Pork tenderloin skewers pb sauce are a fast, high-protein dinner built around lean pork cubes threaded on sticks and brushed with a salty-sweet peanut butter glaze. The tenderloin stays juicy because it cooks in under 12 minutes over direct heat, while the pb sauce caramelizes into a sticky coat. This recipe gives you exact weights, a reliable grill method, and practical fixes for common errors so the result is consistent every time.
The sauce uses pantry staples and comes together in one bowl without cooking. You get a balance of fat from the peanut butter, acid from lime, and heat from chili that keeps the pork from tasting plain. If you already like walnut sauce on grilled meats, this is a similar idea with a Southeast Asian lean. Making this pork tenderloin skewers pb sauce at home is surprisingly straightforward once you know the key steps.
Why You’ll Love These Pork Tenderloin Skewers Pb Sauce
- Lean pork tenderloin gives you protein with little waste compared to shoulder or belly cuts.
- The pb sauce is mixed in one bowl and needs no stove time before grilling.
- Skewers cook in about 10 minutes, so the full meal is ready in under 30 minutes.
- You can prep the meat and sauce separately up to a day ahead for fast assembly.
- The glaze works on rice, noodles, or salad without changing the base recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1.2 lb (540 g) pork tenderloin, cut into 1.25-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter (no added sugar)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 tbsp neutral oil for brushing grill
- 8 bamboo skewers, soaked 30 minutes
Ingredient Substitutions
Creamy peanut butter: Replace with an equal weight of almond butter for a slightly less sweet, more pronounced nut flavor. Almond butter is thinner at room temperature, so cut the warm water to 1 tablespoon to keep the glaze brushable. The finished skewers will brown a shade lighter and carry a milder aftertaste than the peanut version. The pork tenderloin skewers pb sauce works well for weeknight cooking when time is limited.
Soy sauce: Use an equal amount of tamari if you need a gluten-free liquid seasoning with the same salt level. Tamari is a little richer and less sharp, so add a pinch of salt if your brand tastes mild. The color stays close, and the pork still forms a sticky surface when brushed. Storing leftover pork tenderloin skewers pb sauce correctly keeps it tasting good for days.
Honey: Swap for an equal volume of maple syrup to get a deeper, woodsy sweetness that holds up on the grill. Maple is runnier, so brush it in the last 2 minutes of cooking to avoid flare-ups from drips. Expect a darker lacquer and a less floral note than honey gives. For the best results with this pork tenderloin skewers pb sauce, read through all the steps before starting.
Chili garlic sauce: Substitute 1 tsp sriracha plus 1 small minced garlic clove for a similar heat with more vinegar brightness. Sriracha spreads thinner, so the glaze will look glossier and less chunky on the meat. Keep the same amount to avoid overshooting the spice level for kids. If you enjoyed this, our espagnole sauce step is worth trying next.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes so they do not char on the grill. Cut the pork into 1.25-inch cubes and pat them dry with paper towels to help the glaze stick.
- Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and warm water in a bowl until smooth. The mix should coat a spoon and drip in a slow ribbon.
- Thread 4 to 5 pork cubes onto each skewer, leaving a 1-inch gap at the base for turning. Lay the skewers on a tray and brush both sides with half the sauce.
- Heat a grill to medium-high heat and brush the grates with neutral oil. Place skewers across the bars and cook 4 minutes with the lid open until the underside shows golden and crispy edges.
- Flip and cook 3 minutes, then brush the remaining sauce on top. Grill 2 more minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F at the cube center.
- Move skewers to a clean plate and rest 5 minutes so the juices redistribute. Serve warm with the extra sauce drizzled over if you kept any back.
Pro Tips
Dry the pork cubes well before saucing; surface moisture steams the meat instead of letting the glaze set. A paper towel pass takes 30 seconds and improves browning.
Soak skewers the full 30 minutes, not a quick dip, or the exposed ends still burn and snap when you turn them. If you use metal skewers, shorten the cook by 1 minute since they conduct heat.
Brush the grill with neutral oil right before the skewers go down to prevent the sugar in the sauce from welding the pork to the bars. A folded paper towel on tongs is the safest way to do it.
Rest the cooked skewers off heat for 5 minutes so the lean tenderloin does not squeeze dry when bitten. Learn more about resting meat from The Kitchn if you want the science.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Cutting cubes smaller than 1 inch makes the pork cook through before the glaze caramelizes, leaving dry bites. Keep them at 1.25 inches so the outside lacquers while the center stays 145°F.
Skipping the soak on bamboo skewers leads to burnt sticks that break on the plate. Always submerge them in water while you prep the sauce so they are ready at grill time.
