Caramelized pork skewers

Preparing at home some perfect caramelized pork skewers is very easy, and the result couldn't be better. Their wonderful flavor, with that oriental touch that I love so much and that suits pork so well, and how easy they are to make, turns them into a go-to dish with which you can show off your cooking skills without complicating things in the kitchen.

Served with a mixed salad, or with a bowl of salmorejo or gazpacho, you have a great, complete dish for barbecue days or for dinner any night of the week. The marinade will be ready in no time and at home you can use the meat’s marinating time to prepare the appetizer or dessert, or to do nothing at all! Once scented and threaded onto the skewers, you could say it cooks itself, whether on the barbecue or in your home kitchen, although you'll have to turn them occasionally.

I'm sure these caramelized pork skewers will please you as much as they do me and that you'll make them a regular dish. They deserve nothing less, because they're delicious!

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg pork loin
• 100 g soy sauce
• 100 g mirin (rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 5-10 g fresh ginger
• Zest of 1 orange
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Finely chopped chives

Preparation

1. The first thing to do is prepare the marinade. To do this, finely chop the ginger and the garlic clove. You can also grate them with the Microplane Zester grater, or with a dedicated one, like the Tellier garlic and ginger grater.
   
2. Put the grated or chopped garlic and ginger in a bowl and add the soy sauce, mirin, maple syrup and brown sugar. Add the zest of one orange and mix all the ingredients well so they combine. Set aside.
3. Trim the pork loin of skin and fat, and cut the meat into 2.5–3 cm cubes.
   
4. Put the meat in the bowl with the marinade and mix gently so all the pieces are coated. Cover the bowl, place it in the fridge and let the meat marinate for at least one hour.
5. When the time has passed, remove the pieces of meat and form the skewers, with 4 or 5 loin cubes on each one.
6. Grill the skewers on the barbecue until cooked through. You can also cook them over the stove, with your Mineral B iron grill by de Buyer.
7. Add a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, and sprinkle a little chopped chives over each skewer just before serving.
   

Suggestions

• You can replace the maple syrup with honey or molasses. Use the same amount as in the recipe.
• We prepared the skewers with pork loin, but you can also make them with tenderloin or meat from the neck area, which is juicier.