By Andrea Nguyen
We flew Jetblue back from New York City on Sunday and when we stepped out onto the tarmack at San Jose airport (you have to do that at San Jose’s terminal C), it was 10pm, humid and hot. The pilot had announced that it was about 75F. I’m always thinking about my next meal and said to Rory, “It feels like a nice evening in Southeast Asia. Let’s grill something tomorrow with lots of garlic and fish sauce.”
Though I went to New York to teach cooking class and for business meetings, we had plenty of time to eat out with friends. The Shanghai soup dumplings were delightful, and so was the Greek food at Snack Taverna, Tuscan fare at Bar Pitti, old-fashioned Italian at Felidia, high-end homey Japanese at Aburiya Kinosuke, Belgian fries at Resto, ramen at Momof*cku Noodle Bar, and modern American at Craft Bar and Gramercy Tavern. We even left Manhattan for exceptional food at Cucharamama in Hoboken and a spritely lunch at Marlow and Sons in Brooklyn. (If you’re wondering, we walked a lot and the fifth-floor walk up that we rented enabled us to fend off any weight gain.) But at the end of the week, I hankered for home cooked food. In fact, whenever I return from a trip, I look forward to cooking my own food.
With our current California heat wave, I decided to grill pork steaks – pork shoulder steaks to be exact as they’re much more flavorful and fattier than the typical thin, dry loin chop used for Vietnamese grilled pork. Someone recently requested that I post a recipe for the grilled pork that Vietnamese restaurants often prepare and serve with rice plates and the like. I have a running list of recipe requests but moved that one up to the top of my priority list. Maybe it’s because I was trying to bridge eating out for a week with cooking at home? Or was the weather dictating my cooking? Probably a bit of each so I set to the kitchen yesterday afternoon.
Replicating Vietnamese Restaurant Food
Restaurant food is not the same as home cooking. Restaurant food is generally a lot sweeter and saltier than homemade food. The reason? The bolder flavors get customers to drink and eat more; it’s a Pavlovian thing. People also love to indulge in big flavors when they go out, so it’s a push and pull dynamic with restaurant dining.
With regard to Vietnamese restaurant cooking, there’s usually a smidgen of MSG added to food for good measure. I don’t use MSG (real or fake MSG), but I decided to go heavy on the seasonings in this pork marinade. Also, as mentioned above, I used succulent pork shoulder instead of dryish pork chop – which most Vietnamese restaurants use to my dismay. And, I grilled the pork over an open flame for nice charring and flavor. Lost of Vietnamese restaurants broil and the flavor is rather flat. Soy sauce adds color here, and if you use dark (black/thick) soy sauce (called hac xi dau in Vietnamese), the meat will take on a mahogany cast.
As I sliced the juicy fragrant pork, we had to sample a few pieces to ensure doneness. Rory looked at me and said, “No matter where we eat, the best food is at home.”
If you’re unsure about using lemongrass, be sure to check the Lemongrass 101 article for tips.
Vietnamese Restaurant-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork (Thit Heo Nuong Xa)
Author Andrea Nguyen
Yield 4 servings
You can use this marinade with small pieces of pork and thread them on skewers and dip them in some nuoc cham dipping sauce. If there’s no lemongrass, use about ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder instead. Slicing the pork at the end is a traditional Vietnamese approach to eating meat as the pieces are easier to pick up with chopsticks. Enjoy with rice, a stir-fried or grilled vegetable and a quick soup (canh). Feel free to stuff leftovers into banh mi sandwiches and use them for bun rice noodle salad bowls.
Ingredients
1 pound boneless pork shoulder steak, about ½ inch thick
Marinade
- 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped shallot or yellow onion
- 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped (3 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon dark (black) soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Cut the pork shoulder steak into pieces about 3 to 4 inches big. Set aside.
- Put the sugar, garlic, shallot and lemongrass into an electric mini chopper and process to a fine texture. (Or, mince the garlic, shallot, and lemongrass individually, put them into a bowl, and add the sugar.) Add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil and process to combine well. Aim for a relatively smooth texture. The marinade will be chocolate brown. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the pork, and turn to coat well. Cover and set aside at room temperature to marinate for 1 hour. Or, refrigerate up to 24 hours, letting the meat sit out at room temperature for 45 minutes to remove some of the chill before grilling.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. Nick with a knife to test. Transfer to a plate, loosely cover with foil or an inverted bowl for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Courses lunch, dinner, snack
Cuisine Vietnamese
More Recipes: All
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- Vietnamese Corn Milk Recipe (Sua Bap)
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Annie
I agree with Rory--the best food is at home! And yum! Love anything that has lemongrass...and this looks very doable. I have all the ingredients in my pantry. Have to go get some chops soon.
