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Charles Phan’s Vietnamese Meatball Recipe
35 minutes
45 minutes
30 balls (serves 6-8)
Steps
- 1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for grilling over medium heat.
- 2. In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pork back fat and cook for about 10 minutes, until the fat is cooked through.
- 3. Mix together the baking powder and water. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pork belly, pork fat, fish sauce, sugar, baking powder mixture, white pepper, curing salt, and kosher salt. Blend until the mixture turns into a stiff paste that is sticky and springs back to the touch, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the green onions, shallots, and garlic and give it a few more pulses.
- 4. Transfer the paste to a large bowl. Coat your palms lightly with canola oil to prevent sticking. Scoop up the paste and shape it into balls approximately 1 inch in diameter. Set the balls on a platter and continue until all of the paste has been used up. This should make 25-30 meatballs.
- 5. Grill the meatballs until they are cooked through and feel firm to the touch, about 8 to 9 minutes. Serve warm.
- More Vietnamese inspiration from Food Republic:
- Grilled Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Bowl
- Tamarind Beef & Kohlrabi Salad
- Fried Tofu Bánh Mì Omelet
Originally published at Foodrepublic.com. Reproduced for personal collection.
