How to Make Vietnamese Pork Paste (Giò Sống)
Vietnamese pork paste, or giò sống, is a special ingredient used in Vietnamese cuisine. Known for its smooth texture and springy chew, it’s the base for foods like chả lụa (Vietnamese ham), chả chiên (Fried patties), bún mọc (Vietnamese pork and mushroom noodle soup), and even fried spring roll fillings. If you can’t find it anywhere else, luckily you can totally have it done at home – if you use good-quality meat and the right technique.
Table of Contents
What Is Vietnamese Pork Paste?
Giò sống is a cooking ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine made by fresh pork. The pork is blended, mixed, and whipped to achieve a silky and elastic consistency. This unique texture is what gives dishes like Vietnamese ham (chả lụa) or pork and mushroom ball (mọc) their signature crunchy, chewy bite.
Giò sống is a key ingredient in many everyday Vietnamese meals. It’s used to make steamed pork sausage (chả lụa), cinnamon pork rolls (chả quế), beef rolls (chả bò), fillings for fried spring rolls (nem rán), and meatballs for soups like canh mọc. Its mild yet savory flavor pairs well with many dishes and makes it incredibly versatile.
Ingredients
To achieve high-quality giò sống, fresh pork is essential. The meat used is typically a combination of lean and fat—commonly in an 8:2 ratio—with pork shoulder or pork leg being the preferred cuts. A small amount of fat is necessary to keep the paste moist and prevent it from drying out during cooking.
To make pork paste at home, you will need:
- 1 kg pork (80% lean, 20% fat)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced or finely grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Note: If you prefer not to use fish sauce, you can substitute it with 1 teaspoon of salt instead.
How to Make Vietnamese Pork Paste
Making pork paste isn’t difficult—as long as you have the right equipment, especially a good food processor. The most important part is knowing when to stop blending the pork. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making Vietnamese pork paste:
Step 1. Preparing the Meat
- Start by slicing the pork into thin pieces or small cubes. Freeze the meat until it’s just firm—partially frozen, not rock hard. This step is important because it helps maintain the meat’s color and texture during blending. It also keeps the temperature low, preventing the fat from melting and separating.
Step 2. Blend the First Time
- Place the partially frozen meat into a food processor. Blend it in small batches until it forms a rough, sticky paste. At this stage, don’t add any seasonings yet. Focus on breaking down the fibers and achieving a coarse but uniform texture.
Step 3. Add Condiments and Blend the Second Time
- Add fish sauce, garlic, pepper, and salt to the blended pork. Blend again until the mixture becomes very smooth, glossy, and elastic. It should be sticky enough to cling to a spoon or spatula without sliding off easily. Be careful not to over-blend, as too much heat can ruin the texture.
Important Tip
A key factor in making good pork paste is temperature – always keep the pork cold throughout the process. The coldness is what determines whether the final giò sống will be smooth, sticky, and elastic. Unless you’re using extremely fresh pork that’s just been butchered, you must chill or partially freeze the meat before processing. Otherwise, the heat generated during blending can ruin the texture.
To check whether the paste is ready, pinch off a small piece and drop it into boiling water. Let it cook for a few minutes, then taste it. If the bite is chewy and elastic, your pork paste is done. If it feels crumbly or mushy, blend a little more until you reach the right texture.
Storage
Once finished, pork paste can be portioned and stored for later use:
- Raw paste: Divide into portions and freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before using it in other dishes.
- Cooked paste: If you’ve already shaped and boiled or steamed the paste (as in chả lụa or meatballs), you can freeze it for up to 6 months. Allow it to cool completely before freezing, and reheat by steaming or microwaving when needed.
Vietnamese Pork Paste (Giò Sống)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 kg pork (80% lean, 20% fat) (2.2 lbs)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced or finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Step 1. Preparing the Meat
- Start by slicing the pork into thin pieces or small cubes. Freeze the meat until it’s just firm—partially frozen, not rock hard. This step is important because it helps maintain the meat’s color and texture during blending. It also keeps the temperature low, preventing the fat from melting and separating.
Step 2. Blend the First Time
- Place the partially frozen meat into a food processor. Blend it in small batches until it forms a rough, sticky paste. At this stage, don’t add any seasonings yet. Focus on breaking down the fibers and achieving a coarse but uniform texture.
Step 3. Add Condiments and Blend the Second Time
- Add fish sauce, garlic, pepper, and salt to the blended pork. Blend again until the mixture becomes very smooth, glossy, and elastic. It should be sticky enough to cling to a spoon or spatula without sliding off easily. Be careful not to over-blend, as too much heat can ruin the texture.
Nutrition
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This is exactly what Im looking for. My grandma used to make bun moc from this pork paste, but I coudn’t find it anywhere on the market. Thanks alot!