Ingredients
Ingredient amounts are adjusted. Steps, cooking times, equipment, and the Shopping List use the original recipe for 4 servings.
Check off ingredients as you prep.
- 1 lb Ground pork (fatty mix preferred)
- 2 TBS Salted Perfection Abilene Select Blend
- 1 TBS Fish sauce
- 1 TBS Sugar (or honey)
- 2 tsp Baking powder (essential for that bouncy texture)
- 1 TBS Cornstarch
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Shallot, finely minced
- 1 head Butter lettuce (washed and separated)
- 1 cup Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, Thai basil)
- 1 Lime, cut into wedges
Allergen check: Milk recognized in these ingredients. Check package labels and substitutions.
Step by step
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, and the Salted Perfection Abilene Select Blend. The baking powder is the secret weapon here—it changes the pH to give the meat that signature springy 'bounciness'. Don't skip it.
- Mix the meat vigorously by hand or with a paddle attachment for 3-4 minutes until it becomes a sticky, cohesive paste. This is physics, capiche? We need those proteins to bind tight so they don't fall off the stick.
- Wet your hands with a little oil to prevent sticking. Form the meat mixture into sausage shapes around bamboo skewers (soak the skewers first if you don't want a bonfire).
- Preheat your grill or broiler to high heat (around 450°F). We want char, not dried-out hockey pucks.
- Grill the skewers for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly charred in spots. The sugar in the Abilene blend will caramelize beautifully.
- Serve immediately with the cold lettuce leaves, fresh herbs, and lime wedges. Wrap the hot meat in the cold lettuce for that perfect temperature contrast.
- Visit www.saltedperfection.com and leave a Five Star review. DUNZO!
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A little more about this recipe
Timing
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield & storage
Original yield
Storage
Store cooked skewers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat under the broiler.
From Tony’s kitchen
Listen, these skewers got more punch than a heavyweight in the fourth round. We're taking the classic Vietnamese Nem Nuong and giving it the Jersey treatment with a zesty lime and garlic kick. Juicy, caramelized, and wrapped in cool lettuce? Fuggedaboutit.
Nutrition • per serving
Ingredient notes
Ingredients & allergen check
Major-allergen signals: Milk
- Ground pork (fatty mix preferred)
- TBS Salted Perfection Abilene Select Blend
- TBS Fish sauce
- TBS Sugar (or honey)
- Baking powder (essential for that bouncy texture)
- TBS Cornstarch
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Butter lettuce (washed and separated)
- Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, Thai basil)
- Lime, cut into wedges
Abilene blend: Sea salt, Garlic, Lime, Black pepper, Organic cane sugar, and Spices
Check every package label. Brands, substitutions, shared equipment, and cross-contact can change allergen exposure.
