Grilled Vietnamese Pork

October 8, 2014

Author: KatieChin

Grilled Vietnamese Pork

Glazed in a sweet and sticky marinade made of shallots, honey, brown sugar, fish sauce, lemongrass, soy sauce, cilantro and white pepper, this grilled Vietnamese pork recipe always wins rave reviews at my house. I grill the pieces of pork shoulder on my non-stick stove top grill pan so it’s easy peasy and clean up is a snap. This dish is loaded with sweet, sour, salty flavors but low in fat. The succulent and savory pork is served over a cool, crunchy and bright noodle salad that’s refreshing and addicting. It’s a time saver because you can make the noodles in advance and simply grill the pork when you’re ready to eat. I love serving this with sparkling wine or champagne because they compliment Southeast Asian flavors so well. Feel free to substitute pork shoulder with boneless chicken thigh. Substitute the soy sauce with tamari and you’ve got a gluten-free feast.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons minced shallots

3 stalks lemongrass (tender bulb only), finely chopped

1 scallion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 Pound Pork Shoulder, sliced into 2-3 inch strips

Cilantro leaves for garnish

Crushed roasted peanuts for garnish

Lime slices

Rice Noodle Salad:

Dressing:

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon Asian chili-garlic sauce, preferably Sambal Oelek

2 tablespoons minced lemongrass

4 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar

3 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Salad:

6 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber, peeled and seeded

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar until well blended. Add the rest of the marinade ingredients to combine. Add pork and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes or up to overnight.
While pork is marinating, make the salad dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, chili-garlic sauce, lemongrass, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, canola oil and sesame oil until well blended. Set dressing aside.
Now, make the salad: Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil Add the cilantro, red pepper and reserve dressing and toss to combine.
Heat your grill pan to medium-high and lightly cover with cooking spray (or prepare outdoor grill). Grill meat for approximately 1-2 minutes on each side until browned.
Divide noodle salad equally among four plates. Divide grilled pork pieces on top of noodles. Garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro leaves. Serve with lime slices.