• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

Small book

My cookbook "Dinner" now available!

  • My RecipeTin
  • My cookbook!
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Christmas ⭐️
      • Starters
      • Mains
      • Sides: Warm & Hearty
      • Sides: Light & Fresh
      • Desserts
      • Breads
      • Christmas Leftovers
    • Iconic + cult classics
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish recipes
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Salads & veg
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice (all)
      • Fried rice recipes
      • Rice (plain)
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cakes
      • Candy
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
      • Ice cream
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
    • Cookbook recipes
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Vietnamese

Vietnamese lemongrass pork steaks

By:Nagi
Published:12 Apr '23Updated:18 Apr '23
77 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

This is such a wonderful recipe to use economical pork shoulder in an exciting new way! A Vietnamese lemongrass marinade infuses with beautiful flavour while a smidge of baking soda is the secret to tenderising so the pork steaks are tender like premium chops. Vietnamese street-food!

Cooked Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass pork (Bún thịt nướng)

Vietnamese lemongrass pork

I’ve been wanting to recreate the chargrilled lemongrass marinated pork you find “everywhere” on the streets of Vietnam for years – but it always came out dry. Finally figured out the secret to keeping it juicy, so I had to share the recipe immediately! 😂

Across Vietnam, variations of this lemongrass pork are served in various forms. On rice, soups, in rice paper rolls, even in Banh Mi. While all are delicious, my favourite are the popular Vietnamese noodle bowl salads, bun thit nuong. Thin rice noodles, topped with this pork, pickled vegetables, lettuce, a smattering of peanuts, lime and served with nuoc cham, that sauce served with “everything” in Vietnam.

I’ve shared the pork noodle bowl as a separate recipe as I wanted to publish the marinated pork separately because I think it’s worthy of your attention!

Here’s a photo of the pork rice noodle bowls. I actually took this photo in Vietnam – it’s a dish I bought from a street vendor in Saigon and took back to my hotel to take a photo:

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Noodle Bowls - Bun Thit Nuong

Oh look! And said vendor in Saigon. 🙂 They cooked the pork on skewers over charcoal. I’m doing a home version – steaks on a stove. So you can make this any night of the week – rain, hail or shine!

Best place to have Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Noodle Bowls in Saigon (Bun Thit Nuong) - Bun Thit Nuong Chi Tuyen

Why you need this Vietnamese pork in your life!

  • Excellent value – It’s made using economical pork shoulder that is tenderised so it’s juicy like premium pork chops!

  • Flavour plus value – The meat is sliced and pounded thinly for maximum flavour penetration and so less meat goes further.

  • Something different but yet so easy, with ingredients you can get from the local shops.

  • Versatile – Serve at your next BBQ with coconut rice and Asian slaw. Or wait until Friday to make Vietnamese noodle bowls!

  • Deliciousness factor is extremely high for relatively small effort

And because I know someone will ask – yes you can make this with chicken, here it is! 🙂

Marinating Vietnamese lemongrass pork
The marinade goes foamy because of the baking soda which is the secret tenderising ingredient!

What you need

Here’s what you need to make this.

Ingredients in Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass pork (Bún thịt nướng)
  • Pork shoulder – Generally, this economical, tough cut of pork is slow cooked until it becomes fall-apart tender. Today, we’re using it in a really different way. Sliced thinly, then marinated with baking soda which tenderises it so when it’s cooked hard-and-fast like steak, it is tender like a pricey pork chop. (Links again for glowing reader reviews who have discovered the wonder of this technique with chicken and beef!).

  • Baking soda – also known as bi-carb / bi-carbonate. As noted in the point above, this is what tenderises the tough pork shoulder meat.

  • Lemongrass – For unmistakable, irreplaceable beautiful Vietnamese flavour!

  • Limes – For tang. A Vietnamese food favourite.

  • Sugar – For sweet and caramelisation.

  • Soy sauce and fish sauce – The saltiness. I like to use both to get the right flavour balance. Only fish sauce = too fishy. Only soy sauce = lacks complexity of flavour.

  • Garlic – Lots!

