These grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork ribs are succulent, tender, and rich in umami flavor.

The weather finally warmed up for us to dust off our grill last weekend. When it’s nice outside, we love to grill and enjoy a casual dinner in the garden. Growing up in Vietnam, the closest thing I had to a grill was a small, rustic charcoal brazier. As a child, I helped my mom keep the fire going by fanning it until my arms were about to fall off. Fancy grills like the Weber grills did not exist. When we bought our house, we ditched our George Foreman grill for the real deal. The sensory experience of dealing with a live fire from a charcoal grill brings back so many nostalgic moments from my childhood. We grill pretty much everything but hands down Vu’s favorite is Vietnamese lemongrass pork ribs.

Ingredient Notes:
- Lemongrass: Lemongrass is a common ingredient used in Vietnamese cooking. Large pieces are smashed and added as an aromatic in soups like bun bo Hue, bo kho, and curry whereas finely chopped pieces work as a marinade to lend incredible fragrance and texture to the protein used. Much of the lemongrass’s flavor is concentrated in its lower, cane-like stalks. Look for firm, pale-green stalks with fat, bulbous bottoms. Trim off the spiky tops and the bases and crush the stalks with the side of a knife to release their aromatic oils. It does take a bit of elbow grease to chop all those lemongrass stalks by hand but I promise the result is totally worth it.
- Aromatics: besides the lemongrass, a combination of shallots and scallion will add flavor to the
- Fish sauce: some of my favorite brands are Three Crabs, Flying Lion Premium Fish Sauce, and Red Boat Fish Sauce.
How Long to Marinate the Pork Ribs
These pork ribs were marinated overnight in a bath of chopped lemongrass, shallots, scallions, fish sauce, sesame oil, and sugar to infuse those beautiful flavors. Marinate them for a minimum of 12 and maximum of 48 hours for the best flavor.
Tips for Grilling Ribs
Over the years, we have learned that the low and slow method works best. Vu would place the coals on one side of the grill, let the temperature rise to about 375 degrees F before tossing any meat on it. The rack of ribs is placed on the side without the coals to cook for 90 minutes. By using indirect heat, the result is a tender piece of meat without the seared black marks signaling inconsistent cooking. We let the ribs rest so the juices can redistribute before slicing them.

The amalgamation of flavors from the marinade combined with the smoky flavor make these ribs completely irresistible. Vu could devour half a rack in one sitting but I like to pair them with a simple bowl of jasmine rice and grilled vegetables. These grilled Vietnamese pork ribs are succulent, tender, and finger licking good and perfect for a casual dinner or weekend get together with family and friends.
If you want more Vietnamese grilling inspiration, check out these recipes: Vietnamese broken rice with grilled lemongrass pork chops, Vietnamese grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves, Vietnamese grilled pork noodle bowl.

