Smoked Paprika Pork Skewers with Mustard Butter

Austrian

Medium · Hot

Smoked Paprika Pork Skewers with Mustard Butter

Tender cubes of pork loin marinated in smoky paprika and threaded on skewers, finished with a warm mustard butter that pools around each piece. Hearty, unfussy, and exactly what Lukas would cook on a Sunday.

Recipe by

Lukas Vogt

The Stube Cook

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Method

Cut pork loin into 2 cm cubes and pat very dry with paper towels. Mix sunflower oil, smoked paprika, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until combined.

Add pork cubes and toss until evenly coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. The longer it sits, the more the paprika and garlic penetrate.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling occasionally, until it turns golden and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Watch it carefully — you want nutbrown, not burned.

Remove from heat and whisk in mustard, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Keep warm in the pan over the lowest setting. The sauce should be fluid and glossy.

Thread 5 pork cubes onto each skewer, leaving a small gap between pieces. Heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan over high heat until smoking.

Lay skewers in the dry pan without crowding. Cook 3-4 minutes per side until deeply caramelized at the edges and cooked through to 63°C internal at the center. If browning too fast, reduce heat to medium-high.

Transfer skewers to a clean plate and rest 2 minutes. Drizzle the warm mustard butter generously over the top, then scatter remaining parsley. Serve immediately with extra mustard butter on the side.

Nutri-Score

Needs balance

A–E · lower is better · score 12

Calories

484

per serving

High in saturated fat · 16gHigh in protein · 33gLow sugar · 2g

Protein

33g

Carbs

Fat

37g

Sat. fat

16g

Fiber

Sugar

Sodium

840mg

Dairy PresentGluten FreeKeto FriendlyLow CarbHigh ProteinLow SugarMuscle RecoverySatiating

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

Environmental impact

High impact

A–E · lower is better · includes estimates

kg CO₂e

2.1

per serving

DCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade

Water

0.5m³

Land

70Pt

Runoff

0.2g P

Pork Loin, cut into 2 cm cubes drives 87% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.

Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

CrispyRichTender

Aromas

DairyHerbalNuttyPungentSmoky

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Cast Iron Skillet

Cast Iron Skillet Saucepan Chef Knife Cutting BoardLarge BowlMeasuring Spoons Skewers Tongs Whisk Paper Towels Plastic Wrap

Techniques

BrowningMarinate Sear

Safety & Storage

Cooking Temperature

Cook pork skewers to minimum internal temperature of 63°C (145°F). Use a calibrated meat thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest cube. Undercooked pork poses risk of Trichinella spiralis and other bacterial contamination.
When browning butter for mustard butter, maintain medium-low heat and watch carefully. Butter fat milk solids burn rapidly between 150-180°C, creating acrolein compounds that cause bitter, acrid flavor and potential respiratory irritation from smoke.

Cross Contamination

Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw pork. Do not return cooked skewers to plates or surfaces that contacted raw marinade. Wash all prep items in hot soapy water immediately after contact with raw meat.

Storage

Refrigerate marinating pork at 4°C or below. Marinate no longer than 4 hours. After cooking, hold mustard butter above 60°C or cool rapidly and refrigerate below 4°C within 2 hours.

High Risk Population

This dish contains pork and dairy. For elderly, immunocompromised, pregnant individuals, or young children, ensure pork reaches 71°C for additional safety margin and verify all dairy is pasteurized.

Handling

Pat pork cubes completely dry before seasoning to ensure proper searing and reduce splatter risk during high-heat cooking. Use long tongs to handle skewers in hot cast-iron pan.

Pro Tips

Technique

Pat your pork cubes completely dry before marinating — moisture is the enemy of that deep, paprika-kissed crust you're after.

Equipment

A cast-iron skillet gives you the hard sear you need here. The residual heat keeps the mustard butter warm while the pork rests — don't substitute with nonstick if you can help it.

From the chef

These skewers remind me of Sunday afternoons in Salzburg, when my Oma would have something sizzling on the cast iron and the whole Gasthaus smelled like paprika and butter. I've kept her approach — get the meat dry, the pan hot, and let the sauce finish it properly. This is the kind of food that fills a room, simple and done right.

Lukas VogtThe Stube Cook

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TagsCast Iron

AllergensMilkMustard

Source: generated · June 13, 2026