Vietnamese Lamb

By Mark Bittman

Updated May 29, 2024

Vietnamese Lamb
Sam Kaplan for The New York Times. Food stylist: Susan Ottoviano.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus marinating time
Rating
4(441)
Comments
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Though far less glorified than rib chops or legs, lamb shoulder is explosively delicious and juicy – also, cheap. Like the shoulders of pigs and cows, it is a hardworking muscle rippled with intramuscular fat, which makes it ideal for stewing or braising. But the shoulder’s not that hardworking, which keeps it tender enough to be subjected to the shorter blasts of heat typically reserved for more elegant cuts. Here it's marinated in a Vietnamese marinade overnight, then broiled or grilled into fantastic submission.

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Ingredients

  • 1cup chopped cilantro
  • 1cup chopped mint
  • ½cup fish sauce
  • ¼cup lime juice
  • ¼cup sugar
  • 1tablespoon, chopped fresh chile (like jalapeno)
  • black pepper
  • 2pounds of lamb shoulder chops
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

226 calories; 16 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 991 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine cilantro, mint, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chile (like japaleño), and black pepper. Rub half of the mixture over 2 pounds of lamb shoulder chops or chunks, and marinate overnight.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a grill or broiler with the rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame. Wipe off the marinade; grill or broil, turning once, until medium, 4 or 5 minutes per side. Serve with the remaining sauce.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
441 user ratings
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Comments

Karen L Davis

Pretty simple. Tasty. A bit of a shortcut: I dumped 2c of whole mint leaves & 2c whole cilantro leaves (not packed) plus the other ingredients into the blender & in a flash the leaves were chopped & the sauce mixed. So much better than all that tedious leaf chopping by hand. Broiled chops for a total 7 min. for rare/medium rare.

Roni Jordan

Something about the 1/2 cup fish sauce set off an alarm for me, and yet I followed the recipe as written. While the marinade flavored the lamb nicely, we couldn't stand using the remaining sauce as a topping or dipping element. It was indeed far too salty. I have numerous favorite Southeast Asian recipes for grilled meats - this is not one of them. Will not be repeated.

Leann L.

I don't believe the remaining sauce is supposed to be intended as a dip, but you can use the same ingredients (fish sauce, lime, sugar, Thai chile plus white vinegar) with different proportions to the make a traditional "nuoc mam" dipping sauce.

Danielle B.

I made this but added ginger and garlic to the marinade and only used about half the amount of fish sauce. I also made the marinade in a food processor and only marinated for a few hours instead of overnight. The results were AMAZING! I used a grill pan to sear the meat, then finished cooking it in the oven in the same, oven-safe pan. The result was a very tender lamb shoulder chop!

Sandy

OMG this is so good! I used a leg of lamb and it worked, but instead I seared then baked it for 40 minutes. Slice the lamb and add to a scallion pancake with cucumbers and Greek yogurt! XO

Beth

I BBQed, I will use thermometer next time for 9 minutes wasn't enough for me. It was cooked and I enjoyed it. Used sauce like I would use mint sauce with a lamb roast or chops

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