Grilled Vietnamese lemongrass pork ribs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds extra tender pork back ribs
- ½ cup fish sauce
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 6 stalks of fresh lemongrass
- 2 banana shallots, coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch of scallions, green and white parts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the hot water, fish sauce, sugar, and oil together.
- To make the marinade, trim the lemongrass stalks, leaving about 6 inches from the bottom. Peel the outer leaves and use only the tender bulb. Slice them into rings first then use a very sharp knife to finely mince.
- Chop the shallots and scallions coarsely.
- Add the lemongrass, shallots, scallion, and pepper to the liquid mixture and whisk to combine.
- Place the slab of ribs with the meat side facing the bottom of a baking pan and pour the marinade over it. Cover and let it marinade overnight or at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.
- When ready to grill, remove the slab from the fridge while you prepare the grill. Set up the charcoal grill by placing coals on one side and lighting them. Rake the coals to create a flat even bed to create an even steady heat zone.
- Once the coals have burned down to about 375 degrees F, place the meat over the coals to sear for a minute on each side.
- Move the meat to the opposite side lined with heavy duty foil and cook for about 90-100 minutes, basting every now and then with the marinade and flipping it.
- Let the ribs rest for 15 minutes before slicing between each ribs. Serve immediately with jasmine rice and your favorite vegetables.
Lisa
It's so delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Joe
There was a lot of chopping but totally worth it!
Maria
thanks so much for this recipe - best ribs we ever had.
we were short on time, so we marinated for about one hour, then cooked the ribs in the instant pot using the marinade as the liquid (25 minutes on high pressure/natural release), then finished on a hot grill.
vytran24
Maria, I'm so happy to hear you liked the ribs! I don't have an Instapot but will definitely let my friends who own one know so they can try it!
Gary
The flavor was spot on. I made a double batch of this. Thanks for the recipe!
MB
This was so good! I used both the marinade for ribs and chicken!
Pat
I loved how they turned out with the lemongrass flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Thuy
One of the best ribs we've had and so easy to make!
Brian
They turned out so good! Will try the marinade with other meats.
Kim
Delicious ribs! They came out moist and fragrant.
Isa
Loved how moist and fragrant they turned out.
Binh
I've made this four times already with both chicken and pork ribs. So good each time!
Bonnie Adachi
Can these be made in a crock pot?
Vy Tran
Hi Bonnie! I've only grilled them. I have made these in the air fryer and Instant Pot but not crock pot. You could probably try the crock pot but would need to use the cooking time from a similar recipe for ribs and use the marinade. However, I would add in another 1/4 cup of water with the crockpot or the ribs might turn out too salty.
Sara
Hello, you said you made this recipe with an air fryer instead of grilling; could you please suggest some tips for air frying? Thank you!
Vy Tran
Hi Sara! I have the instant pot duo crisp and usually cook the ribs at 350 degrees for about 5-7 minutes on each side depending on how thick it is. I cut them into single ribs to make it easier. I hope that helps!
Ana
So easy and delicious to make! I can't wait to try the marinade with chicken too.
Tuong
I've made this a few times already. The lemongrass flavor was so good!
Son
Easy to make and so good!
Anh
They turned out so flavorful and moist. There was not a single rib left!
John
Can't get enough of these ribs. We always double the recipe whenever we make it.
Tom
The best grilled Vietnamese pork ribs!
Diana
So glad grilling season is back so we can make these ribs. We use the marinade for both the pork ribs and the pork chops. We've been making them since last year and they always turn out delicious!
JSCM
Can these be made in an oven if we don't have a grill? Thanks!
Vy Tran
Hi! I've tried roasting them in the oven before but it won't have the same effect as the grill. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap the ribs in foil and place them on a baking rack. Roast them in the oven for 2 hours until tender. At the end to get it caramelized, broil the ribs for about 3-4 minutes. I hope it works out.
Kathy p
Do you think we can seat it on the stove first with an iron cast pan and throw it into the oven? I don’t have a grill either 🙁 or I’m wondering if adding liquid smoke will help the ribs have the aromatics of the grill.
Vy Tran
Hi Kathy! You could try that. I have a gas stove and a blowtorch and have used both to add that smoky flavor to the ribs after cooking when I don't want to grill. I've also used the air fryer to cook the ribs although the smoky flavor is not pronounced, they're still delicious.
Ben
I've just tried your recipe this weekend and the ribs were so delicious. The meat turned out fragrant and moist.
Erin
the flavor is so good with the lemongrass! We've used this marinade for pork ribs, pork chops, and chicken.
Trieu
So good! I've made this a few times already and the marinade works well for other meats too.
Michael
This is my second year grilling these ribs. It's a must for grilling season. We also use the marinade for pork chops and chicken.
Tuyet
This turned out so good! I also used the marinade for pork chops and chicken. The lemongrass gave it a lot of flavor.
SD
Easy and so flavorful!
Chu
A favorite for grilling season along with the pork chops!
Stephanie
Delicious! And my husband’s favorite dish! Will this also work with frozen lemongrass?
Vy Tran
Yay! That's a huge compliment! And yes it works with frozen lemongrass although the flavor might not be as strong as using fresh ones.