This article constructs the Satake parameter for any irreducible smooth $J$-spherical representation of a $p$-adic group, where $J$ is any parahoric subgroup. This parametrizes such representations when $J$ is a special maximal parahoric subgroup. The main novelty is for groups which are not quasi-split, and the construction should play a role in formulating a geometric Satake isomorphism for such groups over local function fields.