Vietnamese Restaurant-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork (Thịt Heo Nướng Sả)

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 pounds | 600 grams boneless pork shoulder steak
• 1 stalk lemongrass, (trimmed and finely chopped (3 tablespoons))
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot or yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon recently ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, (palm sugar, or granulated sugar)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the pork shoulder steak into pieces about 3 to 4 inches big. Set aside.

2. 2

   Put the lemongrass, shallot, garlic, pepper, and sugar into a small food processor. (Or, mince the garlic, shallot, and lemongrass individually, put them into a bowl, and add the sugar.) Add the pepper, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oil and process to combine well. Aim for a relatively smooth texture. The marinade will be chocolate brown. Scrape into a bowl.

3. 3

   Cut the pork into pieces about ½ inch thick and each no bigger than your hand. Add the pork to the marinade, and massage coat well. Cover and set aside at room temperature to marinate for 30 minutes, or, refrigerate up to 24 hours (let the meat sit out at room temperature for 45 minutes to remove some of the chill before grilling).

4. 4

   Preheat a grill to medium-high. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes, turning frequently, until cooked through. Nick with a knife to test. Transfer to a plate, let rest for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.