Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers

Name: Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 lbs pork shoulder (or pork butt), cut into 1-in cubes; 4 lemongrass stalks, tender inner part; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 2 shallots, roughly chopped; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp ground turmeric; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 3 tbsp fish sauce (for dipping sauce); 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (for dipping sauce); 6 tbsp water (for dipping sauce); 2 tsp sugar (for dipping sauce); 1 fresh red chili (for dipping sauce), thinly sliced; 16 bamboo or metal skewers, soaked 30 min if bamboo

Fragrant Vietnamese pork skewers marinated in lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce, grilled until caramelized and served with fresh dipping sauce. Plan ahead: marinate pork at least 2 hours.

42 minEasyServes 4260 cal/serving

VietnameseAppetizerGrillHigh ProteinLow CarbDairy-FreeAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

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Ingredients

2 lbs pork shoulder (or pork butt), cut into 1-in cubes
4 lemongrass stalks, tender inner part
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, roughly chopped
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
3 tbsp fish sauce (for dipping sauce)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (for dipping sauce)
6 tbsp water (for dipping sauce)
2 tsp sugar (for dipping sauce)
1 fresh red chili (for dipping sauce), thinly sliced
16 bamboo or metal skewers, soaked 30 min if bamboo

Instructions

1

Finely mince 4 lemongrass stalks (tender pale inner stalks only). In a bowl, combine with 6 minced garlic cloves, 2 roughly chopped shallots, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola). Stir to make the marinade.
2

Add 2 lbs cut into 1-in cubes pork shoulder (or pork butt) to the marinade, toss to coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
3

Make the dipping sauce: whisk together 3 tbsp fish sauce (for dipping sauce), 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (for dipping sauce), 6 tbsp water (for dipping sauce), 2 tsp sugar (for dipping sauce), and 1 thinly sliced fresh red chili (for dipping sauce). Set aside.
4

Thread the marinated pork onto 16 bamboo or metal skewers, packing pieces closely together.
5

Preheat grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F/205°C). Oil the grates. Grill skewers for 4-5 minutes per side, turning once or twice, until charred in spots and pork registers 145°F (63°C) internally.
6

Rest for 3 minutes, then serve with the dipping sauce.

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Questions

What temperature do I cook Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers at?

For Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers, the oven is set to 400 F (about 205 C) in step 5. The target internal temperature is 145 F (about 65 C), given in step 5. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Why rest the meat in Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers?

Step 6 reads: "Rest for 3 minutes, then serve with the dipping sauce." Heat drives the juices toward the center. The rest in step 6 lets them spread back out, so they stay in the meat instead of running onto the board when you cut.

What can I use instead of lemongrass in Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers?

The entry for Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers calls for 4 lemongrass stalks, tender inner part. In its place: Use the zest of one lemon plus a thin slice of fresh ginger per stalk. It is brighter and less floral, but it fills the same space.

Is Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers low-carb?

A serving of Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers carries 6 g of carbohydrate, 1 g of it fiber. Against a strict 20 g keto day that is 30 percent of the budget; against a moderate 100 g low-carb day it is 6 percent.

Can I start Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers the day before?

Yes. Step 2 is a built-in pause of overnight, or about 8 hours: "Add 2 lbs cut into 1-in cubes pork shoulder (or pork butt) to the marinade, toss to coat thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 3 when you are ready to finish.

Serve it with

Mo Hanh sauce
Salt Coffee drink
Tartar Sauce sauce

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