My Mother-in-Law's Vietnamese Ham (Gio Lua / Cha Lua) Recipe
This Vietnamese version of cold cuts is a great snack or side dish! I can assure you that my mother-in-law's recipe is a keeper, as I've tasted it numerous times!
Ingredients
- 4 lb pork loin
- 4 tbsp potato starch
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp oil
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 5 tsp baking powder
- 5-6 dashes white pepper
- 8 tbsp water
Instructions
- Cut the pork into smaller pieces. In batches, grind them up in a food processor until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients onto the ground meat and mix until well blended.
- Cover and freeze the meat for 6-7 hours.
- Remove the meat from the freezer and allow to thaw for app. 1 hour.
- In batches, grind the meat again in the food processor until smooth.
- In small portions, wrap the meat in banana leaves (my mother-in-law also uses aluminum foil), shaping them into logs, then tie with string or twine to ensure water does not seep into the foil/leaf during boiling. (See Note 1)
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and fully submerge the logs of meat for 40 minutes, or until an inserted meat thermometer reads 165°F.
- Allow the Vietnamese ham to cool before serving or refrigerate and serve cold. See Note 2.
Video
Notes
- I created 6 logs of Vietnamese ham using 4 lbs of pork loin. Therefore, you may divide the meat up equally into 6 portions, or more if you wish.
- I typically freeze the Vietnamese ham to extend shelf life.