VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK VERMICELLI BOWLS (BUN THIT NUONG)😍

When it is 500 degrees in San Diego there’s literally no meal I love more than juicy grilled pork with fresh veggies and cold vermicelli noodles, it’s basically heaven in a bowl. My #1 choice in Vietnamese restaurants, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Whether you’ve been seriously upping your at home lunch game or want a quick and refreshing dinner tonight, and you’re gonna wanna make this ASAP!

P.S. my Vietnamese homies LOVED this dish so you know I can die happy now with their stamp of approval ;)

Tips:

• Marinating the pork ahead of time is crucial to not just flavor the meat but tenderize it - don’t skip this step! It also makes it a lot quicker to throw together when you’re ready to eat - marinate the meat tonight for a 15 minute lunch tomorrow!

• Grilling the pork is ideal so you can get nice charred bits - I have this Phillips smokeless indoor grill that I love - I bought it when I moved into my apartment, you can find it here But use what you have! Second preference would be a cast iron skillet - my fav is this Lodge Cast Iron.

• Toppings can be completely customizable to your preference - my favorites are mint, cilantro, shredded carrots, cucumber, crushed peanuts, nuoc cham, and hoisin sauce.

Ingredients:

For the Vietnamese Grilled Pork:

• 1 lb pork tenderloin, sliced into ¼” slices; OR pork shoulder or pork butt, sliced into ⅛” pieces

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp minced ginger

• 1 tbsp lemongrass paste or finely chopped lemongrass

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• 3 tbsps fish sauce

• 1 tsp Maggi’s seasoning (sub for soy sauce)

• 2 tbsps packed brown sugar

• ½ tsp white pepper (or black)

For the Serving Bowls*:

• Vermicelli noodles

• Nuoc Cham (recipe below)

• Hoisin sauce

• Pickled carrots or daikon

• Cucumbers

• Mint

• Cilantro

• Crushed Peanuts

• Red leaf lettuce

• Fried spring rolls (optional - I don’t often add these to mine at home because it requires more work, but most restaurant bowls will have one cut up in the bowl)

*You can build your bowls to your preference, but it’s the nice blend of all these flavors that works really well with this dish. If you’re missing one or two, don’t stress! You can also substitute the herbs for thai basil.

For the Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce):

• ⅓ cup hot water

• 2 tbsps white sugar

• 2 tbsps fish sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• Juice from 1 lime (about 2 tbsps)

• ½-1 thai chili, sliced thinly 

• 2 cloves minced garlic

Directions:

For the Bun Thit Nuong:

• Add sliced pork to a bowl with the shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, oyster sauce, fish sauce, maggi seasoning, brown sugar, and pepper.

• Combine and cover to refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight (30 minutes bare minimum).

• Remove pork from the fridge 20 minutes before you start cooking to bring it to room temperature.

• Make your nuoc cham sauce. Add hot water and sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved. Add the fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, chilies, and garlic and set in the fridge to cool while serving.

• Bring a pot of water to boil.

• Heat your grill or cast iron skillet to high heat and oil the grates.

• Add meat in a single layer (you may need to cook it in batches). Cook for 4-6 minutes on one side until well charred depending on thickness (less if you are using 1/8” slices of pork butt), then flip and cook 1 minute more. Remove and set aside.

• Turn the pot of water off and add your vermicelli noodles. Let sit for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.

• Load your bowls! Add the noodles, red leaf lettuce, and top with the pork, cilantro, mint, cucumbers, carrots, crushed peanuts, and whatever else you are using.

• Serve with nuoc cham sauce and hoisin sauce on the side, so you can top the bowls with the two sauces. Enjoy!!

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