Thit Nuong (Vietnamese Pork Skewers)

5 from 3 votes

Thit Nuong, or Vietnamese Pork Skewers, is a powerhouse of flavors and one of Vietnam's most popular dishes! Thinly sliced pork is coated in a fresh and aromatic marinade, then charred to perfection. It's simple, delicious, and a family favorite!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Marinade Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings servings

Calories 243

Author Jessica Kwon

Equipment

Skewers

Ingredients

1½ lbs boneless pork shoulder or butt thinly sliced
1 stalk lemongrass finely minced; about 3 tbsp
½ shallot minced; about 2 tbsp
2-3 cloves garlic minced or grated
2 teaspoon white granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1½ tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Scallion Oil

2 green onion thinly sliced
½ tablespoon cooking oil

Nước chấm (Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large bowl, add thinly sliced pork, lemongrass, shallot, garlic, white sugar, honey, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, oil, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly mix together.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let marinade for 2 hours, up to overnight, mixing halfway through. If marinating for more than 2 hours, place in fridge but let come to room temperature before cooking.
Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
Thread pork onto skewers, leaving a little space between each one and double threading when possible. To double thread, pierce skewer through one end of the pork, twist the meat, and pierce the skewer through the other end of the pork as well. Evenly spread the skewers out onto the baking sheet.
Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes (internal temp should be around 160°F), then broil for 10 minutes until lightly charred. Keep an eye on the pork while it's broiling because the sugar can easily burn. Let cool slightly before serving.
To make the scallion oil, add green onion and ½ tablespoon oil into a bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until green onion is bright green and lightly wilted (it took me 30 seconds total). Brush onto pork and serve alongside Nước chấm dipping sauce.

Notes

To easily slice the pork butt, par-freeze it for 20-30 minutes first. Then use a sharp knife to cut ¼" thick slices.
The serving size will depend on the size of your skewers and pork. I used 12" wooden skewers and was able to get 5 skewers out of 2 lbs pork.
Metal skewers will cook faster than wooden skewers. Reduce the cook time by 3-4 minutes.
To roast in the oven without skewers: Spread the pork onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan (cook in batches if needed) and reduce initial baking time by 2 minutes.
To air fry: Preheat air fryer to 325ºF. Make sure to use smaller skewers that will fit. Then cook for 8-10 minutes or until internal temperature is 160ºF. Turn up the temperature to 400ºF and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until charred (keep an eye on it).
To grill: Preheat the grill to 375-400ºF and brush the grates with oil to prevent sticking. Grill over direct heat for 1-2 minutes on all sides until seared (be careful of flare-ups from the marinade and pork fat). Then transfer to the indirect side to finish cooking for 10ish more minutes, keeping the grill uncovered. You could also use a wire grilling basket, which is traditionally used in Vietnam. Spray generously with oil, don't overstuff the basket, and keep the pork in a single layer.

Nutrition