Name: Keto Pork Satay Skewers with Peanut Dipping Sauce
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 6 min
Total time: 46 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 1/2- 2 lbs pork loin, cut into 1-inch sections; 1 cup canned coconut milk; 1/4 cup peanut butter; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1/3 cup soy sauce; 2 tbsp Thai chili sauce; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro; 1 tbsp turmeric; 1/2 tsp cumin; 1/2 tsp coriander; 1 cup dry roasted peanuts; 2 tbsp brown sugar substitute; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1/2 cup coconut milk; 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

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Keto Pork Satay Skewers are made with tender pork loin cubes that are marinated in a delicious sauce that is loaded with flavour, and then paired with the most AMAZING easy peanut dipping sauce. This healthy low-carb combination will leave your taste buds wanting more.

keto peanut dipping sauce for pork skewers

Keto Pork Satay Skewers

This is one of my favourite recipes that is tastes absolutely amazing! And although I have never been to Thailand and eaten Thai street food, I feel like this recipe captures all the flavours without having to travel to Thailand!

Tender, juicy bits of marinated pork with smoky charred edges....made in the oven! These are equally as delicious as our favourite Thai restaurant.

The definition of the word "satay" is "little skewers of marinated meat, grilled over coals, are sold as street snacks". So, technically speaking, calling this recipe "Keto Pork Satay Skewers" is a little redundant but hey, a little redundancy can go a long way when it comes to Google and using it as a search engine!

These Keto Pork Satay Skewers combine sweetly fragrant creamy coconut milk along with other spices, with a slightly salty-sweet peanut dipping sauce. Seriously, I think I could bath in this sauce it is that good!

Baked under the broiler, these pork skewers end up with just the right amount of char that we all love. Serve these pork skewers with rice cauliflower, with a side of my Healthy Crunchy Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad, my Quick and Easy Parmesan Roasted Broccoli, or add some cubed veggies onto the skewers for a complete meal!

Also, don't think that these skewers have to be made with pork loin. The marinade as well as the delicious peanut dipping sauce also can be combined with any other type of meat such as tenderloin, chicken, pork shoulder for a more succulent dish, use some pork shoulder meat.

Ingredients for the Keto Skewers

Meat - For this recipe, I used pork loin but really, any type of meat will work. You could probably even make these vegan by using plant-based meat or replacing the meat altogether with cubed veggies. Try to cut the meat into even pieces that are about 1 inch in size. If you have different sized cubes of meat, they will require different cooking times and some of the smaller pieces may dry out before the larger pieces are fully cooked.

Coconut Milk - Make sure that you use full-fat coconut milk that comes in a can and not coconut milk that comes in a carton like almond milk. Canned coconut milk will help to keep the meat moist while it is under the broiler. Also, word to the wise, not all canned coconut milk is the same and they do vary with respect to ingredients as well as additives. I LOVE Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut milk which is carried in most grocery stores and you can even sometimes find it at Costco in a 6 pack.

Peanut Butter - Adding peanut butter to the marinade helps to tie in the marinade with the delicious peanut dipping sauce. If you don't want to use peanuts, you can replace the peanut butter with almond butter, cashew butter or even sunflower seed butter for a "nut-free" replacement for Whole30 and Paleo options..

Soy Sauce - Adding soy sauce to the marinade adds a rich savoury flavour that is studded with both salty and umami flavours. For Paleo and Whole30 options, use coconut aminos instead.

Thai Chili Sauce - This is where you get to play with the amount of sweetness or spiciness that suits your taste. If you like spicier food, you can double the amount called for in the recipe card as the recipe, as written, is not very spicy. Also, if you LOVE sweet Thai flavours, G.Hughes now makes a sugar-free Sweet Thai sauce that you can get at Walmart.

Spices - I used a combination of garlic, cilantro, cumin, coriander and turmeric. You can omit the cilantro if you want as I know that some people can not stand the taste of cilantro. Turmeric can also be omitted but it is what gives the keto pork satay skewers their distinct "yellowish" colour.

sugar-free peanut dipping sauce for keto skewers

Ingredients for the AMAZING Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce

Peanuts - I tried making this recipe with peanut butter and the peanut flavour did not really come through. Then, when I decide to use real, salted roasted peanuts, it was an absolute game-changer. You can probably use a different type of roasted and salted nut like cashews or almonds but I have not tried it yet so I can not know for sure how it will turn out.

Coconut Milk - I used the rest of the remaining coconut milk in the can that was not used in the marinade to keep this recipe simple as well as to not have too many odds and ends leftover. If you refrigerate the sauce, it will thicken which means you have two options. You can either add additional almond or coconut milk (from a carton, not a can) or simply heat the mixture until it softens and then add some water until the desired consistency is reached.

Flavour Combination - Soy sauce, brown sugar substitute (or white sugar substitute), garlic, toasted sesame oil and a pinch of cayenne pepper, round out the flavours in this keto peanut dipping sauce.

Making Keto Pork Satay Skewers

This recipe is really easy and can be made in stages. The marinade and the peanut dipping sauce can both be made 24 hours ahead and then simply assembled and broiled for a quick and easy keto dinner idea!

Step 1 - Marianade the Meat

In a large container, add the cubed meat (or vegetables). Stir together the marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the pork, tossing everything together to ensure that the pork has been covered in sauce. Seal the container and place the meat in the fridge for 3-24 hours. If you leave the pork for 24 hours, I would stir the meat at least once during that time to make sure that all the meat is covered in the marinade. While the meat is marinating, take about 12-14 6-inch bamboo skewers (or 6 12-inch skewers) and place them in water. By soaking the skewers, the skewers will not burn while broiling.

thai pork skewers with peanut dipping sauce

Step 2: Prepare the Easy Peanut Dipping Sauce

In a food processor or a Vitamix, add the peanuts and pulse until they begin to break down into a flour consistency. Add in the remaining ingredients and turn the machine on until all the ingredients have been pureed together. Taste the mixture and add any additional salt, liquid (such as Almond milk) or sugar to desired consistency and taste. Set the peanut dipping sauce to the side.

Step 3: Cook the Pork Skewers

Remove the skewers from the water and add chunks of pork onto each skewer, making sure that they are nice and tight to each other. This helps to keep the skewers nice and moist. Repeat until all the meat has been used.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a rack on the baking sheet and spray it well with cooking spray to help make the cleanup really easy. Place the pork skewers on the rack.

If using an oven, place an oven rack about 6-8-inches from the top of the oven. Turn the broiler to "Hi" and wait about 3-5 minutes. Place the pork skewers into the oven and broil for about 3-5 minutes or until they just begin to get charred. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn over the skewers. Place the skewers back in the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes.

How to know when it is done cooking?

The National Pork Board recommends cooking chops, roasts, loins, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145° F, followed by a three-minute rest.

How long do you soak bamboo skewers?

While 30 minutes is the minimum, it’s best to plan ahead and soak your bamboo skewers overnight in water. It takes a long time for the skewers to soak up the water, but well-soaked skewers, which are slow to give up their moisture, will last longer in the oven without burning up.

How to grill the pork skewers

If you don't want to broil the keto pork satay skewers, you can grill the keto skewers instead.

Place the pork tenderloin cubes on skewers and prepare the grill for direct grilling over medium heat (350-450 degrees). Make sure to allow the grill to preheat for 10–15 minutes. Brush the cooking grate clean. Grill the skewers over direct medium heat turning once or twice until the pork has cooked and the edges just begin to brown.