A basic marinade to add to your repertoire and one of my favorites at that. Confession – I LOVE lemongrass. I don’t think about utilizing it often enough, but when I do, I can’t get enough of it. This marinade is full of lemongrass and therefore, basically a punch of flavor.
My favorite part of this marinade is that IMO it works on pork, chicken, beef, and tofu. Be mindful of how thick your meat is — If it is thinly sliced it will only need to be in the marinade for an hour or two. If you are cooking a whole chicken breast or pork loin you will want to marinate a cut of meat that size for 4+ hours and up to overnight.
I hope you love this staple marinade! It’s:
Basic + Buildable
Easy to make
Versatile
Perfect for any Vietnamese Dish
Ready in less than 10 minutes
Easy to prep ahead of time
Easy to increase for a larger guest count
Always a crowd favorite
I love to make a double batch of this marinade and freeze with a meat cut of choice so that I can easily make my Rice Noodle Bowls on a weeknight whim.
Need to add some fish sauce
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #theeternalhostess on Instagram.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 pieces shallot (roughly chopped)
- 2 stalks lemongrass (white parts only roughly chopped)
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 3 tbsp oil (avocado or olive oil )
- ground pepper
Protein
- 1 pound chicken, pork, beef ((if using tofu - 1 brick))
Instructions
- Combine garlic, shallots, lemongrass, fish sauce, and oil in a bowl or ziploc bag.
- Place protein in the bowl or ziploc bag. Coat the protein evenly in the marinade. Seal container and marinate at least 2 hours, but up to 24 hours.
- If using meat, remove 1 hour before cooking and allow to come to room temperature and cook to desired doneness
Notes
- If you are in a hurry, cut the meat into smaller slices, marinade for 1 hour and cook.
- If you prefer more of a "paste" consistency, blend all the ingredients and coat meat in paste.
