Chef Tom shows you how to cook up a mouthwatering Thai Red Coconut Curry with the trusty Kamado Joe Ceramic Grill. He shows you how to grill thin-sliced pork shoulder for juicy, succulent flavor and then braises it for a truly unforgettable BBQ experience!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Marinating pre-sliced pork shoulder cuts the soak time down to under an hour, since thin slices absorb the Smoke on Wheels marinade far faster than a whole roast would
- Grilling the pork over very high, direct heat builds a hard char on the thin slices in just minutes, giving the curry a smoky backbone before it's even chopped
- Swapping the wok in for the grill grates turns the same charcoal bed into a high-heat stir-fry station, letting the whole curry come together over live fire instead of moving to a stovetop
- Stirring in the fresh cilantro leaves only at the very end keeps their flavor bright, rather than cooking them down with the rest of the curry
Thai Red Coconut Curry
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
Thai
Servings
4
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
708
Chef Tom fires up the Kamado Joe Ceramic Grill and grills off thin sliced pork shoulder for a grilled then braised Thai Red Coconut Curry.
Ingredients
- 1 lb thin sliced Boston butt pork shoulder
-
Smoke on Wheels Pork Marinade
-
R Butts R Smokin’ Ozark Heat BBQ Rub
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup oyster mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, sliced 1/2” from stem to tip
- 4 Thai chiles, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp cilantro stems, minced
- 1 (13.5 oz) can full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 cup cilantro leave, minced
Directions
- Place the thin sliced pork should in the Briner Mini 4 quart Briner Bucket. Pour enough Smoke on Wheels Pork Marinade over the pork to cover. Lock the plate into place to keep the pork submerged. Marinate for 45-60 minutes.
- Build a hot charcoal bed in your Kamado Joe Classic III. Set up for direct grilling with the grates set up on the lowest setting of the Divide and Conquer system (closest to the coals).
- Remove the pork from the marinade. Remove most of the moisture from the surface of the meat. Season with R Butts R Smokin’ Ozark Heat BBQ Rub.
- Grill the pork over very high heat (500°+) until lightly charred on both sides. Don’t worry about internal temperature. Remove from the grill. Chop into 1/2” pieces.
- Remove the grill grates. Install the wire wok rack in the Divide and Conquer System. Place the Kamado Joe Cast Iron Wok on the wok rack and allow to preheat.
- When the wok is hot, add the coconut oil. When the oil is melted, add onions and cook until starting to brown and soften. Add the mushrooms and peppers. Cook to soften. Add chiles, garlic, cilantro stem. Cook for about 1 minute. Add chopped pork, coconut milk, curry paste and fish sauce. Cook till thickened about 10 min.
- Stir in cilantro leaves. Serve over rice.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why marinate pre-sliced pork shoulder for less than an hour instead of the longer soak a whole roast would need?
Thin slices have far more surface area exposed to the marinade relative to their thickness, so 45-60 minutes is enough for the Smoke on Wheels marinade to fully season the meat.
Why grill the pork over such high heat before chopping and adding it to the curry?
Searing the thin slices at 500°F+ builds a hard char in just a few minutes, giving the finished curry a smoky backbone that simmering raw pork directly in the curry wouldn't develop.
Why swap the wok in for the grill grates instead of moving to a stovetop for the curry?
Installing the wok rack turns the same charcoal bed used to sear the pork into a high-heat stir-fry station, so the whole dish comes together over live fire without switching cooking surfaces.
Why add the cilantro leaves only at the very end instead of with the other aromatics?
Stirring them in after the curry has thickened keeps their flavor fresh and bright. Cooking them down with the onions and peppers earlier would mute that brightness.
The directions say not to worry about internal temperature when grilling the pork — is that actually safe?
The initial sear is meant to build char, not fully cook the meat — that happens afterward, once the chopped pork simmers in the coconut curry liquid for about 10 minutes. Given how thin the slices and resulting pieces are, that simmer should carry them well past a safe temperature, but it's still worth confirming with a thermometer that the pork reaches at least 145°F by the time the curry is done, rather than skipping temperature checks altogether.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — a hot cast iron skillet can sear the pork, and a wok or large skillet on the stovetop handles the curry itself exactly the same way; the grill mainly adds char flavor to the pork.
Recipe Highlights
Fast-marinating thin slices: Absorbs the marinade in under an hour thanks to increased surface area.
High-heat char before chopping: Builds smoky flavor into the pork before it joins the curry.
Wok-on-charcoal setup: Keeps the entire dish cooking over live fire.
Late-added cilantro: Preserves fresh, bright flavor in the finished curry.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 11.92 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 708
- Carbs
- 16 grams
- Protein
- 30 grams
- Fat
- 59 grams
- Sodium
- 1671 milligrams