Dennis M Reed
I tried the Thit Heo Nuong Xa tonight using fresh lemongrass from my garden and for the pork, a large 1" thick pork chop (very good pork even the fat is edible) cut into 1/2" x 1" x 2" pieces. Otherwise I basically followed the recipe except, after grilling (pan frying in a ridged pan), I made a pan sauce by adding some seasoned (sweetened) vinegar, deglazed the pan and added a little water. I served the pork with rice and poured some pan sauce over my rice. My wife and I both loved the recipe!
John
Very nice recipe. I used a pork shoulder cut into very thin strips and put them in the marinade for one hour. I then put them on wooden skewers and cooked them in a cast-iron grill pan, turning every two minutes for a total of 4 minutes per side. Serve with fried rice and egg rolls.
A new family favorite!
Andrea Nguyen
Yay! Thank you! Happy to know that you enjoy the recipe.
Andrea Nguyen
Thanks for the report, Dennis. Great idea with the sauce. Those ridged indoor grills are so fabulous!
I just packed lunch for my husband and sliced up leftover pork for his sandwich.thuy
I was just thinking about this dish this morning when I headed out to the farmer's market. Thanks for saving me the time to go digging for the recipe.
I was reading about all you ate and the moment the words "Damn, they ate alot" I saw that you had rented a 5-story walk up.thuy
BTW, when is 75-degrees a heat wave. I would die to have a heat wave that is less than 95-degrees here in Florida.
Tangled Noodle
I prefer pork shoulder when I make Filipino dishes that call for this meat - so tasty! Thanks for this recipe - I'd love to be able to make any Vietnamese dishes at home.
wayne wong
While boneless pork shoulder clearly serves its culinary purpose here, what's the skinny on the bone-in shoulder? Wouldn't that be juicier? I'm (obviously)clueless re: cuts of meats and how configurations affect specific dishes, so be please be gentle with me if that's a silly queston. 🙂 Thx, Andrea!
Andrea Nguyen
Thuy, oh my 95F in Florida. Just like Saigon. Oye. Well, it was 95 yesterday in Santa Cruz. We nearly wilted. It was 75F at night in NorCal and that was hot. In NYC last week, it was around the mid 50s.
On the subject of pork shoulder, it's the best cut on the pig, my go-to cut. That little bone that looks like the number "7", Wayne, include it. It's not that big so the juiciness isn't lost if it's been removed, or if the steak has been cut where the bone isn't present. Just use about 1 1/4 to 1 1/3 pounds altogether. I happened to get a boneless steak.Amy
So funny that you post this, Andrea! I made this not that long ago when the weather was sweltering hot over in the Northeast (in the 90s... we wanted to pass out bc we never get temps like that in May). Warm weather = grilled food 😀
Andrea Nguyen
You're welcome, Amy! Great to hear from you.
Van
Thank you so much for this recipe! I've tried to make this so many times based on my mom's recipe but rarely get it just right. This tasted just as great as her pork chops and the best part is that I know I can now replicate it!
Jamie
Andrea,
Can I substitue lemongrass for lemon zest or lemon juice?Andrea Nguyen
Jamie, Lemon doesn't quite speak to lemongrass -- though the name says otherwise. If I didn't have lemongrass around, I'd up the garlic and shallot/onion and then go with some curry powder -- maybe 1 1/2 tablespoons. Taste the marinade before you add the meat, and tweak it as you like. People have suggested substituting lime zest for lemongrass but it doesn't quite work for me.
So what I'm saying is keep the basic foundation, but change up the lemongrass into something else that you like. Kaffir lime leaves would be good, finely chopped. Does any of this help? I hope so!Jamie
Thank you so much for your suggestion! 🙂
Alice
Thank you Andrea for this wonderful recipe! I made the marinade with chicken (no pork shoulder at the store) and it turned out great. After tasting the marinade I immediately told my sister she had to make it! One of my husband's friends dropped by and kept saying how good it smelled and wanted to know what I made. We had it with turkish pide and it was delicious. I will definitely make it again. 🙂
Andrea Nguyen
You're welcome, Alice. Glad to hear that you tried it on chicken and it was just as tasty. Great tip. Thanks!