  • Oil – To increase the volume of the marinade so there is the right flavour infusion for the volume of meat we’re using. (Initially I just had more of all the other ingredients but the pork was too salty).

Pork shoulder for Vietnamese lemongrass pork
Pork shoulder
Pounding Vietnamese lemongrass pork

How to make Vietnamese lemongrass marinated pork

The key to this recipe is to slice and pound the pork as thinly as you can. This serves a few purposes:

  • head start tenderising the flesh

  • opens up the fibres to allow the marinade to penetrate thoroughly

  • increases surface area and flattens the pork to improve surface area char – for optimum real chargrilled street-food flavour!

  • allows us to make this with economical pork shoulder rather than pricey pork tenderloin or chops.

  1. Slice the pork shoulder into eight thinnish pieces – gives us a head start on the pounding. I find it easiest to do this by cutting the pork on 45 degree angle but if you have the right shaped piece, you could just cut straight down.

    PRO TIP: To get even(ish) pieces without pulling out the scales, cut the pork shoulder in half, then each half in half again, then each in half again. Voila – 8 pieces!

  2. Pound to 5mm / 0.2″ thickness thick using a meat mallet (the jagged side) or rolling pin. Cover with go-between or freezer bags to prevent damaging the meat. (Go-between is a purpose made plastic sheet, sold alongside cling wrap. Also useful for stacking foods in the freezer without sticking together).

  3. Post pounding thin pork!

  4. Marinade – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl.

  5. Coat pork Add the pork and use tongs to coat well.

  6. Marinate 24 hours – Transfer to a ziplock bag and marinate for 24 hours.

    Why mix separately first? To ensure really good, even distribution of the small amount of bi-carb across quite a lot of surface area. I wouldn’t ask you to dirty a bowl unnecessarily 🙂

    Why a ziplock bag? Because it keeps the meat completely coated in a relatively small amount of marinade. If you prefer a container, use a small one so the meat is as snugly fitted as possible and toss the pork once or twice during the marinading time.

  1. High heat cooking – Cook for 1 1/2 minutes in a hot cast iron skillet OR on your BBQ over high heat. Then cook the other side for 1 minute. Super quick to cook because it’s so thin!

  2. Aim for a nice char – The pork will char quickly because of the sugar in the marinade and that’s what we want, that authentic chargrilled flavour.

    STILL TENDER! Technically, with 2 1/2 minutes of high heat blasting, the thin pork should be overcooked and dry inside, not to mention the tough pork shoulder hasn’t been slow cooked as it should so it should be horridly tough. Nope! The inside is still juicy, and it’s more tender than you ever imagined pork shoulder could be, thanks to the baking soda (read more on this above in the ingredients section).

NOTE: Meat tenderised using the baking soda method will be pink inside even when it’s cooked to well done! It’s just what happens. It happens with beef too. 🙂

As mentioned above, I’ll share the Vietnamese Pork Noodle Bowls recipe on Friday (UPDATE: here it is!). But think beyond the noodle bowl! Serve it with a side of coconut rice, Vietnamese red fried rice or plain jasmine rice with a side salad. Try one of these:

  • Vietnamese Chicken salad – minus the chicken

  • Asian Slaw

  • Chang’s Crispy Noodle Cabbage Salad

  • Asian Side Salad

  • Steamed vegetables or any leafy greens drizzled with Asian Sesame Dressing

And just before I sign off, one more look at the pork noodle bowl:

Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass pork (Bún thịt nướng) ready to be eaten

It’s so good! ADORE the contrasting textures of the fresh vegetables and herbs with the flavourful marinated lemongrass pork all doused in nuoc cham, the Vietnamese chilli-garlic sauce served with “everything”.

