Vietnamese BBQ Pork- Thit Nuong
This is popular traditional Vietnamese dish, thịt nuong, is one tasty bbq pork! NOM NOM NOM
Sometimes I like my bbq pork served in a rice noodle bowl with fish sauce and sometimes I like them real sticky and sauce’y and served with rice.
Sauce’y tip: save the juices meat marinade and simmer for a few minutes, reserve the sauce, and brush mid grilling or cooking and/or lather on upon plating for extra sticky & saucey pork chops🤤!
This was made on a cast iron skillet and I’ve made them on the grill as well.
Or see my Bun Thit Nuong recipe - “Bun” translates to noodles in Vietnamese so if you want to have this with vermecelli noodles as a noodle bowl, see my Bun Thit Nuong recipe:
House of Trinh: The secret here is how my parents used honey and brown sugar in the pork marinade. This is the second time I made this but the addition of the lemon grass adds a really nice aromatic to the pork chops while the honey adds a touch of sweetness and helps add color and caramelizes the edges of the pork.
Using quality fresh cracked black pepper also helps enhance the flavor as well as a quality fish sauce.
*Make sure pork chops are cooked by using a thermometer, interior meat should be at least 145 degrees to be properly cooked.
*Don’t throw out the marinade, you can use it to brush on extra sauce mid-grilling, OR you pour the leftover marinade in a pan and bring it to a boil for a few minutes (you can brush this over the meat after they’re done for a nice saucy glaze!
OPTIONAL “NUOC MAM” DIPPING SAUCE
Nuoc Mam Cham
See recipe -here-.
INGREDIENTS
1.5 lb thin cut pork chops
Scallions (optional)- cut into thin slices for garnishing
PORK MARINADE
1 tbs shallots minced (or white scallion bottoms minced)
3 tbs minced lemon grass
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tbs honey
4 tbs fish sauce (I used Red Boat)
2 tbs soy sauce (I used low sodium Kikkoman soy sauce)
3/4 tbs fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
PREPARATION
1. Mince garlic, lemon grass, and shallots and whip marinade in a bowl with sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and oil until sugar dissolves.
2. Pour marinade into zip lock bag with pork and seal (removing all air as possible). Let marinate the meat for 2-6 hours, or overnight for best results in fridge.
4. Place pork on a wire tray to remove excess marinade/liquid before cooking and let it set out on counter to room temperature.
*Don’t throw out the marinade, you can use it to brush on extra sauce mid-grilling, OR you pour the leftover marinade in a pan and bring it to a boil for a few minutes (you can brush this over the meat after they’re done for a nice saucy glaze!
PREPARATION:
Heat about a couple tbs of oil in pan on high heat in cast iron skillet (just enough oil to cover the bottom of pan).
Wait till oil is thin and glossy then pan fry pork chops on high until meat is cooked through and golden brown (about 5 min, 3-4 min on each side (possibly longer) depending on how thick your pork chops are).
Garnish: Finish off with some fresh scallions for color and serve with a side of fish dipping sauce and a bowl of hot jasmine rice!