Ingrid
Andrea,
Thank you for your lovely recipe. I love this dish and decided to try making it today.
I used chicken instead of pork, and marinated it for 24 hours before cooking it in the oven (as I do not have a griller). It smells wonderful, but doesn't turn out as tasty as the one I eat in the restaurant 🙁 Is it because of the oven? Or do you think its the absence of msg?
Thanks a lot for your help.Andrea Nguyen
Ingrid, it could be that your favorite Vietnamese restaurant uses MSG, or more sugar, I'm not sure. Try tinkering with the marinade at the end of step 2, before putting the pork in. I don't know what your Vietnamese restaurant does so it's hard for me to help you directly. And yes, you have to grill the meat for really great flavor.
daysofmb.com
Once you identify the styles, you can narrow your search for the perfect home.
Thanh Viet
Tonight's main course 😉 Excellent !!! I used my BBQ to grill the pieces in less than 8 minutes, and the pork was juicy !
We ate it with some Xoi and Beef Satay Skewers. Excellent meal !Thanh Viet
It is so good, I'm doing it for tomorrow's family diner, with Thit Kho Trung, and maybe some Banh Cuon, if I got time (my stuffing is ready)... and for desert I made some coconut balls (Mung Beans stuffed).
Ellese
How thin should the pork be sliced before marinating?
To-Vinh
Andrea,
Thank you so much for all the recipes. I grew up in So Cal and even went to USC for my graduate degree. I currently live in the middle of no where Alaska and it is TOUGH to get Vietnamese food here. Needless to say it has to be home made and your website is awesome! I'm making the pork chops tonight. Thank you.Emi
Hi Andrea, if I don't have dark soy sauce, may I use regular soy sauce and add something else to compensate? Should I use the same amount of regular soy sauce? Thanks so much for this recipe!! -E.
Andrea Nguyen
@Ellese: The recipe indicates 1/2 inch thick for the steaks.
@Emi: try mixing regular soy sauce with molasses, something like 2 parts regular soy with 1 part molasses. It should taste sweet-savory.cecilia
If I use a whole pork loin roast, and slow roast it on the bbq, wil I get the same result?
Dennis M Reed (check the "Cooking - Food - Recipes - Cookbook Collections" link on my site.
Another variation - Vietnamese Pork Turnovers:
I used 1 pound lean ground pork (pan fried it about 3/4 done); doubled the garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and fish sauce (in the future, I will also double the onion and lemongrass); pureed all the ingredients except the pork; added the puree to the pork, added a couple of tablespoons of water and cooked until basically dry stirring constantly to be sure the puree coated the pork. I then cooledd the pork. and the final step, place about 2 tablespoons of pork into the middle of 5" diameter La Salteña Empanada Dough for Fried Turnovers. I am sure any appropriate brand or homemade wrappers would work fine). I then folded the filled dough in half and, pressing out excess air, sealed the edges (I used a dumpling or turnover sealer but, in the past, I just used a fork). Then the turnovers are deep fried in a skillet in about 1 ½ inches of canola oil. They came out fantastic and I am taking a few to the owners of my local Thai, phó and sushi faovrite places.
La Salteña also make equivalent wrappers for baking.Trish
I too, thought I was posting far too many pork recipes on my blog. And, kike you, I feel that pork equals meat in MY kitchen! Affordable meat works for me 😉
Your "Vietnamese Restaurant-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork" sounds lip-smacking. Thank YOU for posting it here!Tarek
Awesome, thanks Andrea! My fave' local Viet place serves their grilled pork blade steak with a wicked black pepper sauce. I'm figuring it's a thickened pork gravy with lots of black pepper, then some other seasonings/spices. Would you happen to have a black pepper sauce recipe you care to share?
= )
Another thing, regarding the covering for 10min after grilling. Is that to continue to cook the meat at a low temp? Or is it to let the meat rest. I'm guessing the prior, since shoulder isn't the tenderest of cuts (though I suspect the marinade'll help with that). Please enlighten...
