Chả Lụa

also called cha lua · chả lụa · giò lụa · gio lua · Vietnamese pork roll · pork roll · Vietnamese ham · steamed pork sausage · cha lua banh mi · gio

The table

2 lb(900 g; cut in 1-inch cubes)lean pork loinfreeze firm 45 minbeat cold to a smooth paste 4 minwrap tight and tiepoach 50 min to 165°F (74°C)chill 8 hr, then slice
4 oz(115 g; diced)pork fatback
3 Tbs(45 mL)fish sauce
1 Tbs(12 g)granulated sugar
1 tsp(4 g)baking powder
2 Tbs(20 g)potato starch
1 tspwhite pepper
1/4 cup(60 mL)ice water
4 large(rinsed, then passed over a flame until they go glossy)banana leaves
4 qt(3.8 L; at a shiver, never a boil)water
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.12 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1freeze firm 45 min

2beat cold to a smooth paste 4 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3wrap tight and tie

goes in with what step 2 made

4poach 50 min to 165°F (74°C)

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 9 hr 39 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
4 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 10 hr.

  1. freeze firm 45 min

    45 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. beat cold to a smooth paste 4 min

    4 minneeds you45 min in

  3. wrap tight and tie

    not timed49 min in

  4. poach 50 min to 165°F (74°C)

    50 minwalk away49 min in

  5. chill 8 hr, then slice

    8 hrwalk away1 hr 39 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need food processor · kitchen twine

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Chả Lụa
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: pork, vietnamese, cold cuts, poached, banh mi
>> counters: Phở & Bánh Mì
>> aka: cha lua, chả lụa, giò lụa, gio lua, Vietnamese pork roll, pork roll, Vietnamese ham, steamed pork sausage, cha lua banh mi, gio
>> pairs-with: banh-mi-khong
>> servings: 12
>> time: 10 hr
>> step.1: freeze firm 45 min
>> step.2: beat cold to a smooth paste 4 min
>> step.3: wrap tight and tie
>> step.4: poach 50 min to 165°F (74°C)
>> step.5: chill 8 hr, then slice

Spread @lean pork loin{2%lb}(900 g; cut in 1-inch cubes) and @pork fatback{4%oz}(115 g; diced) on a tray and ~freeze{45%min}, until the edges are hard and the middle still gives.

Beat @&(~1)cold pork{} with @fish sauce{3%Tbs}(45 mL), @granulated sugar{1%Tbs}(12 g), @baking powder{1%tsp}(4 g), @potato starch{2%Tbs}(20 g), @white pepper{1%tsp} and @ice water{1/4%cup}(60 mL) in a #food processor{} in short bursts ~beat{4%min}, until it is glossy and tacky and pulls away in one piece. This is the line the dish lives or dies on: the paste has to stay below 50°F (10°C) the whole way through. Warmer than that and the fat smears instead of emulsifying, and the roll comes out crumbly where it should be springy. If the bowl feels warm to a knuckle, stop and put the lot back in the freezer for ten minutes.

Wrap @&(~1)pork paste{} in @banana leaves{4%large}(rinsed, then passed over a flame until they go glossy) and again in foil, rolling it into a tight 2-inch log and tying both ends with #kitchen twine{}. Banana leaf is what makes it smell like the cold case; parchment and foil give the same texture and none of the perfume, which is a fair trade if you cannot buy the leaves.

Poach @&(~1)roll{} in @water{4%qt}(3.8 L; at a shiver, never a boil) ~poach{50%min}, until the centre reads 165°F (74°C).

Chill @&(~1)chả lụa{} ~chill{8%hr} before unwrapping. It slices clean and springs back under the knife only once it is cold the whole way through, which is also when it goes into a sandwich.