What do you think?? Have I convinced you to give this Vietnamese pork a go? I hope so!!! If anything, it’s worth experiencing the magic of the marinade and how tender it makes pork shoulder steaks. Try it!! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Cooked Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass pork (Bún thịt nướng)

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork steaks (tenderised!)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 6 minutes mins
Main
Vietnamese
5 from 16 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. Pork infused with a Vietnamese lemongrass marinade, then cooked over high heat for an authentic char-grill like you get at Vietnamese street stalls! Economical pork shoulder is a tough cut of meat that's tenderised using a touch of baking soda. Even if you overcook these pork steaks, they are still tender inside!
Use to make the popular Vietnamese rice noodle salad, Bún thịt nướng, or serve with coconut or jasmine rice and Asian slaw for a lovely dinner.

Ingredients

  • 500g/1 lb pork shoulder , skinless and boneless, or pork scotch (roast or steaks) (Note 1)
  • 3 tbsp canola oil

Marinade:

  • 2 lemongrass stalks , white part only, bruised, cut into 1 cm / 0.4″ slices on angle (Note 2)
  • 4 garlic cloves , finely minced
  • 4 tbsp lime juice
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, NOT dark soy, Note 3)
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar (tightly packed tablespoons)
  • 3 tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, peanut)
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda/bi-carb , for tenderising (Note 4)

Instructions

  • Cut pork – Cut into 8 equal, thinnish slices of pork. I find it easiest using the knife on a 45° angle, but if you have the right shape piece you can just cut straight down.
  • Pound each steak to 5mm / 0.2" thickness using the scary side of a meat mallet (jagged, not flat), using go-between (Note 5) or a freezer bag to avoid damaging the meat. (You can use baking paper for rolling pin or the flat side of the mallet.)
  • Marinade – Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl, it will fizz when the baking soda is added! Add pork then toss well to coat using tongs. Transfer to a ziplock bag and marinate for 24 hours.
  • Remove pork from the marinade and brush off the lemongrass pieces. Discard marinade – it's done its job!
  • Cook – Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until you see wisps of smoke. Add 1 1/2 tbsp oil, then cook half the pork for 1 1/2 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the other side until nicely charred. Remove onto a plate. Scrape pan clean of loose black bits then cook the remaining pork.
  • Serve! Make Pork Noodle Bowls (bun thit nuong) or serve with rice and a side salad – see note 6 and in post for suggestions!
  • NOTE – The thin pork steaks are beyond well done in 2 1/2 minutes but it doesn't matter because the baking soda keeps them tender. It will be blushing pink inside due to the baking soda (same happens with beef). You could cook them for another 5 minutes and they will still be tender inside. Miracle!

Recipe Notes:

1. Pork cut – This recipe is designed for pork shoulder which is a fatty, tough cut of pork that’s usually slow cooked to make it tender. Here, by pounding and using baking soda, it’s tenderised so it’s like premium pork chops once cooked. It’s literally impossible to overcook the inside so it’s tough – you’ll see!
Recipe also works great with pork scotch roast or steaks. A little more expensive cut of meat but widely available in Australia. Doesn’t work as well for lean, more expensive cuts of meat like loin and tenderloin.
2. Lemongrass prep – cut the reedy end off, we’re only using the white and pale green part. Bash with meat mallet so it bursts open slightly to release flavour but mostly holds together. Slice on an angle into large 1cm/0.4″ thick slices so they are easy to brush off the pork before cooking (else they burn).
Fresh really is best here but if you can’t get it, use 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste instead.
3. Soy sauce – Don’t use dark soy sauce, the flavour is far too intense and will overwhelm. Any all-purpose soy is fine, or light soy sauce.
4. Baking soda, also known as bi-carb, is used to tenderise the pork shoulder meat which is is a tough cut usually used for slow cooking. Same method used for chicken and beef for stir fries – and readers love it!
5. Go-between is a purpose made roll of plastic that’s sold alongside cling wrap, used for pounding meat. Thicker than freezer bags and cling wrap, and not sticky. It protects the meat from becoming damaged.
6. Serving suggestions – Noodle bowls pictured in post (bun thit nuong), recipe here! Or make dinner plates with a side of coconut rice, Vietnamese red fried rice or plain jasmine rice with a side salad:
  • Vietnamese Chicken salad – minus the chicken
  • Asian Slaw
  • Chang’s Crispy Noodle Cabbage Salad
  • Asian Side Salad
  • Steamed vegetables or any leafy greens drizzled with Asian Sesame Dressing
Nutrition per serving, 2 pieces per person.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 360cal (18%)Carbohydrates: 15g (5%)Protein: 16g (32%)Fat: 26g (40%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 51mg (17%)Sodium: 1578mg (69%)Potassium: 354mg (10%)Fiber: 0.2g (1%)Sugar: 12g (13%)Vitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 6mg (7%)Calcium: 35mg (4%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Keywords: vietnamese pork chops, vietnamese pork marinade
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

I adore Vietnamese food!

