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These grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewers are an easy dish that will remind you of your favorite Vietnamese restaurant!

four grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewers with mint garnish

The lemongrass adds a wonderful summery freshness to these skewers. I’m seeing fresh lemongrass in local supermarkets these days, so I figured I’d better snap it up and make something good with it.

I’ve been meaning to make Vietnamese-inspired meat skewers for a while! I fancied pork when I first made these a few weeks ago, and they worked out nicely. We used to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant every Thursday evening. Long story short, we got kinda bored of the same routine, the prices went up while the quality stayed the same, and we just wanted to change it up.

Being a food blogger, I wanted to see if I could recreate some of those Vietnamese flavors at home without too much trouble. Success! Granted, if I wanted a whole vermicelli bowl with those fried spring rolls, a meat skewer, and grilled shrimp, it would just be easier to go out for dinner. These skewers by themselves weren’t any trouble at all, however. I love that lemongrass flavor!

I chose pork tenderloin because it’s easy to prepare, tender, and readily available. I don’t eat pork too often, but it’s my go-to when I do decide to make it.

close-up of two grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewers

I did a little research on what sorts of things go into the Vietnamese marinades that I love so much. A general Google search let me know that fish sauce, lemongrass, shallots, and soy sauce were common ingredients in a whole variety of recipes. Some added sugar, which is good in my books because it helps caramelize the meat when you grill it. I played with the quantities until it looked right, and I was very happy with the results.

Just a note for those who haven’t cooked much with fish sauce. It does have quite a strong smell, and you may even wonder if you added way too much to the marinade before you cook it. Once you cook the meat, the flavors mellow, and it tastes like the grilled meat from your favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

close-up of three grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewers with mint leaves

What to serve with Vietnamese lemongrass pork

Rice noodles with some raw carrots and cucumber and a dash of hoisin sauce would be lovely. Rice would also go well.

Other pork recipes to try:

close-up of a grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewer with grill marks and mint sprig

I hope you love these grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewers as much as I did!

Questions? Leave me a comment.

These Vietnamese lemongrass grilled pork tenderloin skewers are an easy dish that will remind you of your favorite Vietnamese restaurant!
5 from 2 votes

Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Tenderloin Skewers

These grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork tenderloin skewers are an easy dish that will remind you of your favorite Vietnamese restaurant! 
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Marinade time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients 

  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemongrass chopped finely
  • 1 tablespoon shallot chopped finely
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 large pork tenderloin cut into bite-size pieces

Instructions 

  • Add all the marinade ingredients to a large Ziploc bag along with the pork pieces. Marinate for at least an hour, up to overnight (refrigerate).
  • If using wooden skewers, it's a good idea to soak them for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent excessive burning and splintering.
  • Preheat grill to high heat. 
  • Thread the meat onto the skewers. Reduce heat to medium-high. Grill skewers for about 15 minutes total, turning every few minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. I cooked these with a gas BBQ with the lid down. 

Notes

  • How to prep the lemongrass: Cut the dry ends off the stalk, then use your hands to peel the tough outer "shell" of the stalk. Discard that outer shell. Use a knife to slice the newly revealed inner stalk. You can then easily chop those slices up finely. 
  • Fish sauce is quite aromatic, but it does mellow once you cook the pork. 
  • Every grill/BBQ/grill pan is different, so please adjust cooking time as needed to ensure that the pork is cooked properly and to your liking. The USDA recommends cooking it to an internal temperature of 145F. Nowadays, slightly pink inside is generally considered to be ok (see this interesting article from Serious Eats that discusses how well pork should be cooked in more depth if you're interested in that sort of thing). 
  • Serves 2-4.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

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5 from 2 votes

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8 Comments

  1. JoAnna Schiro says:

    Can find fresh lemongrass, could I use 1-1/2 TBS of dried instead?

    1. Natasha says:

      Sure!

  2. Cindy says:

    This looks delicious. I am a bit scared of working with pork because in the past it always seems to get dry on me. Sounds like you have a great combo with that marinade. YUMMY!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thanks, Cindy! Yeah, it can get tough if you overcook it, but at least nowadays you don’t need to make it leathery to ensure it’s safe to eat.

  3. Lucy Parissi says:

    5 stars
    I love Vietnamese food! I used to go to a restaurant a long time ago but now tend to make it at home. These look so delicious and I think the flavours would work as well with beef or even lamb. Yum!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thanks, Lucy!! I agree – I think the marinade would also work for beef or lamb. Hope you’re having a great bank holiday weekend!

  4. Kate @ Babaganosh.org says:

    5 stars
    Oh just look at that char! Beautiful! I’ve been seeing fresh lemongrass in a lot of stores lately as well, which is surprising because I’ve never seen it until maybe a year ago. I love lemongrass in soups and stir fries, and this is a great way to use it too.

    1. Natasha says:

      Thanks, Kate! Yeah, I never used to see it either. I’m happy it’s easily accessible now.