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Nem Chua (Vietnamese Fermented Beef Appetizer)

Recipe by Zedlee

Homemade Vietnamese nem chua – a tangy, spicy fermented beef and pork skin snack wrapped in banana leaves. The recipe walks you through soaking pork skin, mixing a seasoned meat batter, two days of room‑temperature fermentation, and traditional banana‑leaf wrapping for an authentic appetizer.

MediumVietnameseServes 4

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Source Video
48h 49m
Prep
3h
Cook
6h 13m
Cleanup
58h 2m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$13.21
Total cost
$3.30
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Soak pork skin for full 3 hours
  • Thorough hand‑mixing of meat and spices
  • Pounding the batter against the bowl to stabilize texture
  • First 24‑hour room‑temperature fermentation
  • Proper banana‑leaf wrapping technique
  • Second 24‑hour fermentation

Safety Warnings

  • Handle raw meat with clean hands and utensils to avoid cross‑contamination.
  • Wear food‑grade gloves when mixing to prevent skin irritation and bacterial transfer.
  • Fermentation must be done at room temperature (20‑25 °C); higher temperatures can cause spoilage.

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