BTW, I love your site, I love your book (Asian Dumplings) & I can't wait to get my hands on ITVK. You're totally fueling my recent obsession with Vietnamese food.
Cheers,
TarekLisa Ngo
I tried your recipe today, but no lemongrass to be found for me, so I left it out. I also used pork shoulder and regular soy sauce. Still tasted fantastic! I sliced the meat before marinating, threw it on the grill for a few minutes, and then had it with rice. Just like mom's. Thanks! Great job on your blogs.
Sharon
I'm confused regarding your substitution on the black soy sauce . . I have dark (black) soy but I also have thick soy sauce, which sounds more like your substitution. Which should I use? Thanks for your help, I can't wait to make this!
Mike
I am also wondering whether to use thick soy sauce or dark soy sauce.
new Jordans
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GigaDork
YUMMY! I've been making the marinade in 8x batches and freezing, it tends to separate a bit but keeps fine for months and re-hom*ogenizes without ill effect. I use black soy, but tweek by replacing 1/3 of the sugar with molasses for more color and a touch of the south (I retaliate by adding fish sauce to my Gumbo). Three Crabs brand is the BOMB, although I am also growing fond of Shrimp and Crab, for a different and stronger flavor. I even put Three Crabs in my Caesar's dressing nowadays... secret weapon!
Thanks so much for these pages, I've gone Bahn Mi crazy, to the point of getting panicky when I run low on Do Chua! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.Lily
Hi Andrea, thanks for this recipe. I followed it loosely and got great results AND four meals out of it.
meal 1 - pork, rice, lettuce/cucumber plate
meal 2 - pork over udon wasabi pan fried noodles
meal 3 - pork sandwich
meal 4 - simple: rice, pork, cucumber, and soy sauceEnglish taobao
He is a good friend that speaks well of us behind our backs.
*_*pork recipes fan
I have been looking for a vegan version of fish sauce as we don't eat fish. I wonder if it can be prepared at home or purchased ready-made. It doesn't have to be the exact same taste - something close will do.
Bradley BBQ smoker
That Lemongrass pork looks amazing! Good idea to leave out the MSG. I am going to have to make this for my girlfriend she loves Vietnamese cooking.
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The meat seems to be juicy and soft. I'm gonna surely try this receipt
cpak@wi.rr.com
the marinade came out pasty, it that what it supposed to look like?
minhdyful
hi andrea! is dark soy sauce the same as thick soy sauce?
Adventureswiththepig.wordpress.com
Hi Andrea.
Big fan of the blog, I had a go at cooking a variation on this recipe here. http://adventureswiththepig.wordpress.com/2012/01/25/vietnamese-lemongrass-pork/
Thought you might be interested.
Thanks
JonChristina
Hi Andrea...I was wondering can this be used with splenda brown sugar? I would hate to buy all that pork, use sugar-free brown sugar and have this delicous looking recipe come out all wrong...
Min
Hi Andrea, I'm an Australian reader, and was looking all over the internet for this recipe to try and cook for my kids. So, I am glad that I found yours :). I used pork shoulder as recommended. However, in Australian supermarkets, the pork shoulder is typically rolled up, so I couldn't exactly cut it into steaks. However, I did manage to cut it up into sections. I let my husband do the grilling and yes, it turned out pretty much the same as the pork chops served in our favourite Vietnamese restaurant. It was a hit with the husband and kids, and of course myself. I'll definitely will be trying the recipe again another time, but might try getting my meat from a Vietnamese butcher. Would a pork loin do just as well? Thank you, Min.
David
See Also6 Healthy Salad Dressing RecipesThe recipe sounds terrific. I spent a few years in Indonesia and am wondering if kecap manis might be a good substitute for the soy sauce? Am really looking forward to trying this. When I lived in NYC I used to eat BBQ pork chop at a Vietnamese restaurant called The New Pasteur and it was fabulous!
David
Splenda is a carcinogen. Try guava nectar or stevia, much healthier substitutes!
marlon
Thank you so much for all the recipes. I grew up in So Cal and even went to USC for my graduate degree.
marlon
Thank you so much for all the recipes. I grew up in So Cal and even went to USC for my graduate degree.
Irna Rusch
My daughter and I always have this dish at our local Vietnamese restaurant in Cairns - Australia. It is always served with a fried egg on top and broken rice sprinkled on it as a garnish. I am very excited to make it at home - Thank you so much Andrea for your blog.
