Vietnamese Grilled BBQ Pork Skewers | Nem Nướng Recipe

These Vietnamese ground pork skewers are savory and garlicky, sweetened with honey, and cooked on the grill or oven for a smoky finish. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to make the perfect juicy and springy Nem Nướng for your next appetizer, party snack, or dinner!

What is Nem Nướng?

Nem Nướng is a Vietnamese pork sausage that’s grilled on a skewer and served as an appetizer, snack, or part of the main course. It’s sweet, savory, and smoky with a deliciously juicy and springy texture.

Tips for the Best Nem Nướng

· Chilled meat is the secret to the perfect juicy and springy texture. Dividing the ground pork into two batches and only chilling the first batch will help keep the meat cold while still easy to mix.

· The freezer will weaken the flavors of the honey and garlic, so mixing them with the meat just before cooking will give you more flavorful and fragrant results.

· Soaking the chopsticks in water will help prevent them from burning on the grill or in the oven.

How to Make Vietnamese Grilled Pork Skewers

Start by dividing your ground pork into two batches.

For the first batch, thoroughly mix all the marinade ingredients together and massage into the pork until all the liquids have been absorbed.

Put the ground pork into a freezer bag and flatten it out for faster and even cooling.

Store it in the freezer for 2-3 hours. You want it to be very, very cold but not frozen solid.

Once the first batch of ground pork is ready, place the second batch of ground pork in a stand mixer and add the salt, pepper, honey, and minced garlic.

Add the cold ground pork and start the stand mixer at low speed for 1 minute to combine the ingredients. Bring the speed setting up to 4 for 2 minutes. Scrape down the meat that sticks to the sides of the bowl. Then, increase the speed setting to 6 for another 2 minutes.

If the meat doesn’t feel as cold anymore, you can put it back in the refrigerator to chill before shaping. Form the meat evenly around each disposable chopstick.

To cook, grill on the BBQ for 7-8 minutes. You can also make them in the oven – just broil until golden brown.

How to Serve Nem Nướng

These grilled pork skewers can be served almost the same way as Chao Tom. You can eat them with a noodle bowl to make Bún Nem Nướng or use them as filling for spring rolls. But my personal favorite way is to serve them with Bánh Hỏi, super fine vermicelli that is steamed and topped with fresh scallion oil. Delicious!