Grilled Vietnamese Pork Sausage Vermicelli Bowls

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The whole point of nem nuong is the bounce: pork that snaps when you bite it instead of crumbling like a burger. You get there by turning cubed pork shoulder into a smooth, sticky paste in the food processor with sugar, fish sauce and a pinch of baking soda, then letting it rest overnight so the proteins tighten. Grill the patties until the sugar caramelizes into a lacquered crust, then pile them over cool rice vermicelli with herbs, pickled carrot and daikon, crushed peanuts and a bowl of nuoc cham to pour over everything.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of gristle, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 oz pork fatback or fatty pork belly, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 4 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp toasted rice powder (optional, see tips)
• 2 tbsp ice water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil, for the grill and your hands

• 1/3 cup fish sauce
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Thai chile, thinly sliced

• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1 cup daikon radish, julienned
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 10 oz dried rice vermicelli (bun)
• 4 cups shredded green leaf lettuce
• 1 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 cup mixed mint, cilantro and Thai basil leaves
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
• 3 tbsp fried shallots
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Spread the cubed pork shoulder and fatback on a plate in a single layer and freeze for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are firm but a knife still passes through easily. Cold meat is what lets the food processor grind it into a paste instead of smearing it into mush.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, fish sauce, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, grated garlic, white pepper and toasted rice powder if using.
3. Add the chilled pork shoulder to a food processor and pulse 15 to 20 times, until it looks like coarse ground meat. Add the fatback and the seasoning mixture and run the machine continuously for 60 to 90 seconds, stopping twice to scrape down the sides. Drizzle in the ice water and process another 30 seconds. The paste should be pale pink, smooth and tacky enough that it climbs the sides of the bowl and holds a peak when you lift some on a spatula. If your processor is small, work in two batches.
4. Scrape the paste into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. This rest is where the springiness develops — don't skip it.
5. Meanwhile, make the pickles: toss the carrot and daikon with the salt in a bowl, let sit 10 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid. Stir in the rice vinegar and sugar and refrigerate until serving, at least 30 minutes.
6. Make the nuoc cham: whisk the sugar into the warm water until dissolved, then stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and chile. Taste — it should be brightly sweet-salty-sour. Chill.
7. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the vermicelli and cook 4 to 6 minutes, until fully tender with no chalky core. Drain, rinse thoroughly under cold running water until cool, and drain very well in a colander for 10 minutes so the bowls don't turn watery. Fluff and set aside at room temperature.
8. Rub your hands with oil and divide the chilled pork paste into 16 pieces (about 1 1/2 oz each). Roll each into a ball, then flatten into a patty about 2 1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Re-oil your hands as needed; the paste is sticky by design.
9. Heat a grill to medium-high (about 425°F) and clean and oil the grates well, or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high for 5 minutes. Grill the patties 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once, until deeply caramelized in spots and firm and springy to the touch, 160°F internal. The sugar browns fast — if they're darkening before they cook through, slide them to a cooler part of the grill and cover for a minute.
10. Let the patties rest 3 minutes on a plate. Meanwhile, build the bowls: a bed of lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts, then a generous nest of vermicelli, then the herbs and drained pickles tucked along one side.
11. Cut the patties in half or leave whole and pile 4 per bowl on top. Shower with crushed peanuts and fried shallots, add a lime wedge, and serve with individual bowls of nuoc cham — about 1/4 cup each — for pouring over. Toss everything thoroughly at the table before eating.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

More from Sprig Originals

One-Skillet Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

One-Pot Chicken Creole

Dark Roux Seafood Gumbo with Quick Shrimp Stock

Are you this recipe's original author or publisher? Report a problem