Janerosity
Andrea, I just made this for dinner. I paired it with your basic nuoc cham sauce as well. It was absolutely delicious! My boyfriend is one of the most pickiest eaters that I have ever met and he loved it. Thank you for doing what you do!
Andrea Nguyen
My pleasure, Janerosity! Glad the recipe passed your boyfriend's taste tests. He's a lucky guy to have you!
deborah
EAT THIS TONIGHT!!!!!! I made this dish and my whole family loved it. One comment I saw on here asked how thin to cut the meat, I used a very thick cut of meat, about an inch thick - It's not a pork chop, my grocery store calls it a south texas ribeye - it's marbled with fat so it's juicy like a traditional beef ribeye - anyway, I cut these chops in half, into fat little strips and they cooked beautifully on the grill - rich mahogany color as Andrea notes and charred on edges, then so juicy and tender. I agree to let them come to room temp before grilling. I have learned this secret to juicy tender delicious steaks, chops, even chicken. Thank you SOOO much for this delicious and tasty recipe. This is the closest I've gotten to that "restaurant" taste in any of my asian home cooking. Can't wait to try more recipes! OH, btw, I only marinaded it for about 3 hours. Still packed with flavor - and used half fresh lemongrass and half dry - I didn't have enough in the garden to use all fresh. Thank you Andrea for sharing this DELICIOUS recipe!
Teena Felix
Hi Andrea, I want to know that if I make a bigger batch of the marinade and bottle it for multiple uses over time, do you know how long I can keep it from going bad? I usually make this for one meal but I am thinking of giving away bottles of the marinade so wanted to know how long before it expires. I know the Nuoc Cham and Doa Chua can last for weeks when bottled, so wondering if it's okay to bottle the marinade too.
Michelle
I made this tonight and it's DELICIOUS!!! Thanks for the awesome recipe! I used the marinade to stir fry some vegetables (green & red peppers and grape tomatoes) for a quick side-dish as well! People in the office are going to be jealous of my lunch tomorrow 🙂
chaneljahns@hotmail.com
Vietnamese food (mainly pho, spring rolls and bahn mi) is VERY popular in NOLA. I tweeked this recipe a little, but my husband says it tastes just like the pork at our favorite place 🙂
Jennifer
I tried this recipe and pan-fried it instead. Turned out really good! I really enjoy your site and your book, keep the recipes coming! Thanks!
hlam728@gmail.com
Andrea can I pan fry this instead of grilling? If yes, how long should I pan fry each side before check or flipping over?
Brian
I enjoy all of your recipes ... thanks for sharing them! Will be making the mayonaise tonight.. 🙂
Momo
Hi Andrea, can I use belly pork instead of pork shoulder? Tq
Mochi
Thank you for the good recipe. I made it for the first time and it turn out very good!!!!! Will definitely make again.
Andrea Nguyen
Excellent!
JD
Hello! I live outside of the US at the moment and sadly, no lemongrass to be found here. Can I use (and I almost hate to ask) - the minced lemongrass from a jar? What would the appropriate substitution be? I so enjoy your site. Thank you!
Andrea Nguyen
I'd try 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons and taste the marinade to make sure you sense some lemongrass flavor. No shame in not having the fresh stuff. Dried lemongrass is definitely no bueno.
Andrea
Andrea, (best name ever mine is also Andrea) this recipe has become my family’s favourite way to eat pork! They don’t like to try anything new, so I made them eat it the first time with coconut rice and herbs and pickles. Now, we eat the pork in either banh mi or with rice or noodles at least twice a month! I’m making it tonight again! Just wanted to say thank you for this blog, your books, and all of your amazing Vietnamese recipes! Thank you!
Andrea Nguyen
Hello Andrea! Thank you for the feedback. This is a definitely a keeper! You made my day.
JJ
Thank you for the yummy recipe. I made it with drumsticks and wings on the weekend for a BBQ party and it was a HIT!! People raved about the marinate and some wanted the recipe. I'm from Thailand and are picky about asian marinate. This one is definitely a keeper.
Andrea Nguyen
Hoooray, JJ! Your validation means a lot. Thank you for cooking and taking time to write!
