Grilled Marinated Lean Pork with Rice Vermicelli (Bun Thit Nuong)

STORY

The first time I fell in love, truly in love with Vietnamese food was when I tasted bun thit nuong. Ah, how do I describe the richness of flavors? The sweet, succulent, tangy, slightly spicy pork, paired with delicate rice noodles, and crisp fresh herbs and vegetables… folks it doesn’t get much better than this. I urge you to try this recipe for yourself, and I bet you’ll fall in love, too.

Tip: The pork should be marinated for 8-10 hours. If you want it for dinner, make the marinade in the morning while you sip a yogurt smoothie.

RECIPE

• Prep Time: 5 – 10 minutes
• Inactive Time: 8 1/2 – 10 1/2 hours (marinade, and resting)
• Cook Time: 10 – 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 – 30 minutes active time, plus 8 1/2 – 10 1/2 hours inactive time

TOOLS

• 1 8-inch chef knife
• 1 glass bowl
• plastic wrap
• 1 grill or grill pan
• 1 tong
• 1 platter
• 1 sheet of aluminum foil
• 1 medium-sized pot
• 1 mesh colander or strainer

INGREDIENTS

For Marinade:

1 shallot, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 inch piece of lemongrass

3 birds-eye chilies, de-seeded and chopped (be careful not to touch your eyes)

1 handful of chopped cilantro

7 tbsp of fish sauce

5 tbsp of rice wine vinegar

4 tbsp of cane sugar (I use Demerara sugar)

1 tbsp of water

2 lean pork chops, ½ inch thick

1 handful of rice vermicelli

For Garnish:

1 carrot, julienned

¼ red bell pepper, julienned

1 handful of bean sprouts

1 handful of cilantro

1 handful of basil

¼ cup of shredded cabbage or lettuce

sprinkling of crushed peanuts, if you desire

METHOD

1. In a bowl, mix together 1 chopped shallot, 4 cloves of chopped garlic, a 3-inch piece of lemongrass, 2 birds-eye chilies. 1 handful of chopped cilantro, 7 tbsp of fish sauce, 5 tbsp of rice wine vinegar 4 tbsp of cane sugar (I use Demerara sugar), and 2 tbsp of water until sugar is dissolved.
2. Reserve and refrigerate 2 tbsp of marinade for use later.
3. Add two 1/2 thick pork chops to the bowl of remaining marinade, and coat.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-10 hours.
5. Once pork has marinated, dry using a paper towel, carefully removing marinade.
6. Let pork sit on a platter outside of refrigerator for 20-30 minutes so that the pork will retain moisture when it cooks.
7. Heat grill or grill pan until grill temperature is medium-high, and add pork.
8. Sear pork on one side for four minutes, and then flip and grill on the other side for an additional four minutes.
9. While pork is cooking fill a medium-sized pot with water, and bring to a boil.
10. Remove pork from grill and place on a platter, and cover it with aluminum foil, and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
11. When water is boiling, place 1 handful of rice vermicelli into the pot, and boil for 3 minutes.
12. While rice noodles are boiling, prepare garnish by slicing 1 carrot and ¼ red bell pepper, shredding a ¼ cup of lettuce or cabbage, and chopping 1 handful of cilantro, and 1 handful of basil.
13. Remove rice vermicelli from the pot with a strainer or mesh colander and add to the platter with the pork chops.
14. Place garnish on the platter.
15. Drizzle reserved marinade onto pork, noodles and garnish.
16. Sprinkle crushed peanuts over the platter and serve with a chili sauce (if you like it spicy).

(Photo Credit: Matthew G. Piccolo)