto BBQ Pork Skewers

Q: What does protein-sparing modified fasting mean?

A protein-sparing modified fast or PSMF diet is a type of a very-low-calorie diet (<800 kcal per day) with a high proportion of protein calories and simultaneous restriction of carbohydrate and fat. It includes a protein component, fluids , and vitamin and mineral supplementation . PSMF diets can last for up to 6 months, followed by a gradual increase in calories over 6–8 weeks.

Q: What is a carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that only includes meat , fish, and other animal foods like eggs and certain dairy products. It excludes all other foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.

Q: What is the internal temperature of cooked pork?

Cook pork, roasts, and chops to 145 ºF as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source, with a three-minute rest time before carving or consuming. This will result in a product that is both safe and at its best quality—juicy and tender.

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Easy, salty-sweet, these Keto BBQ Pork Skewers are fun to eat at a party or family dinner. Tender pieces of flavourful pork glazed with a sugar-free sweet and savoury sauce, these keto pork skewers are so mouth-watering that you’ll want to eat them over and over again!

Grilled Filipino Keto BBQ Pork Skewers with chopped cilantro

Keto Grilled Pork

Grilled keto skewers will be the star of your next cookout. The char-grilled, bite-sized pieces of pork are cooked to perfection. They emerge from the grill with the most tantalizing taste, while being both crispy yet perfectly tender!

Perfect for either a keto diet, carnivore diet (with a few modifications!) or protein-sparing modified fasting meal.

Convert this PSMF Pork Recipe into a Carnivore Recipe

Since I have been incorporating more zero carb days, you will notice that I am including more protein-sparing modified fasting recipes as well as carnivore recipes.

With only a few simple adjustments, you can take this PSMF pork recipe and convert it into a carnivore recipe. Now, for the record, this is not a strict carnivore recipe but does fit under a keto carnivore recipe. To create a keto carnivore recipe, simply remove the diet ginger ale as well as the brown sugar substitute. Without these ingredients, your skewers will not be sweet but will still end up just as tasty!

Some examples of carnivore recipes are Pizza Rustica, Easy Homemade Keto Carnivore Bacon Mayo Recipe as well as this Keto Carnivore Pork Belly Bites in an Air Fryer

keto grilled pork with cilantron piled on top of each other

Keto Pork Skewers Infused with Filipino Flavour

Grilling (or baking!) pork on skewers is a quintessential street food in the Philippines. By simply combining some sweet and savoury ingredients, these keto pork skewers will make you think you are eating from a street vendor in the Philippines!

keto grilled pork on a white plate with fresh cilantro

Ingredients in Keto BBQ Pork Skewers

These skewers are great because they can be changed up to have ingredients that you love, so these are so versatile and delicious. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.

Pork – I use country-style pork ribs (this cut of meat actually is called "rib" but there are NO ribs in this cut!) but you can use any pork with some marbling. You can also use chicken or beef, instead.
Diet ginger ale - Using a diet ginger ale helps to not only tenderize the pork but it also adds additional sweetness as well with some ginger flavour. My favourite brand is Zevia ginger ale since it use natural stevia as the only sweetener.
Soy sauce - Soy sauce adds a savoury, saltiness to the pork. You can replace this with coconut aminos if you are trying to avoid soy.
White vinegar and lemon - These ingredients add some acidity to these keto pork skewers as well as help to tenderize the pork. You can substitute white vinegar with apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar instead.
Sweetener - I used Truvia Brown Sugar Substitute gives it the perfect balance of sweetness.
Spices - Garlic, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (optional) enhance the flavour.

How To Make Grilled Keto Skewers

This is great for summer parties because you can prep them ahead of time and simply grill them when your company arrives!

Step 1 - Marinade

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl, add the pork and marinate at least 6 hours, or overnight for best results. (Tip - if you think about it, stir the pork every so often to make sure that all sides get doused in the marinade!)

PSMF pork recipe with pieces of pork being marinated in Fillipino flavours

Step 2 - Skewer the Pork

When ready, discard the marinade and thread the pork onto the skewers. If using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them 30 minutes in water so they don’t burn on the grill.

raw keto pork skewers before being grilled

Step 3 - Grill

When ready to cook, grill over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

grilled keto pork skeweres with cilantro on a serving platter

Can I bake these if I do not have a grill?

If you do not own an outdoor grill, you can make these pork skewers indoors using the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the skewered pieces in a pre-greased shallow baking sheet, careful not to overcrowd the meats. Boil the marinade and add the sugar per the recipe. Brush the marinade on top of the pork. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, basting every so often. Flip the skewers halfway through, so that the meat cooks evenly. To achieve the slightly burnt-edges effect, broil for 3 to 5 minutes at the end

What other cuts of pork can I use for these grilled keto skewers?

Use pork shoulder, pork belly, and/or pork butt sliced into 1-inch long by ½-inch wide pieces to make grilled pork skewers. The meat must have a good amount of fat marbling.

What does protein-sparing modified fasting mean?

A protein-sparing modified fast or PSMF diet is a type of a very-low-calorie diet (<800 kcal per day) with a high proportion of protein calories and simultaneous restriction of carbohydrate and fat. It includes a protein component, fluids, and vitamin and mineral supplementation. PSMF diets can last for up to 6 months, followed by a gradual increase in calories over 6–8 weeks.

What is a carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that only includes meat, fish, and other animal foods like eggs and certain dairy products. It excludes all other foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds.

What is the internal temperature of cooked pork?

Cook pork, roasts, and chops to 145 ºF as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source, with a three-minute rest time before carving or consuming. This will result in a product that is both safe and at its best quality—juicy and tender.

More PSMF recipes

Here are some more PSMF recipes for your zero carb days!

More Keto Pork Recipes

Here are some more delicious keto pork recipes that are not only tasty but ridiculously easy!