Vietnamese · Pork
Vietnamese Grilled Pork (bun-thit-nuong)
A Vietnamese dish featuring tender marinated pork grilled until caramelized and served over rice noodles with fresh herbs and vegetables. This light and flavorful meal combines sweet and savory grilled pork with refreshing accompaniments and tangy dipping sauce.
The Method
Instructions
Alright, first things first, take your pork and slice it thinly, aiming for about ⅛ of an inch thick. If you want to make this easier, pop the pork in the freezer for a little bit until it's just firm but not frozen solid , this makes slicing so much smoother and gives you nice even pieces.
Next up, grab your garlic and shallots and mince them finely. You want these little bits to really blend into the marinade and spread their flavor all around. Toss those into a bowl, then add the sugar, fish sauce, thick soy sauce, freshly ground pepper, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Stir everything together until you see the sugar completely dissolve; this helps the marinade be smooth and well balanced.
Now, add your thinly sliced pork to this flavorful mix, making sure every piece gets a good coating. Cover that bowl and let it hang out in the fridge for at least an hour , though if you can plan ahead, marinating it overnight will give you even richer, deeper flavors that really make the pork sing.
When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit . Lay the pork slices out on a baking sheet or oven safe dish in a single layer, so they cook evenly. Bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking that they are roughly 80 percent cooked through , you'll want them starting to firm up but not fully done yet.
To get that perfect, caramelized finish, switch your oven to the broil setting. Broil the pork pieces until they develop a beautiful golden brown color and a bit of a crust, flipping them halfway through to make sure both sides get that lovely char. Keep a close eye here so they don't burn; this part only takes a few minutes but really brings out that smoky, grilled flavor.
Finally, it's time to assemble your bowl! Layer in your fresh veggies, crisp egg rolls, fragrant mint, and tender rice vermicelli noodles. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top for a nice crunch. Some folks like to mix everything together and pour fish sauce all over for a big flavor hit, which is super tasty. But if you're like me, I enjoy making little bites and drizzling the sauce slowly, savoring each mouthful as the flavors build.
Next up, grab your garlic and shallots and mince them finely. You want these little bits to really blend into the marinade and spread their flavor all around. Toss those into a bowl, then add the sugar, fish sauce, thick soy sauce, freshly ground pepper, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Stir everything together until you see the sugar completely dissolve; this helps the marinade be smooth and well balanced.
Now, add your thinly sliced pork to this flavorful mix, making sure every piece gets a good coating. Cover that bowl and let it hang out in the fridge for at least an hour , though if you can plan ahead, marinating it overnight will give you even richer, deeper flavors that really make the pork sing.
When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit . Lay the pork slices out on a baking sheet or oven safe dish in a single layer, so they cook evenly. Bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes, checking that they are roughly 80 percent cooked through , you'll want them starting to firm up but not fully done yet.
To get that perfect, caramelized finish, switch your oven to the broil setting. Broil the pork pieces until they develop a beautiful golden brown color and a bit of a crust, flipping them halfway through to make sure both sides get that lovely char. Keep a close eye here so they don't burn; this part only takes a few minutes but really brings out that smoky, grilled flavor.
Finally, it's time to assemble your bowl! Layer in your fresh veggies, crisp egg rolls, fragrant mint, and tender rice vermicelli noodles. Sprinkle some chopped peanuts on top for a nice crunch. Some folks like to mix everything together and pour fish sauce all over for a big flavor hit, which is super tasty. But if you're like me, I enjoy making little bites and drizzling the sauce slowly, savoring each mouthful as the flavors build.
Pairs Well With
