Description
This Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Steak recipe features tenderized, thinly sliced pork shoulder marinated in a flavorful mix of lemongrass, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and baking soda. Pan-seared in a hot cast iron skillet, the pork steaks develop a delicious char while remaining incredibly tender and juicy, perfect for serving with rice, salad, or in pork noodle bowls.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 500g (1 lb) pork shoulder, skinless and boneless, or pork scotch (roast or steaks)
Marinade
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, bruised and sliced at 1 cm / 0.4″ angles
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, NOT dark soy)
- 4 tbsp tightly packed brown sugar
- 3 tbsp oil (canola, vegetable, or peanut oil)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb), for tenderizing
Instructions
- Cut pork: Slice the pork shoulder into 8 equal, thin pieces. Cutting at a 45° angle helps achieve the right shape.
- Pound pork: Using the jagged side of a meat mallet, pound each pork steak to about 5mm (0.2″) thickness using a go-between like a freezer bag or baking paper to protect the meat from damage.
- Prepare marinade and marinate: In a bowl, combine the marinade ingredients. Add baking soda at the end to create a fizz. Toss the pork slices in the marinade ensuring they are fully coated. Transfer everything to a ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Remove pork from marinade: Take the pork out, brush off the lemongrass pieces, and discard the marinade.
- Cook pork: Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until smoke wisps appear. Add 1 1/2 tbsp oil. Cook half the pork for 1 1/2 minutes on one side and then 1 minute on the other side until nicely charred. Remove pork and scrape pan clean of residue. Repeat with remaining pork slices.
- Serve: Serve immediately with rice and a side salad, or create Vietnamese Pork Noodle Bowls (bun thit nuong) for a traditional experience.
- Note cooking doneness: The thin pork steaks cook quickly, and though they may look well-done on the outside, the baking soda keeps them tender with a slight pink blush inside. You may cook longer if preferred; they remain tender.
Notes
- Use skinless, boneless pork shoulder or pork scotch for best results.
- Only use the white part of lemongrass; bruise and slice for maximum flavor release.
- Use light or all-purpose soy sauce, not dark soy, to avoid overpowering flavors.
- Baking soda is essential for tenderizing and gives the pork a unique texture and slight pink hue inside after cooking.
- Use a meat mallet’s jagged side and a protective barrier like a freezer bag to avoid damaging the meat.
- Serve with rice, a fresh salad, or in traditional pork noodle bowls for authentic Vietnamese style.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes (including slicing and pounding), plus 24 hours marinating
- Cook Time: 6 minutes (3 minutes per batch, approx.)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keywords: Vietnamese pork steaks, lemongrass pork, tenderized pork, pork marinade, cast iron pork, Vietnamese main dish
