Southern Vietnam’s Signature Grilled Pork & Broken Rice Plate (Cooks Illustrated)

Cookout meal of the season! Double/triple/quadruple it; I’ve made three huge batches over the past couple months, because it’s one of the cheapest and most delicious ways to feed a big group a beautiful, flavorful, memorable meal. Most of it can be prepped ahead; the actual grill time is just a few minutes. Pair it with a pitcher of lemongrass ginger mojitos for the perfect end-of-summer treat.

Tips:

• You can buy very thinly sliced bone-in pork chops at most Mexican and Asian supermarkets. The thinner the better for this.

• Marinate the meat 24 hours ahead, turning/shaking your sealed container every few hours. Nước Chám sauce can be made ahead, too.

• Shake/mix up your sealed container of marinated meat just before you grill. That way, all the oil isn’t just sitting on the top, ready to flame up.

• That said, don’t worry if they do flame a bit! Blackened, crispy edges are an important part of this dish. The grill should be very hot. 5 minutes total cook time will cook the meat thoroughly and char the edges.

• Don’t skip or sub the broken rice. It’s the bedrock of this dish, balancing the bold flavors. I recommend this brand.

• Rinse uncooked rice vigorously for several minutes; for perfect, fluffy texture, the water must run very clear.

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