These Whole30-friendly grilled pork kabobs with a sweet and spicy peach BBQ sauce will be the hit at your next summer party!

A shot of Peachy Pork-a-Bobs, Whole30-friendly grilled pork skewers with a sweet and spicy peach barbecue sauce.

My hometown inspiration for this dish

I grew up in suburban Menlo Park, California. You wouldn’t know if from the tree-lined residential streets and quaint downtown, but my hometown’s the birthplace of Google, Round Table Pizza, and the psychedelic 60s. I lived a block away from what is now the first-ever Tesla Motors dealership; as a high schooler, I worked there as a file clerk when it was a Chevy showroom. (I got hit by a truck while sprinting across the street after work to watch Donahue. If only I’d owned a DVR in 1989, I would’ve skipped the ambulance ride to the hospital.)

Menlo Park used to be home to the Connoisseur’s Marketplace, a difficult-to-spell mid-summer festival highlighting food, wine, music, and art. As kids, my sister and I would peer into each of the stalls, tug on our parents’ arms and beg to buy trinkets and snacks. “Too expensive,” they’d say.

“Can we at least buy a lemonade? It’s hot out!”

“No. We have lemons at home, and we live two blocks away.”

Argh.

The one thing—the only thing—for which my mom and dad would gladly shell out their hard-earned bucks? Pork-a-bobs! We always made a beeline for the Filipino stand offering grilled swine slathered with a sticky-sweet barbecue glaze. I haven’t been back to the Connoisseur’s Marketplace in over twenty years, but I still think about those pork kabobs.

A collage of the cooking steps to make Whole30 pork kabobs with spicy peach barbecue sauce.

It’s all about the Whole30 Barbecue Sauce!

My Whole30 version incorporates sweet summer peaches in the smoky, fruity sauce, because I really don’t know of a better flavor combination than grilled pork and peaches. The pork is marinated in a simple, flavorful marinade, which means the sauce isn’t absolutely necessary. But I brush on the BBQ sauce after the pork’s off the grill (so it doesn’t burn) to give the meat an extra boost of flavor and to make it a fun, messy, lick-your-fingers treat.

Use Pork Shoulder!

Although I normally reserve pork shoulder for low and slow cooking preparations, it’s also fantastic cubed and grilled. This recipe keeps on giving because the pork reheats beautifully and the leftover sauce (which can be smeared on your favorite meats) will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

Time to make Peachy Pork-A-Bobs!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Pork Kabobs

  • 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup avocado oil, olive oil, or melted ghee
  • ⅓ cup coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3 pounds pork shoulder roast, cut into 1½ inch cubes
  • ½ cup diced fresh peach (optional, for garnish)

Spicy Peach BBQ Sauce

  • 1 pound peaches, halved and pitted
  • ½ red onion, peeled and cut through the root end
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, olive oil, or melted ghee
  • 1 jalapeño pepper
  • ½ cup coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Here’s how to make the pork kabobs:

Time to make the marinade!

First, make the marinade for the kabobs by blitzing together the onions, oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce, apple juice, tomato paste, garlic, and freshly ground black pepper in a high speed blender or food processor until smooth.

An overhead shot the pork kabob marinade ingredients in a blender.

An action shot of the blending the Whole30-friendly marinade for the Peachy Pork-a-Bobs

An overhead shot of the Whole30-friendly and paleo marinade for the pork skewers.

Grab your pork shoulder and cut it into uniform 1½-inch cubes.

A piece of pork shoulder before it is cut up for Peachy Pork-a-Bobs, grilled paleo pork skewers with spicy peach barbecue sauce.

Slicing the pork shoulder roast into large strips to make Peachy Pork-a-Bobs, Whole30-friendly and healthy grilled pork skewers.

Someone cutting up pork shoulder roast into 2-inch cubes to make paleo grilled pork skewers with spicy peach barbecue sauce.

Place the cubes in a large storage container and pour the marinade over the pork.

Pouring the paleo marinade over the cubed pork shoulder to make Peachy Pork-a-Bobs with Whole30-friendly BBQ sauce

Make sure the pork is well-coated before covering the container and storing it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to a day.

A spoon mixing the marinade and cubed pork shoulder so they are well-coated.

Next up: la barbecue sauce!

Heat your grill or grill pan to medium high. Cut your peaches in half and pry out the pits.

Someone using two hands to twist a cut peach open.

Brush the oil on the cut surface of the peaches and onion. Place the peaches, onion, and pepper on the hot grill and leave ‘em there for a couple minutes per side…

Grilling peach halves, jalapeno, and red onion to make a Whole30-Friendly spicy peach barbecue sauce that is both tasty and healthy.

…until you get nice grill marks all over.

A white platter with the grilled peaches and jalapeño, the ingredients to make a paleo spicy barbecue sauce.