Steve hellyer
Hi Andrea, could I use pork neck for this recipe? I have cooked recipe before but not with pork neck, is turned out awesome. Thank you.
Andrea Nguyen
So long as the meat is boneless (for easy marinating) it should be fine! Great idea.
Savannah Serrano
Hi is the lemongrass a necessity what could I use for substitute? I’m allergic to lemongrass :/ thank you
Andrea Nguyen
Well, I'd just leave it out. It is a main ingredient though. Increase one of the other ingredients? Sub grated lime zest? Whatever you do, taste the marinade as you go along to get a flavor you like.
If you have my book, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, try the garlicky pork steaks recipe. It's divine! Your library or local bookshop may have the book. Thanks for asking!
John Almerigotti
The first time I used this recipe it was last summer for a hard working group of guys who were working on a project in my yard. I made a huge plate of lemongrass pork chops on the grill and they were all gone within minutes, one guy even wanted the recipe, "Best chops I ever ate!" Since then this has become a favorite recipe and frequent request. Each time I've made it the fan base for the recipe grows as much as my reputation as a cook. Thank you, your recipe never fails. I'm about to make it again, this is only my second use of the grill for the season and I can't wait to smell the lovely aroma of the lemongrass as it spreads across my yard from the grill. My neighbor always looks forward to it too, which is why I now make extra. Thanks again, it's a wonderful recipe.
Andrea Nguyen
Yay! Glad the recipe was a winner for you.
Tess
Hi, I’ve been looking for a recipe like this! I’m a bit confused so forgive me, my questions may sound silly. I buy regular soy sauce from Asian stores, and your recipe calls for dark/black soy sauce- is that different? I mean I thought all soy sauce is black/ dark?
Are there different kinds of fish sauce? I have one with a Philippine brand, will that work? Or I have to buy one with Vietnamese brand?
Does The marinade look pasty after processing them?
Thank you, can’t wait to try this!Andrea Nguyen
Not a silly question. It's confusing!!!! Here's a soy sauce guide to help you: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2019/05/soy-sauce-buying-guide.html
Alisha Nguyen
This recipe saved my life today haha! My Vietnamese husband, who has pretty high culinary expectations, was due home from work in a couple hours and I had absolutely no dinner plans for him. This recipe came together so easily, especially since I had a tube of lemongrass and baby back ribs in the fridge. My husband was very pleased and said it was "ngon lắm" (delicious) Will definitely make this again. Thanks Andrea Nguyễn!
Andrea Nguyen
Hooooooray! So happy this recipe worked out for you so well.
Liv Nedved
Amazing! Made this pork in Banh Mi’s, spring rolls and a rice bowl. A great triple duty protein!
Andrea Nguyen
Hooray! Thanks for cooking and taking time to write a note!
Mary
Hello Andrea -- I have not tried this recipe yet but I am sure it will be excellent. I just wanted to say how incredibly patient you are with the questions posed by your readers. I am especially struck with all the substitution requests! I feel for those who have no access to lemon grass but there is NO substitute. The dish is called "Lemongrass Pork" which means that it will be a different dish if you substitute. It's like asking if you can substitute the cinnamon when making cinnamon rolls. Yes, but it will be a different pastry! So many questions about the dark soy as well -- which you explained was just regular soy with molasses (or sometimes palm sugar). There are many excellent articles about the different kinds of soy sauce which a quick google search will produce. Many Asians are very discerning about using the right kind depending on where in Asia they grew up and are used to. I grew up with Malaysian soy and have tried in vain to find something similar in 99 Ranch or other Asian markets which tend to favor Taiwanese or Chinese brands. I have to admit to feeling really irked about substitution requests -- I think the ingredients are there for a reason and if you want to cook Asian food properly do make an effort to find those ingredients. It will be so worth it. Having said that, I am also surprised about the meat substitution requests for obvious reasons. Any meat will do folks - it's the marinade that counts.
Enough venting!Andrea Nguyen
Hi Mary, thank you for taking time to write. I try my best since people have so many questions. This recipe was published to the site long ago. Earlier this year, I wrote up a "Mega Soy Sauce Buying Guide" which touches on many things you've said.
I've not seen Malay soy sauce. Is it made by Yeo's? I have limited knowledge and only occasionally see that brand at Asian markets.
