June 8, 2023

Bun Cha – Grilled Vietnamese pork patties

This is a recipe that I saw prepared some years ago on America’s Test Kitchen. This one is right up my alley because it is bold in flavor and is not just about the protein component, ground pork. It also has an amazing sauce, noodles and loads of greens.

What makes Bun Cha extra special? The sauce is pure flavor, the pork patties are juicy due to the use of a small amount of baking soda used, and the addition of mint as a core green element adds an unexpected, but exciting twist to the dish.

I followed the core America’s Test Kitchen recipe, making a few tweaks that I will include in the below Bun Cha recipe!

Bun Cha – Grilled Vietnamese pork patties

Recipe by kristenCourse: Food, Kristen Cooks

Servings

servings

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

410

kcal

Ingredients

Pork Patties
1 lb. ground pork
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. fish sauce, such as A Taste of Thai
2 Tsp. sugar
1/2 Tsp. baking soda
1 Tsp. ground pepper
Noodles and Salad
8 oz. of rice noodles. I selected the wider, linguini style, but vermicelli would be amazing as well.
2/3 of an English cucumber, peeled, cut in half, with seeds taken out. Slice into half moons, a little under 1/2 inch thick
1 cup of fresh, washed cilantro, end of stems cut, but balance included
3/4 cup fresh mint, very lightly chopped, leaving in large chunks
Lettuce of your choice. Typical recipe calls to chop Boston Bibb lettuce, but I love leaving the Boston lettuce in full leaves to use for wrapping, if making smaller pork patties
Sauce
3 Tbsp. sugar
1-2 garlic cloves, your choice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2/3 cup hot water
4-5 Tbsp. fish sauce. Start with 4, taste and adjust
1 Thai or serrano chili, stem removed and minced

Directions

Cook rice noodles per package instructions. Rinse and lay out on tray to pat them dry. Set aside
Assemble cilantro, mint, lettuce and cucumber on serving tray and refrigerate until other ingredients are ready
Build the sauce – if you have a mortar and pestle, mash 1 Tbsp. of the sugar, chili, and garlic into a fine paste. Mix with the hot water in a bowl, add the remaining sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the fish sauce and lime, whisk up and set aside. Alternatively, if you do not have a mortar and pestle, add all ingredients into a small food processor and chop until chili is fine and all is fully combined
For the pork patties – combine the pork, shallot, fish sauce, sugar, baking soda, and pepper in a bowl. The recipe calls for dividing the meat mixture into 12 patties. I divide into 6, to make the grilling easier, but either way works just fine. It is a matter of preference
Grill patties as you would a typical burger on your charcoal or gas grill. For smaller patties, higher heat and quick 3-4 mins per side will do it. If dividing into 6 larger burgers, lower the heat slightly and extend cooking time to get an inner temp of 155-160 F. There should be a nice char on the outside with a deliciously juicy inside!
Here is where there is some ability to tailor to taste. Typically, the patties are put into the bowl of sauce and tossed to coat before serving. If some like it real zesty at your table and others do not, serve the sauce on the side, allowing each diner to decide the amount of sauce for their noodles, greens and pork patty
Serve patties on tray with veg. and bowl up the noodles and sauce so individual plates can be tailored to taste
ENJOY!

Notes

This is a perfect recipe for mixing things up. Vary your noodles and veg, perhaps adding in some crunchy elements, such as carrot or radish. Have fun with it!