Roughly chop the peaches and onion, and discard the stem end of the onion. Trim off the stem of the jalapeño and remove the seeds and ribs. (If you want a less-spicy sauce, just use part of the jalapeño instead of the whole thing.)

Toss the peaches, onion, jalapeño, coconut aminos, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper into a high speed blender or food processor.

A shot of the Whole30-friendly spicy peach barbecue sauce ingredients in a blender.

An overhead shot of the ingredients to make spicy peach barbecue sauce in a blender.

Blitz until smooth.

An action shot of the the paleo spicy peach barbecue sauce ingredients blending in a Vitamix

Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

A saucepan containing the blended Whole30 friendly peach barbecue sauce.

Lower the temperature to medium low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Last step: grilling the skewers!

Heat the grill to medium high.

Thread five to six pieces of pork on each skewer. If you make lots of kabobs, you should invest in some flat metal skewers. Wooden skewers always burn no matter how long you soak them in water.

Someone placing the marinated pork shoulder cubes on a metal skewer

Grill the skewers for about 10 minutes…

A grill with four skewers of Peachy Pork-a-Bobs, Whole30-friendly grilled pork.

…turning every couple of minutes…

A side view of grilled Peachy Pork-a-Bobs with tasty grill marks.

…until cooked through.
Four Peachy Pork-a-Bobs are finished cooking on an outdoor grill.

Remove the kabobs from the grill and brush on the barbecue sauce.

Brushing Whole30-friendly spicy barbecue sauce on grilled pork skewers

Rest the pork for 5 to 10 minutes before digging in.

A side view of a platter of Peachy Pork-a-Bobs, grilled pork skewers with spicy peach barbecue sauce

I added some diced peach to make ’em pretty.

A platter of Peachy Pork-a-Bobs, Whole30-friendly grilled pork skewers with a spicy peach barbecue sauce.

Grab some napkins!

(Originally posted: July 28, 2013)


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


 PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Peachy Pork-A-Bobs

4.82 from 11 votes
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Marinating time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 8
These Whole30-friendly grilled pork skewers with a sweet and spicy peach barbecue sauce will be the hit at your next summer party! I like to call them paleo Peachy Pork-A-Bobs!

Ingredients 
 

For the Pork Kabobs

  • 1 small red onion roughly chopped
  • cup avocado oil olive oil, or melted ghee
  • cup coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons Red Boat fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons apple juice
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 pounds pork shoulder roast cut into 1½ inch cubes
  • ½ cup diced fresh peach optional, for garnish

Spicy Peach Barbecue Sauce

  • 1 pound peaches halved and pitted
  • ½ medium red onion peeled and cut through the root end
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil olive oil, or melted ghee
  • 1 jalapeño pepper
  • ½ cup coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • tablespoons rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Red Boat fish sauce
  • 2 medium garlic clove minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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Instructions 

For The Pork Kabobs

  • Make the marinade by combining the onions, oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce, apple juice, tomato paste, garlic, and freshly ground black pepper in a high speed blender or food processor. Blitz until smooth.
  • Cut the pork shoulder roast into uniform 1½-inch cubes.
  • Place the cubes in a large storage container and pour the marinade over the pork. Mix well to coat the pork evenly. Store in a covered container in the fridge for at least one hour and up to a day.

For the Spicy Peach Barbecue Sauce

  • Heat your grill or grill pan to medium high.
  • Brush the oil on the cut surface of the peaches, onion, and the outside of the pepper. Place them cut-side down on the hot grill and sear them a couple of minutes per side or until you get nice grill marks on them.
  • Roughly chop the grilled peaches, onion, and jalapeño. (If you want a less-spicy sauce, just use part of the jalapeño instead of the whole thing and discard the ribs and seeds.)
  • Add the peaches, onion, jalapeño, coconut aminos, tomato paste, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and freshly ground black pepper to a high speed blender or food processor. Blitz until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the temperature to medium low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. You can store the sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Grilling the Kabobs

  • When you're ready to make the pork kabobs, heat the grill to medium high.
  • Thread the marinated pork cubes on flat metal skewers. Grill the skewers about 10 minutes total, flipping the skewers every couple of minutes or until cooked through. Pork is done when it reaches 145°F.
  • Remove the kabobs from the grill and brush on the barbecue sauce. Rest the pork for 5 to 10 minutes before digging in. Garnish with diced fresh peaches to make it pretty!

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Fiber: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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2 Comments

  1. This is absolutely the best recipe I have tried from your collection. I served this recipe for the 4th of July this year. My future daughter in law typically doesn’t like peaches, but she fell in love with the roasted peaches. She has requested this recipe! Thanks for this and all of your other recipes.

  2. 5 stars
    I have been making this for years-and it’s just one of the best ways to use peaches in the summer. I absolutely love it!