Mary O
Hi Andrea.... I have to admit to another pet peeve here!! sorry. I see the word 'Malay' used interchangeably with 'Malaysian' a lot and they both mean very different things. Anything Malaysian generally means from the country of Malaysia, whereas a Malay is simply a person who is part of an ethnic and religious group which also happens to be dominant in Malaysia. Soy sauce is a Chinese condiment as you know and the Malaysian version that I was referring to are merely those produced by the Chinese in Malaysia. It is generally lighter in color. I find the majority sold in 99Ranch really dark - even those that are labelled 'light.' Yeo is indeed a popular brand in Malaysia but like everywhere else there are lots of brands of soy sauce in Malaysia. But sadly none available here in the US. If you are ever in Singapore, do make an effort to get a bottle of Kwong Woh Hing. premium light soy sauce. So worth it!
Andrea Nguyen
Thanks for the insights and tip, Mary! I'm always interested in extra cultural info. Viet soy sauce in the motherland is lighter -- even the Maggi seasoning sauce (now considered as a type of soy sauce there) is lighter in flavor and color than what's sold abroad.
Jools
This is absolutely delicious! I’ve been making this for a couple of years now and it’s only just occurred to me to write a review. It is a firm family favourite with never ever any leftovers! I follow the recipe as is with nothing extra or left out and it is perfect. Thank you Andrea!!
Andrea Nguyen
You're so very welcome, Jools! Thanks for the feedback.
Mel
Like Jools I’ve been using this recipe for months after I tried to add an order of grilled chicken to my grilled pork on white rice from my local Viet restaurant and they wanted to charge me $7.50!! I was enraged! An 8-pack of thighs cost $3.50 at my Shoprite LOL. I been doing this on my gas grill outside and recently bought a ninja foodi indoor grill and this was the first recipe I tried with skin on and bone in thighs and they were MAGNIFICENT! Can’t thank you enough.
Andrea Nguyen
You are very welcome, Mel! Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy Cooking!
Angie
Thank you for the recipe. I made it last night and it was excellent. The flavors were perfect! I could only find pork should roast, so I spent a lot of time cutting around the fat to get the meat out before marinating. It sounds like there should be a cut called Pork Shoulder Steak, which I assume has less fat...is that something you typically can find easily? I would have asked the butcher, however the COVID-19 grocery trips are much more efficient.
Andrea Nguyen
Fantastic! Pork shoulder roast is simply the steak but not cut into thin pieces. You were shopping with good instinct! Sometimes a butcher will cut the roast for you into thin pieces. Just ask. 😉
Ryan
Never made lemongrass pork, but had a craving with all restaurants closed for COVID-19. Found this recipe and it seemed accessible to a novice cook like myself. My pork shoulder steak was about an inch thick so I pounded it thinner. In retrospect I might have just cut it in next time but pounding was a good quarantine stress-buster.
Marinated for about 30 hours and then grilled over charcoal on the big green egg. Turned out picture perfect and rave reviews all around. We served with rice and a basic salad of iceberg, cucumber and carrots.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Andrea Nguyen
That's fantastic! Now you can do this whenever. Thanks for cooking and taking time to provide tips and feedback.
Roses
In Vietnamese, they eat this dish with broken rice and pickles. I had the opportunity to go there and try it. Great. I will try making this. Thanks you!
Andrea Nguyen
That's not the only use but it's a good one.
Kevin
I am attempting to make this dishes however I don’t have a grill. What is an alternative way to cook this without a grill? Also, I love your videos
Andrea Nguyen
A stovetop grill would work. Or, you could broil -- just preheat the broiler and cook about 4 inches away from the heat. Have the pork on a rack for air circulation.
Thanks for complimenting me on my videos. They're a work in progress.
Grace H
Finally got around to making this and it was so easy and a winner! My family now wants this for big celebrations . Didn’t have lemongrass so instead used them Chinese spice powder as per your suggestion and it was still delicious. Served with vermicelli in a garlic fish sauce, thinly sliced cucumber, tomatoes and carrots. I don’t usually leave comments but compelled to tell this recipe is wonderful, thank you!
Andrea Nguyen
You're so welcome!
Brendon
This is wonderful. Used it on thin slices from a boneless pork butt I had (in preparation for the chile pork recipe), and it was, wonderful.
Andrea Nguyen
Hooray! Glad you like the recipe.
