Caramelised Vietnamese Shredded Beef with Crispy Golden Lemongrass Edges

High cooking temperatures make crispy areas in the sugared lemongrass mixture coating shredded beef. Benefits of high cooking temperatures include a moister shredded beef product in a Vietnamese food dish with sweet and savory, garlicky flavors and both soft and crispy textures.

The marinade ingredients are minced garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, vegetable oil, and lemongrass paste. Brown sugar in the marinade helps develop a caramelized crust on the brisket. Other marinade ingredients (lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce) provide sweet, salty, and sour flavors, as specified in the recipe. Leftover cooked brisket makes good meat for this recipe, though other leftover cooked meats with neutral or Asian flavors may also work well. Leftover cooked meats chilled to serving temperature should be reheated and shredded or chopped before marinating.

In a skillet, cook half of the marinated meat in an even layer without turning until browned. Lightly brown the other side of the meat in the same skillet. The purpose of browning the other side is to warm the meat and add only a touch more browning. The disadvantage of cooking meat in a crowded skillet is that lower temperatures keep moisture on the surface of the meat and prevent browning.

Serve the dish with rice or noodles and lime wedges or Nuoc Cham. Suggested toppings: cilantro, green onions, chiles, cucumbers, and peanuts. The article suggests serving the dish hot and sizzling, with juicy beef that can be enjoyed right away with just lime juice.