Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef Spring Rolls (Thịt Bò Nướng Cuốn Bánh Tráng)

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Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef wrapped in rice paper

Here is my go-to dish whenever I have to host. I can just sit back and let the guests man their own food.

Bò Nướng Vỉ is a Vietnamese dish where thinly sliced beef is marinated with a bit of oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and lemongrass then quickly seared with plenty of onions and butter on a small griddle tableside. Guests grill the beef themselves and can eat them right off the griddle while it’s still piping hot and delicious.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef Spring Rolls (Thịt Bò Nướng Cuốn Bánh Tráng)

Spring Roll

For a more filling option, wrap the grilled beef in rice paper (Thịt Bò Nướng Cuốn Bánh Tráng).

To make a beef spring roll, wet the rice paper. I like to use a rice paper water bowl, which you can buy cheaply at a Vietnamese grocery store. One half conveniently holds the rice paper upright while the other half gets filled with water. All you need to do is insert the rice paper, one sheet at a time, in the water. Give it a quick swirl so that all areas of the rice paper get wet. Do not leave it in the water! Transfer the wet rice paper onto a plate.

While the rice paper is softening, which will only take a few seconds, gather all the other ingredients and place them in the middle of the rice paper. Customize your own spring roll by adding leafy lettuce, a slice of pineapple, a slice of cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, and whatever Vietnamese herbs your heart desires, such as mint, perilla, and sorrel. You can also add cooked rice vermicelli for even more bulk, but I like to leave this out so I load up and enjoy the beef.

There’s no need to be fancy with the wrapping, like other spring rolls. Since it’s a DIY kind of meal, the only rule is to make sure the filling doesn’t fall out. The rice paper is like glue and will stick onto itself when overlapped. 

Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef Spring Rolls (Thịt Bò Nướng Cuốn Bánh Tráng) with fermented fish dipping Sauce (Mắm Nêm)

Cuts of Beef

The cut of beef I use for Bò Nướng Vĩ is beef chuck. Look for one with a good distribution of fat (marbelization). This helps to keep the meat moist and flavorful when grilling. If you have a butcher, ask him/her to slice the beef chuck against the grain into thin strips. You can also cut the meat yourself by putting it in the freezer until it is partially frozen. Use a sharp knife and thinly slice the beef. The partially frozen meat will keep the meat sturdy so that you can easily cut the beef into uniform slices.

Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef Wrapped in Rice Paper

Grilling

I like to grill the beef on a portable butane stove with a grill plate, similar to Korean BBQ. It gets smokey so do this outside if weather permits. You can do this indoors, as well, but make sure you have good ventilation. 

You can also skip the grilling altogether. Simply toss the sliced beef in a large skillet on the stovetop. This is great for a busy workday.

Dipping Sauces

The beef spring rolls get dunked in either a traditional pungent fermented anchovy sauce (Mắm Nêm) (my favorite) or a more tamed Vietnamese fish sauce dipping sauce (Nước Mắm Chấm).

Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef Wrapped in Rice Paper

Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef Spring Rolls (Thit Bo Nuong Cuon Banh Trang)

Serves 4

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine lemongrass, garlic, onion, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, orange juice, sesame oil, and optional red pepper flakes. Add sliced beef and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge for better results.
  2. It is best to cook the beef outside using a portable butane burner and a grill plate. Heat up the griddle and melt a tablespoon of butter at a time. Add a portion of beef and quickly grill for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Lightly wet a sheet of rice paper in a water bowl. Allow about 5 seconds for it to soften. Add grilled beef and your favorite vegetables in the middle of the wet rice paper. Tuck in the sides and roll up to seal. Dip the spring roll in your choice of dipping sauce. Grill as you go for the best results.

Watch now: Vietnamese Lemongrass Grilled Beef (Bo Nuong Vi) A do-it-yourself, table-top grilling Vietnamese dish with thinly sliced beef, marinated in lemongrass, wrapped in rice paper with an assortment of fresh vegetables and herbs.

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