Description
Savory and herby, this Vietnamese pork blood sausage is perfect for offal porridge (cháo lòng) or on its own as an appetizer. This recipe yields 4 large sausages (about 1-1/2 inch wide and 7 inches long).
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Pork Mixture
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 12 oz raw pork blood
- 4 cups fresh herbs leaves (roughly chopped; see notes)
- 3 tablespoons minced lemongrass
- 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2-4 red chili peppers (thinly sliced)
Pork Casings
- 2 lbs pork large intestines (see notes)
- 1/2 cup salt (for cleaning)
- 1 cup vinegar (for cleaning)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (for cleaning)
Seasonings
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon MSG
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the Intestines: Wear disposable gloves and clean the large intestines thoroughly, inside and out. Start with a bit of salt, vinegar, and flour. Rub and massage well. Flip the intestines inside out and scrub with the mixture as well, then rinse. Repeat as needed using more salt, vinegar, and flour. Trim off excess fat along the inside.
- Make the Sausage Filling: In a bowl, mix ground pork, pork blood, herbs, aromatics and seasonings until evenly combined.
- Blanch the Intestines: In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add ginger slices, shallots, and coriander seeds or whole ground black pepper if you have them. Blanch the cleaned intestines for 30 seconds to help them tighten. Remove and drain well. Set the boiling mixture aside while you make the sausage.
- Stuff the Intestines: Tie one end of the large intestine with cooking twine. Use a funnel or spoon to fill the intestines with the pork mixture. After every few spoonfuls, gently push the filling down to distribute it evenly. You can create smaller sausages by twisting sections of the intestine to form links. Tie the other end when you’re done stuffing, then pierce the sausage evenly with a toothpick.
- Boil the Sausage: Return to the pot and bring the water to a low simmer if needed. Add the sausages and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towels.
- Pan-Fry & Serve: In a large skillet, add a thin layer of neutral oil. Pan-fry the sausage (in batches if needed) until crispy and golden on all sides. You can store the sausages in the fridge until you’re ready to make offal porridge or slice them up to enjoy as an appetizer with Vietnamese ginger fish sauce (nước mắm gừng).
Notes
Fresh herbs that you can use: mint (any variety), perilla, Vietnamese balm, Thai basil, cilantro, green onions, culantro, Vietnamese coriander, and rice paddy herbs. Use whatever herbs you have on hand or prefer, like Vietnamese coriander and Thai basil. Green onions and cilantro are the basic must-haves if you prefer simpler flavors.
If you can’t find pork large intestines, you can use large hog casings. which may be smaller and require a stuffing machine.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese