Pork satay made with tender fillet in a spicy marinade before being quickly seared and served with a coconut milk and peanut dipping sauce.
This is a nice quick recipe, prep takes a leisurely 15 minutes and cooking just 5 minutes. Leaving the meat to marinate is best but you can do this well in advance!
Pork Fillet Skewers with Peanut Sauce
This pork satay recipe is loosely influenced by Sate Babi or Satay Babi. It is popular with the Indo Chinese population of Indonesia.
The same community is responsible for Babi chin, a relatively recent food find of mine and one that I simply adore.
Satay may be most commonly associated with chicken but it is made with everything from goat to quails eggs. It is essentially nothing more than stuff on a stick. I even have a chicken satay stir fry and a satay chicken curry, well, because I can!
I use pork tenderloin, an ingredient that features in recipes as diverse as pork stroganoff and char siu pork tenderloin.
It is incredibly quick to cook and has the most beautiful tender and soft texture.
When I say, quick, so long as your pan is hot enough, the cooking time is less than 5 minutes.
If you like stuff on sticks be sure to check out my Indo-Chinese chicken shashlik kebabs, North African-influenced harissa halloumi kebabs, Greek lamb souvlaki and Lebanese-influenced lamb kofta!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use another cut of pork?
This recipe is developed with pork fillet or tenderloin in mind because it is a really tender cut of meat that cooks quickly.
You could use pork loin, it will take longer to cook and it will also benefit from a longer marinade.
How long can I leave the pork to marinate?
If you are using pork tenderloin or fillet I would limit it to 6 hours. But if you are using pork loin then you can get away with up to 24 hours.
Do I have to use the chilli and Tabasco sauce?
No, this recipe is just as good without them, but I am really rather fond of a bit of chilli heat.
Do I have to use fish sauce?
No, you could replace it with light soy sauce, however, the dish does have a rounder flavour with fish sauce.
Why don’t you use fresh lemongrass?
Getting quality lemongrass is often a challenge for me and as a result I always have lemon grass paste in the fridge.
You can use fresh lemongrass, use one small stem, and remove the outer leaves. Then bruise it with the blunt side of a knife before finely chopping it.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these satay skewers with some form of salad, they are pictured here with my cucumber salad.
I’m also fond of pairing this dish with quick pickles and my quick-pickled daikon is a real favourite of mine.
Noodle salads also make a really nice addition. This nutty rice noodle salad, my soba noodle salad or this egg noodle salad would all be perfect.
If you wanted something warm as opposed to a cold salad how about some stir-fried veggies? You could add stir-fried asparagus in spring or stir-fried broccoli later in the year.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I believe they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- Griddle pan.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Weighting scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Mixing bowls.
- Grater.
- Skewers, I prefer bamboo skewers with a square profile.
Pork Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce Recipe
These pork satay skewers feature pork fillet in a coconut milk based spicy marinade and a simple peanut dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 400g (14 oz) Pork Tenderloin
- 1 (35g) Shallot
- 15g (Half of a Thumb Sized Piece) Ginger
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Thai Red Chilli
- 2 Tsp Lemon Grass Paste
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
- ½ Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
- ½ Tbsp Lime Juice
- 75ml (3 Tbsp + 1 Tsp) Coconut Milk
For the Peanut Sauce:
- 125ml (½ Cup) Coconut Milk
- 3 Tbsp Smooth Peanut Butter
- 2 Tsp Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Lime Juice
- ¼ Tsp Tabasco Sauce
Instructions
- Trim any sinew from the pork tenderloin then cut it into 1.5-2cm (1/2-3/4") cubes and place it in a bowl.
- Peel and dice the shallot as finely as you can and add it to the pork.
- Dice the chilli as finely as you can and add it to the pork.
- Finely dice the garlic and add it to the pork.
- Peel and grate the ginger and add it to the pork.
- Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, cumin seeds and coconut milk for the satay to the meat and mix well then set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Now is a good time to soak the skewers if you are using bamboo skewers (you will need 6 for this recipe).
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce and set aside.
- Thread the marinated pork onto the skewers just before cooking.
- Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and when it is fiercely hot brush the pan with a little oil.
- Add the pork skewers and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
- Serve hot with the peanut dipping sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 976Total Fat: 58gSaturated Fat: 29gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 3323mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 13gProtein: 80g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Rebecca
Wednesday 5th of October 2022
Can you make this satay in an air fryer?
Brian Jones
Saturday 5th of November 2022
Hey Rebecca, sorry it has taken me a while to respond, I'd taken some time away to deal with a family illness. There would be no problem cooking the skewers in an air fryer, I would preheat it to 200°C or 400°F and spray the basket, then cook for as long as it takes which I would guess would be 2-4 minutes on each side.
Brian Jones
Tuesday 13th of March 2018
Enjoy Renu!
Patty
Tuesday 13th of March 2018
I love satay and I like it hot, will check your red curry paste. I have yet to try it with pork as I always have chicken, I bet I'll love it as much, that looks so good!
Brian Jones
Tuesday 13th of March 2018
Thanks Patty.
Mary (The Godmother @ Goodie Godmother)
Friday 19th of February 2016
I am on board with just about any recipe involving peanut sauce! I need to give this one a try soon since I have never added tamarind and just purchased some...
Brian Jones
Monday 22nd of February 2016
Thanks Mary. I can squeeze tamarind into all sorts of sauces and dips, I love the earthy citrus flavour it adds :D
Whitney Binzel
Thursday 18th of February 2016
My uncle is is a retired chef. He specialized in Asian cuisine, and satay sauce was one of his top recipes. This takes me back to cooking with him. So delicious!
Brian Jones
Monday 22nd of February 2016
Thanks Whitney, I love food that evokes memories :D