Vietnamese Bun Cha Pork Patty Marinade
A fragrant, savory-sweet marinade for ground pork built on fish sauce, gently softened shallots, honey and plenty of black pepper. Rest the mixture for 2 hours, then shape into small patties and grill or pan-sear for classic bun cha.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Wait
- 2 hr 8 min
- Total
- 2 hr 48 min
- Makes
- About 16 small patties (4 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Use ground pork with about 20% fat (80/20); lean pork makes dry patties.
- Plan for a 2-hour rest in the fridge before cooking.
- If grilling, use a grill basket or soaked bamboo skewers; otherwise preheat a skillet just before cooking.
- Wet your hands with water when shaping so the sticky mixture does not cling.
Soften the shallots
- Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the small skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent and just starting to turn pale gold.
- Scrape into a large mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Shallots are translucent, softened and smell sweet, with no dark brown edges
Tip: Don't brown them deeply; bitter shallots will dominate the marinade.
Mix the marinade
- To the cooled shallots add the garlic, fish sauce, honey, sugar, black pepper, soy sauce and cornstarch.
- Stir for about 30 seconds until the honey and sugar are mostly dissolved and the mixture looks like a loose, glossy paste.
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Ready when: No visible cornstarch lumps or sugar crystals at the bottom of the bowl
Tip: Warm the honey for 10 seconds in the microwave if it is stiff.
Combine with pork
- Add the cold ground pork to the bowl.
- Using your hand or a firm spatula, mix and fold for about 1 minute, just until the marinade is evenly distributed and the mixture looks slightly tacky and cohesive.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniformly colored and slightly sticky, with no streaks of plain pork
Tip: Don't overmix; it makes the patties dense and rubbery.
Rest in the fridge
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours (up to 8 hours) so the salt and sugar season the meat and the flavors meld.
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Ready when: Mixture is firmer and cohesive, with a deeper color and a savory aroma
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 8 hours or the texture becomes springy and overly salty.
Shape the patties
- Line the rimmed tray with parchment.
- With wet hands, divide the mixture into 16 portions of about 1½ oz (42 g) each.
- Roll into balls, then flatten into patties about 2½ inches (6 cm) wide and ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick.
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Ready when: Patties are uniform in thickness with smooth edges
Tip: Press a shallow dimple in the center so they stay flat while cooking.
Heat the pan
- Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until it shimmers.
- (For a grill, heat to medium-high and oil the grates.)
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and a pinch of pork sizzles immediately
Sear the patties
- Cook the patties in 2 batches of 8, without crowding, for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping once, until deeply browned with charred spots at the edges.
- The honey darkens quickly, so lower the heat to medium if they brown too fast.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown crust and an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C); juices run clear
Tip: Check one patty in the thickest part with a thermometer before removing the batch.
Rest and serve
- Transfer the patties to a plate and rest for 3 minutes.
- Serve warm with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce.
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Ready when: Patties feel firm and are steaming
Good to know
Tips
- Brands of fish sauce vary in saltiness; if yours is very salty, start with 2 tbsp and add to taste after cooking a test patty.
- Cook a small test spoonful of the mixture before shaping to check seasoning.
- For authentic char, grill the patties over charcoal in a hinged basket.
- Use plenty of freshly cracked pepper; it is a signature flavor in this marinade.
Make ahead
Mix the pork with the marinade up to 8 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Shaped raw patties can be refrigerated on a parchment-lined tray, covered, for up to 24 hours.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store cooked patties in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze cooked or raw patties, separated by parchment, for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat cooked patties in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or microwave covered for 1 minute, until 165°F (74°C) in the center.
Substitutions
- honey → light brown sugar or palm sugar. Use the same weight; the flavor will be slightly less floral but still caramelized.
- shallots → finely minced sweet yellow onion. Use about 85 g; the flavor is a bit less delicate.
- ground pork (80/20) → thinly sliced pork belly or shoulder. Use the same weight, cut into thin 2-inch slices, and marinate the same time for the sliced style of bun cha.
- light soy sauce → additional fish sauce. Use 2 tsp (10 ml) for a more traditional, saltier flavor.