Brushing all the sauce on at the start causes drips that flare and scorch the meat. Hold back half and add it in the final 2 minutes for a clean, sticky coat. For another easy option, check out our pork loin in.
Serving Suggestions
Set the skewers over steamed jasmine rice so the extra pb sauce pools into the grains. A side of green beans cuts the richness with acid and texture.
For a low-starch plate, lay the pork on shredded cabbage and carrot with a lime wedge. The crunch balances the sticky glaze without another cooking step.
If you want a noodle base, cold soba tossed with sesame oil pairs well and keeps the meal under 30 minutes total. Add cucumber slices for a cool contrast to the chili heat.
Storage and Reheating
Remove the pork from skewers and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce firms when cold but loosens as it warms.
Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes or in a covered skillet on medium-low heat until the center hits 165°F. Avoid the microwave if you want the glaze to stay tacky rather than rubbery.
The cooked skewers freeze for up to 2 months in a sealed bag with the air pressed out. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating to keep the texture even. You might also like our pork pasta.
Recipe Variations
Oven Broil Version
Set a rack 6 inches under the broiler and cook the sauced skewers 5 minutes per side until 145°F. Broiling gives a similar lacquer without a grill, though you lose the light smoke note.
Thai Basil Skewers
Stir 2 tbsp chopped Thai basil into the pb sauce after mixing for a herbal lift that cuts the nut density. Add it at the end so the leaves stay green and do not wilt into the glaze.
Pork and Pineapple Mix
Thread a 1-inch pineapple cube between every two pork pieces for a sweet char that matches the honey in the sauce. The fruit releases juice, so brush the sauce only in the last 2 minutes to avoid slipping.
Spicy Peanut Skewers
Double the chili garlic sauce and add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper to the bowl for a hotter coat. The extra capsaicin makes the glaze taste sharper, so serve with tzatziki sauce on the side to cool bites.
Pork Tenderloin Skewers Pb Sauce
Description
Pork tenderloin skewers with pb sauce are a fast, high-protein dinner of lean pork cubes brushed with a salty-sweet peanut butter glaze. They cook in about 10 minutes over direct heat and caramelize into a sticky, juicy coat.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Soak bamboo skewers
Place 8 bamboo skewers in a container of water and soak them for 30 minutes so they do not char on the grill. Submerging them fully while you prep the sauce ensures the exposed ends will not burn and snap when you turn the skewers later.
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Cut and dry pork
Cut the 1.2 lb pork tenderloin into 1.25-inch cubes with a sharp knife for even cooking. Pat the cubes dry with paper towels so the glaze sticks instead of steaming off the surface moisture.
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Whisk pb sauce
Whisk 3 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp chili garlic sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 2 tbsp warm water in a bowl until smooth. The mix should coat a spoon and drip in a slow ribbon with no lumps remaining.
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Thread pork cubes
Thread 4 to 5 pork cubes onto each soaked skewer, leaving a 1-inch gap at the base for easy turning. Lay the loaded skewers on a tray so they are ready for saucing and grilling.
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Brush with half sauce
Lay the skewers on a tray and brush both sides with half the sauce using a pastry brush. This base coat helps the glaze set as the pork cooks over direct heat.
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Heat and oil grill
Heat a grill to medium-high heat (about 232°C / 450°F) and brush the grates with 1 tbsp neutral oil right before cooking. Oiling prevents the sugar in the sauce from welding the pork to the bars when placed down.
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Grill first side
Place skewers across the bars and cook 4 minutes with the lid open until the underside shows golden and crispy edges. Keep the heat at medium-high so the meat sears rather than steams.
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Flip and finish grilling
Flip the skewers and cook 3 minutes, then brush the remaining sauce on top. Grill 2 more minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 63°C / 145°F at the cube center, with a sticky lacquered surface and no pink juice at the thickest part.
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Rest and serve
Move skewers to a clean plate and rest 5 minutes off heat so the lean tenderloin juices redistribute and do not squeeze dry when bitten. Serve warm with extra sauce drizzled over if you kept any back from the bowl.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 350kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 18g28%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 65mg22%
- Sodium 620mg26%
- Total Carbohydrate 10g4%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Sugars 6g
- Protein 35g70%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage: Remove pork from skewers and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours; keep up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 8 minutes or covered skillet to 74°C / 165°F center.
- Skewer tip: Soak bamboo skewers the full 30 minutes, not a quick dip, or ends still burn; for another easy pork option see our pork loin recipe.
- Glaze tip: Hold back half the sauce and brush in the final 2 minutes to avoid drips that flare and scorch the meat.
- Rest: Rest cooked skewers off heat 5 minutes so the lean tenderloin stays juicy when bitten.
