Vietnamese Grilled Pork

Vietnamese grilled pork is marinated in sugar, pepper, garlic and fish sauce. With tons of flavor, this lean and healthy grilled pork is one of my favorites.

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Vietnamese grilled pork is a favorite of  mine. With its salty sweet umami flavor, I always have a hard time not ordering  it at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Though I’ve made this over the years I’ve never quite achieved the results I wanted. With the help of thin boneless pork loin chops, I think I’ve finally got it!

Before I discovered the thin boneless pork chop I found myself pounding tenderloins and pork shoulders and then some recipes I found sliced the pork into strips before grilling which made for a lot of thin pork strips at one time on a grill!

Now I give  quick pound to the boneless pork loin and then place them in a bag to marinate. It is easy to place them onto the grill and to flip them without using a grill basket.

Is there a specific marinade for Vietnamese Grilled Pork?

After researching this for a number of years, I can’t really tell you there is. All contain fish sauce, sugar, garlic and pepper. From there it seems each cook takes there own spin on this Vietnamese Grilled Pork recipe. Some add soy sauce and oyster sauce, but I tend to stick to the Vietnamese flavors. Some use caramel water, some don’t. I made the real thing but if you don’t want to mess with it I gave you an easy version.

What is the best way to use Vietnamese Grilled Pork?

Well, as you can see I love using this grilled meat in noodle bowls but you can bet these thinly sliced pork morsels would be just as awesome on a bed of rice. Or perhaps you’d like to use them in a traditional Vietnamese Banh Mi? My all time favorite sandwich. Then again try a fusion thing and put these tidbits in a taco or on a quesadilla or heavens…just eat them straight up. I sure have!

10 Steps to a Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodle Bowl:

Well I could tell you however you want, but let me me give you a few details:

1. Start with a bed of leaf lettuce sliced into ribbons. Or Romaine if it’s easier.
2. Top with rice noodles vermicelli. Soak them in hot water but make sure you get the texture right. Don’t over or under cook the noodles!
3. Add some herbs. I forgot the cilantro in my pics but added it when we ate! Be sure to have some Thai basil and fresh mint. Can’t find Thai basil? Use regular, but Thai basil is a bit more peppery.
4. Bean sprouts. I love bean sprouts but my grocer was out which really, kind of, was the pits!
5. Pickled Vegetables are great and so simple to make. I love carrots and daikon mixed together.
6. Jalapenos. Every bowl needs a kick and fresh, thinly slice jalapenos are awesome. Seed them if you are  scaredy cat.
7. Cucumbers. Slice them into thin sticks or rounds. Yum!
8. Now place your Vietnamese Grilled Pork in center stage. You know you want too!
9. Chopped salty peanuts are the ultimate garnish.
10. For good measure I like to add fried shallots, but only if you have some. I buy a bag of them frozen at my favorite Asian market, but you could use some fried onion strings from the grocery.

Last but certainly not least make sure you have some good nuoc cham dipping sauce available. Even if you forego the bowls, it still tastes great with the pork and rice.

Vietnamese recipes are some of my favorites. If you haven”t ventured to the other side this is a great recipe to start with. All the basics are under my Asian recipes so when you are ready check out some of my other faves. Some of the pics are old and need to be updated but you can’t go wrong with the recipes.

Vietnamese grilled pork is addicting and since grilling season is still here, I suggest you start marinating!

Need a few more Vietnamese favorites?

Vietnamese Caramelized Ground Pork

Vietnamese Meatball Noodle Bowl

Vietnamese Chicken Corn Soup

Vietnamese Grilled Pork

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Abbe Odenwalder
• Prep Time: 15 Minutes
• Cook Time: 15 Minutes
• Total Time: *30 Minutes
• Yield: 4 - 6 Servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Grilling
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

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Description

Vietnamese grilled pork is marinated in sugar, pepper, garlic and fish sauce. With tons of flavor, this lean and healthy grilled pork is one of my favorites.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 1/2 lbs boneless, thin pork loin chops

2 T finely chopped shallots

1 T finely chopped garlic

4 T fish sauce

1/2 T coarse salt

1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

1 T finely chopped lemon grass or lemon grass in a tube that is found in the refrigerated section of your produce section

4 T sugar

1/4 T red chile powder or chile flakes to taste

1 c caramel water (1 c HOT water mixed with 1/4 c brown sugar until sugar has dissolved. Let cool.)

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Instructions

Pound pork until between 1/8 to 1/4″ thick.

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large zip lock bag and add pork slices. Mix well. Place in flat in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. I prefer the longer time. Turn periodically.

Prepare grill on high. Spray or brush grate with oil. Grill about 3 – 5 minutes on each side. This really doesn’t take long. Make sure before flipping that you spray that side with cooking spray or oil, too.

Remove from grill when cooked and slice into thin strips.

Serving Ideas Below.

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Notes

May be served on rice vermicelli bowls or on banh mi sandwiches, inside rice paper rolls or just on a bed of rice drizzled with nuoc cham.

Adapted from Vietnamese Market Cookbook.

*Cooking times do not include marinating time.

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