See?

Overhead photo of Bun Cha - Vietnamese Meatballs noodle bowls, ready to be eaten
Bun Cha (Vietnamese Meatballs!)
Close up of Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass marinated chicken in a bowl, ready to be eaten
Vietnamese Noodles with Lemongrass Chicken
Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! www.recipetineats.com
Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Vietnamese Caramel Pork is a simple, magical recipe - tender pork in a sweet savoury glaze and no hunting down unusual ingredients! recipetineats.com
Vietnamese Caramel Pork
Beef Pho in a bowl, ready to be eaten
Vietnamese Pho recipe
Bowl of Chicken Pho - Vietnamese chicken noodle soup
Vietnamese Chicken Pho soup (Pho Ga)
Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Bowls in Saigon
Vietnamese

Life of Dozer

When Dozer was in the paper over the Easter break. Specifically, the Good Weekend Magazine!

If you wish to continue to believe I’m an innocent angel, please do not read the article.

Previous Post
Sweet Potato Soup – simple but great!
Next Post
Vietnamese lemongrass pork noodle bowls (bun thit nuong)

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Related Posts

Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken close up

Vietnamese Caramel Ginger Chicken

Vietnamese noodles with lemongrass pork (Bún thịt nướng) ready to be eaten

Vietnamese lemongrass pork noodle bowls (bun thit nuong)

Hand picking up Chicken banh mi

Chicken Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich)

More Vietnamese

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




77 Comments

  1. Theany says

    December 4, 2023 at 6:06 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi this turns out great the marinade was spot on the flavor was perfect I didn’t have the meat mallet so I used the roller but I will have the mallet next time it will be worth it it will make the flavor so much better.
    Thank you for the recipe it was so so good!!!

    Reply
  2. Jill says

    November 13, 2023 at 4:31 pm

    Hi Nagi, just got back from a trip to Japan and had the best pork steak and Japanese sauce, sooooo tender. Is this baking soda marinating used in Japan also to get the pork so juicy and tender, was delicious.

    Reply
  3. Kate says

    August 23, 2023 at 10:02 pm

    Hi Nagi
    I love this recipe so much! I have a friend about to have a baby and wanted to do some meal prep for her. Would you be able to freeze this at the marinating stage?
    Thanks
    Kate

    Reply
  4. Sarah Watt says

    July 27, 2023 at 6:03 am

    Hi nagi, dying to make your Vietnamese lemon grass pork, can I freeze the marinated pork or maybe pork pounded before marinating, I won’t use all the pork ? The sarah

    Reply
  5. Rob says

    July 21, 2023 at 9:12 am

    5 stars
    About to start making this, hoping you see the comment sooner than later lol. How do u think this recipe would fare with sliced galanga in the marinade??

    Reply
  6. Samar says

    July 20, 2023 at 1:18 am

    5 stars
    Absolutely delish. Felt like I was being served up in a restaurant!

    Reply
  7. Delphia says

    July 7, 2023 at 11:07 pm

    5 stars
    I got 10 super thin pork steaks for $2.40 this arvo, found this recipe & decided to try even though I wasn’t going to be able to marinate for 24 hours, more 3 hours. Flavour is magnificent. Served with 6 different veg. Big hit & can’t wait to try it properly.

    Reply
  8. Shauna says

    June 16, 2023 at 2:13 pm

    This was sooo good! Thank you.

    Reply
  9. Jeana says

    June 9, 2023 at 8:02 am

    Soooo Wonderful! I am now considered a rock star among my neighbors. Thank you (ขอบคุณ) Nagi!

