This Pork Belly Skewers recipe is a rendition of Ton Negima, or pork belly yakitori. Pork belly pieces pair with scallions and are tossed in a sweet and tangy soy-based glaze. Grilled until smoky and caramelized to perfection, the skewers offer a taste of Japanese street food from the comfort of your home!
What Is Pork Belly Yakitori?
If you’re unfamiliar, pork belly yakitori, or Ton Negima, is a Japanese dish made with skewered, grilled pork belly pieces and scallions tossed in a sweet and tangy soy-based glaze.
Traditionally, the skewers are cooked over a charcoal grill, which develops a smoky taste and crispy exterior while keeping the pork tender and juicy in the center. A popular street food, pork belly yakitori is often served as a snack or appetizer alongside beer or sake.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pork Belly – You’ll need one pound of pork belly, sliced into equal-sized pieces.
- Scallions – Use the white part for the skewers, and reserve the green parts for serving.
- BBQ Rub – I use the Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub for an Asian-inspired taste. If you do not have this rub, substitute a combination of salt, lime zest, and a touch of honey for a similar flavor.
- BBQ Sauce – I use Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce, but you can substitute any Japanese barbecue sauce you like best.
- Szechuan Peppercorns – This is optional but adds a delicious citrusy, floral taste when used as a garnish.
Tools Needed
- 8” Bamboo Teppogushi (gun style) skewers
- Wood chips for additional smoke flavor
- 6 bricks, wrapped in aluminum foil – Use these if using my kettle-to-yakitori-style grill method.
- Thermapen
How to Make Grilled Pork Belly Skewers
** Full printable instructions at the recipe card at the end
Before you begin, be sure to soak your bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using. This helps reduce flame flare-ups when cooking!
- Cut the pork belly into ¼ inch x ½ inch strips.
- Place the pork belly pieces in a bowl, and add the BBQ rub. Toss to coat each piece evenly.
- Chop the scallions into 1½ inch pieces.
- Assemble your yakitori skewers by threading alternating pieces of pork belly and scallions on the soaked skewers. Leave an inch of space at the end of each skewer so they can rest on the bricks/grill.
- Pour a generous amount of charcoal into your kettle along with additional wood chips for a smoky flavor.
- Light your kettle, and set the temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the grill heats, place your foil-wrapped bricks with an outside and inner edge for the skewers. This additional height allows for high-heat grilling without the risk of burning the pork belly skewers with flare-ups!
- Grill the skewers, turning them frequently, so that all sides caramelize and become crispy. Be careful not to burn!
- While grilling, drizzle the barbecue sauce over the skewers.
- Remove the pork from the grill as soon as it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit when measured with a meat thermometer.
- Generously drizzle each skewer with additional barbecue sauce, and garnish with thinly sliced green scallions and cracked Szechuan peppers.
How to Store
- Store leftover skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze the meat and scallions removed from the skewers for up to 3 months.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or in a skillet over medium heat just until warmed through. Be careful not to burn!
Frequently Asked Questions
I love to serve Ton Negima with coconut rice or stir-fry style cauliflower rice. However, these skewers are also great with regular rice, roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli, or even edamame!
Both pork belly and pulled pork are fattier cuts of pork. However, the two are not the same things, using different cuts and cooking methods. For instance, pork belly is a fatty cut coming from the underside of the pig, creating crispy skin dishes that cook fairly quickly. On the other hand, pulled pork typically comes from the shoulder area and is cooked long and slow before being shredded.
For this recipe, it’s important to use pork belly for a crispy exterior and juicy, flavorful interior. However, you can also use pork shoulder when making other forms of pork skewers.
More Grilled Pork Recipes
Pork Belly Yakitori (Ton Negima)
Equipment
- 8” Bamboo Teppogushi (gun style) skewers
- Wood chips for additional smoke flavor
- If Using the Kettle-to-Yakitori-Style Grill Method: 6 bricks, wrapped in aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork belly sliced into ¼” X 1 ½” wide pieces for threading onto bamboo skewers
- 2 Tablespoons Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub
- 2 bunches scallions white part only (reserve the green part for garnish)
- 2-3 Tablespoons Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns roughly ground/cracked with a mortar and pestle (for garnish- this ingredient is optional)
Instructions
- Presoak the bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before using (this helps reduce flare ups).
- Cut the pork belly into ¼” X 1 ½” strips. Put pork belly into a bowl and add 2-3 tbsp Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub, (with notes of Kaffir lime and Himalayan salt that add an Asian vibe), coating each piece evenly. (If you do not have this rub, substitute a combo of salt, lime zest and a touch of honey.)1 pound pork belly, 2 Tablespoons Sunshine State of Mind Craft BBQ Rub
- Next, chop the scallions into 1 ½” pieces.2 bunches scallions
- Start assembling your yakitori skewers by alternating the pork and scallion, leaving 1” at the end of the skewers for resting on the bricks/grill.
- Once all the skewers have been assembled, go light your LoCo Kettle. Pour a generous amount of charcoal into your Kettle, with additional wood chips for smoke flavor. Light your kettle and set the desired temp to 400.
- While the grill is heating up, place your foil wrapped bricks as pictured below (a layer of bricks on the outside and inside), with an outside and inner edge for the yakitori skewers. This additional heighth on the grill allows for high heat grilling without risking burning the pork belly with the fat flare ups.
- Grill the pork belly skewers, turning frequently, so that all sides are caramelized and crispy, but not burned. While grilling, drizzle with Bachans BBQ sauce. Once the pork belly has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees, pull off the grill.2-3 Tablespoons Bachan’s Japanese BBQ Sauce
- Drizzle generously with additional Bachans Japanese BBQ Sauce and garnish with thinly sliced green scallions and cracked Szechuan peppers (optional).1 Tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
Notes
– Store leftover skewers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
– Freeze the meat and scallions removed from the skewers for up to 3 months.
– Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or in a skillet over medium heat just until warmed through. Be careful not to burn!
