Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Pork

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 08:48:25 GMT

Step 1

Place the pork on a large plate and freeze until the meat is firm and partially frozen, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the garlic, shallots, lemon grass, chili, five-spice and 1½ teaspoons each salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped, about 45 seconds, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the oil, soy sauce, fish sauce and honey, then process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

Step 2

Using a chef's knife, slice the partially frozen pork against the grain into pieces about ⅛ inch thick. The slices will be irregularly shaped; cut them into strips about 1-inch wide (it's fine if the strips are not uniform). Add to the seasoning paste and toss, rubbing the paste into the meat.

Step 3

Thread the pork onto ten 10- to 12-inch metal skewers, evenly dividing the meat and scrunching it together, packing it quite tightly. If some pieces are too wide, too wispy or awkwardly shaped, fold the meat or tuck in the edges as you skewer. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish, cover and refrigerate while you prepare the grill.

Step 4

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute evenly over one side of the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents. Heat the grill, covered, for 5 minutes, then clean and oil the grate. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat, covered, for 15 minutes, then clean and oil the grate.

Step 5

Place the skewers on the hot side of the grill (if using charcoal) and cook until lightly charred, about 3 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the second sides are lightly charred, about another 3 minutes. Flip the skewers again and continue to cook, turning every couple of minutes, until well charred on both sides, about another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and drizzle with about ¼ cup of the nước chấm. Serve with the pickles and lettuce leaves for wrapping and with the remaining nước chấm for spooning on or dipping.

Step 6

Tip: Don’t be afraid to pack the pork tightly onto the skewers. This helps prevent overcooking. If using a gas grill, make sure to allow it to heat covered for about 15 minutes before cleaning and placing the skewers on the grate. This helps ensure that the grill is hot enough that the pork chars nicely.

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