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Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs in a bowl next to perilla leaves, carrot and daikon, and rice noodles.
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Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bún Chả Hà Nội)

A recipe for Vietnamese Grilled Pork Meatballs (Bún Chả Hà Nội) from the cookbook, Ẩn Chứa! Pork patties are panfried until golden and served with rice vermicelli and Nước Chấm.
Course Main
Cuisine Vietnamese
Keyword meat, meatball, pork, Vietnam, Vietnamese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total Time 47 minutes
Servings 12 -14 Patties

Ingredients

Pork Patties:

  • 1 pound (455 grams) ground pork
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 milliliters) honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (23 milliliters) fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 shallots chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (9 grams) finely minced lemongrass optional
  • 3 green onions sliced (white part only)
  • 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) neutral oil if panfrying
  • Cooking oil spray if air frying

Nước Chấm:

  • 3/4 cup (175 milliliters) warm water 110˚F (43˚C)
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) fish sauce
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 bird's eye chilies sliced and seeded (optional)
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Additional 2 cups (475 milliliters) water if serving "broth style"

For Serving:

  • 1 1/2 pound (680 grams) dried rice vermicelli noodles cooked
  • Fresh lettuce, mint, and perilla leaves
  • Scallion oil
  • Pickled Carrots and Daikon

Instructions

Marinate the Pork Patties:

  • In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, brown sugar, honey, fish sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, shallots, lemongrass (if using) and white parts of the green onion.
  • Allow the mixture to rest for 15 minutes.
  • Form 1 1/2 inch (4 centimeter) meatballs and flatten each slightly into a patty so they cook evenly. This recipe will yield 12 to 14 patties.

Cook the Pork Patties:

  • The internal temperature should reach 165˚F (73˚C) for cooked pork patties.

Panfry Method:

  • In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of neutral oil over medium heat. You will be cooking the patties in two batches- don't overcrowd the pan, or the meat will steam instead of brown.
  • Cook half of the patties in a single layer.
  • After the pork has begun to brown on the first side, 1 to 2 minutes, add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to deglaze the pan and prevent the marinade from burning.
  • Continue to cook for 2 minutes. This will also help give the meat an even color.
  • Flip the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water to deglaze the pan whenever the marinade cooks too fast.
  • In between batches, add water and wipe down the pan, if needed.

Air Fryer Method:

  • Preheat an air fryer to 350˚F (180˚C) for 5 minutes.
  • Spray the tray with cooking oil.
  • Air fry the meatballs in a single layer for 5 minutes.
  • Flip and air fry for 5 minutes, but adjust the time as needed based on your air fryer.

Make the Nước Chấm:

  • In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, fish sauce, garlic, bird's eye chilies and lime juice.
  • To serve the patties in a "broth style," transfer the Nước Chấm to a medium-sized pot, add the additional 2 cups (475 milliliters) of water and warm the "broth" over the stove.

Serve:

  • Plate the pork patties over rice vermicelli noodles and herbs.
  • Top with scallion oil and serve with a side of Nước Chấm and pickled carrots and daikon.
  • Alternatively, serve the Nước Chấm "broth" in individual bowls for guests to submerge their patties and dip their noodles and herbs.