    Reply
  10. ANN WHITELOCK says

    June 4, 2023 at 11:37 pm

    At the end of the video Nagi is seen to pour sauce over the cooked dish, she says to discard the marinade after soaking, so what is this sauce?

    Reply
    • Alison B says

      August 6, 2023 at 8:44 am

      Hi Ann, this is Nuoc cham sauce. This pork steak recipe is part of the vietnamese lemongrass pork noodle bowl recipe so the video shows the final product.

      Reply
  11. Carissa says

    May 18, 2023 at 11:20 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this for my family who loves grilled pork vermicelli bowls. Oh man was it good! I will be making this one often!

    Reply
  12. Lina says

    May 9, 2023 at 9:54 am

    Oh shoot. I *thought* I had pounded them enough. Not even close. Now I’ve got very tasty, but tough, pork pieces. Anyone have ideas on how I can save them? I’d hate to throw them away…🥴

    Reply
  13. Barb says

    May 6, 2023 at 6:49 am

    I am very excited to do this recipe because it’s my favorite at our local Pho restaurant….to be able to make it myself Nagi style I already know it’s going to be awesome! Thanks so much for shari g!

    Reply
  14. Deb Correia says

    May 4, 2023 at 4:56 am

    5 stars
    I made this afternoon returning from SE Asia. It was easy to make and so delicious. I couldn’t believe how tender the meat was! One tip that I don’t think I saw is to always cut the pork across the grain. That will also help ensure it is tender. I made the pork noodle bowls, and it will be on regular rotation now!

    Reply
  15. Michelle says

    May 3, 2023 at 10:52 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi even though I didn’t make this as yet, but I surely will do, I rate this recipe with not 5 but 10 stars. All your recipes are so good. I am so happy to have you as a friend, you give me so much courage to try so many new recipes and I am so confident cause you are there in every step to guide me and I cannot fail. Thanks Nagi 🙏🏻😘

    Reply
  16. Charles Pascual says

    April 30, 2023 at 11:49 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for a easy-to-follow recipe that yields delicious results. I followed this recipe, in conjunction with your Vietnamese lemongrass pork noodle bowl recipe to serve a terrific meal. We’ll be making this again.

    Reply
  17. Kate says

    April 30, 2023 at 8:53 pm

    5 stars
    This is absolutely delicious! I served with rice and steamed bok choy. Will be a repeat recipe on our dinner menu.

    Reply
  18. Tammie says

    April 27, 2023 at 11:32 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! I used a boneless pork rib cut. Substituted coconut aminos for the soy sauce & a low sodium can of sardines for the fish sauce ( have to watch the salt for my hubby) we both loved it & he’s asked for this to be a regular. Thank you so much! I’m loving your recipes & enjoying your new cookbook as well.

    Reply
  19. Chris says

    April 26, 2023 at 10:59 pm

    Hi Nagi,
    Love the taste! It will be on our regular rotation. The only thing is, I can’t seem to bash the pork pieces down to 5mm, and certainly not uniformly thin like yours. It was a bit hit and miss for me (excuse the pun). Are there any tricks? Has it to do with whether I cut the pieces along or across the grain? Thanks!

    Reply
  20. Marilou Flores says

    April 20, 2023 at 6:24 am

    Hi. Love all your recipes! Can I use Pork loin for the lemongrass pork noodle recipe. That’s the one on sale . Thanks! Have a wonderful day to you and to Dozer!

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On
  • Goodfood
  • Food Network
  • Better Homes Gardens
  • Taste
  • Nine
  • Network 10
  • BuzzFeed
  • Daily Telegraph
  • Women's Day

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe to my newsletter and receive 3 FREE ebooks!

Subscribe
Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • By Category
  • Collections
About
  • About Nagi
  • About Dozer
  • RecipeTin Meals
Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Central
Help
  • Contact
  • Image Use Policy
© RecipeTin Eats 2023
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits
Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to my newsletter

Sign up and receive 3 FREE EBOOKS!