Pork Kabobs — The Grill Does the Talking on a Long Work Week

Work week. Five consultations, two equipment deliveries, and a meeting with Debra about Q2 projections. The restaurant industry in Houston is booming — post-pandemic, the city has become one of the top food destinations in the country, and every month a new restaurant opens that needs commercial kitchen equipment. I am the man who sells that equipment. I've been doing this for nearly thirty years and the job still surprises me — every kitchen has a different story, every chef has a different vision, and my job is to make the vision functional. It's not glamorous work. But it's good work. And I'm good at it.

The Westheimer space is in the permitting phase. Lily calls me every few days with questions about equipment specifications — what kind of smoker can they build into the front window? (A custom-built offset, designed specifically for the space — I'm spec'ing it with a manufacturer in Lockhart.) What kind of ventilation does a smoker-in-a-restaurant require? (Significant — the hood system alone will cost fifteen thousand dollars.) How many burners on the cook line? (Six, minimum.) She's learning the business from the equipment side, which is the side I know best, and the conversations feel like a new kind of fatherhood: not raising her, but teaching her.

Ava pulled herself up to standing this week. She grabbed the edge of the coffee table, hauled herself vertical, and stood there for three seconds looking as surprised as everyone else in the room. Then she fell down. Then she did it again. Nine months old and already determined to be upright. Emma says she gets the stubbornness from me. I said, "That's the best thing I've ever given her."

Made a Vietnamese-style grilled pork chop — sườn nướng — for a quick weeknight dinner. Bone-in pork chops marinated in lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, shallots, and honey, then grilled hot and fast until the outside is charred and caramelized and the inside is just past medium. The marinade creates a sticky, sweet-savory crust that is the essence of Vietnamese grilling. Served over broken rice with a fried egg and pickled vegetables. Com tam suon nuong. The national breakfast of Saigon. The thing I'll eat for dinner any night of the week without apology.

After five consultations, a hood-system budget conversation, and watching Ava haul herself upright on sheer willpower alone, the only thing I wanted to do on Friday evening was stand over a hot grill and let the work week burn off with the charcoal. Grilled pork is my reset button — the marinade does its job while I decompress, the heat does the rest fast, and by the time it’s on the plate, the week already feels smaller. These pork kabobs hit that same sweet spot: seasoned, seared, done in under twenty minutes.

Pork Kabobs

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 12 min | Total Time: 27 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless pork loin or shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium red onion, cut into wedges
• Metal or soaked wooden skewers

Instructions

1. Marinate the pork. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, honey, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the pork cubes and toss to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 4 hours.
2. Prepare the grill. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 425°F). Lightly oil the grates.
3. Assemble the skewers. Thread the marinated pork, bell pepper pieces, and onion wedges onto skewers in an alternating pattern, leaving a small gap between each piece for even cooking.
4. Grill the kabobs. Place skewers on the grill and cook for 10—12 minutes total, turning every 3 minutes, until the pork is lightly charred on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F.
5. Rest and serve. Remove from the grill and let rest 3 minutes before serving. Serve over steamed rice or with flatbread, with additional sauce on the side if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 11g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 620mg