Buzz
1. Horse Meat Gio
Horse Meat Gio - a specialty from the mountains of the Northwest, is a luxurious gift, particularly cherished during the Lunar New Year by connoisseurs of fine food. This Gio is not only valued for its high nutritional content but also for its natural medicinal benefits. The meat is tender and sweet, unlike tough beef, making Horse Meat Gio softer, more flavorful, and more nutritious, winning over even the pickiest eaters.
Ingredients:
- Horse meat (lean cuts such as tenderloin or hind leg): 1 kg
- Fresh lean pork: 500g
- Pork fat: 300g
- Seasonings: pepper, garlic, dill, fish sauce, salt, monosodium glutamate
- Banana leaves, strings
Instructions:
- Step 1: Prepare the ingredients for Horse Meat Gio: Clean the horse and pork meat, removing any tendons. Slice the meat thinly for easier grinding. Freeze the pork fat until firm, then chop it into small pieces and grind it along with the meat. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Clean the banana leaves with a damp cloth.
- Step 2: Grind the meat for the Gio: Place the sliced horse meat into the grinder, adding pork fat and spices. The grinding process is key to achieving the perfect texture. Grind until the mixture becomes smooth and slightly sticky, then stop.
- Step 3: Wrap the Gio: Wrapping Horse Meat Gio is similar to wrapping Gio Lua, using banana leaves. For convenience, you can wrap it in a thin layer of plastic before covering it with banana leaves to avoid sticking. Ensure the wrapping is tight to prevent air or water from getting in during cooking, which could affect the taste. For a more uniform shape, use bamboo sticks to secure the Gio.
- Step 4: Boil the Gio: After wrapping, place the Gio in a pot of water and boil for about 1 hour. You can place a heavy object on top to keep it submerged, ensuring even cooking. Once cooked, remove the Gio from the pot and let it cool before serving. It can be stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh longer.
As you can see, making Horse Meat Gio is simple and similar to making Beef Gio, but it has a more aromatic flavor. If you’ve mastered Beef Gio, you’ll find making Horse Meat Gio just as easy and delicious.
2. Pork Skin Gio
Pork Skin Gio is another delicious variety made from pork, commonly enjoyed during the Lunar New Year. However, not everyone knows how to make this dish. Let's join Mytour in the kitchen and learn how to prepare it!
Ingredients:
- Pork sausage filling: 300g
- Pork skin (pig's hide): 200g
- Wheat flour: 80g
- Annatto oil: 5 teaspoons
- Sugar: ½ teaspoon
- Seasoning powder: ½ teaspoon
- MSG: ½ teaspoon
- Ground pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Shallots: 3 bulbs
- Spring onions: a few stalks
- Coriander: a few sprigs
Instructions:
- Step 1. Prepare the ingredients: Chop the coriander and spring onions. Thinly slice the shallots and fry them until golden and crispy, then set aside. Clean the pork skin thoroughly, then blanch it in boiling water until it firms up. Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water and soak the pork skin in it to create a crispy texture. After soaking, rinse the skin again and drain it. Cut the pork skin into strips about 0.5cm thick.
- Step 2. Mix the ingredients for Pork Skin Gio: Combine the sausage filling, pork skin, coriander, spring onions, fried shallots, 2 tablespoons of wheat flour, sugar, seasoning powder, MSG, and ground pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Wrap the mixture in cling film and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Step 3. Wrap the Pork Skin Gio: Wash the banana leaves and sun-dry them for 2 hours to soften. Alternatively, blanch the banana leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to make them pliable. If you don’t have banana leaves, you can use aluminum foil. Lay a layer of cling film on a flat surface (a large plate or cutting board), and place the banana leaves on top. Place the mixture in the center and wrap it up, shaping it into a cylindrical or square form as preferred. Secure the wrap tightly with string.
- Step 4. Steam the Pork Skin Gio: Place the wrapped Pork Skin Gio in a steamer and steam for about 30 minutes. After steaming, remove the wrap and let it cool. Roll the Pork Skin Gio in wheat flour and brush it with a layer of annatto oil. Heat oil in a pan, and fry the Gio until golden and crispy on all sides. Once done, let it drain on paper towels. The Gio is now ready for serving.
- Storage: If you have leftover Pork Skin Gio, store it in the freezer for long-term preservation. When ready to eat, steam or fry it again. For short-term storage, place it in the refrigerator and reheat by frying or steaming. To serve, slice the Gio and pair it with a dipping sauce of salt, pepper, lime, and chili, along with pickled vegetables for an incredible treat. Enjoy making this Pork Skin Gio!
3. Tamarind Gio
Giò me Nghệ An, also known as giò bê, is a traditional dish made from tender, minced beef and its skin, wrapped in a thin layer of egg and steamed to perfection. This dish is made using all-natural ingredients, free of harmful additives, ensuring authentic flavors.
Ingredients:
- Fresh beef (meat): 1kg
- Beef skin: 300g
- Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Eggs: 2
- Pepper, cardamom
- Seasoning: Salt, stock powder...
Instructions:
- Step 1: Prepare the ingredients: Clean the beef, cut into large pieces, and marinate with seasonings such as salt, pepper, stock powder, fish sauce, and ground cardamom. Let the mixture marinate for 1 to 2 hours. Clean and finely grind the beef skin. Fry the eggs in a thin layer, not too thick, and avoid overcooking them.
- Step 2: Roll the giò: Once the ingredients are prepared, it’s time to roll the giò. The perfect giò must have three layers: a thin egg layer on the outside, followed by a layer of beef skin, and finally the minced beef in the center. Carefully layer each component: place the fried egg onto a banana leaf, add the ground beef skin, then the minced beef, and tightly roll it. If you struggle to shape it by hand, use a mold. Ensure the giò is tightly rolled to maintain its shape and presentation. Once the giò is formed, steam it until cooked.
- Step 3: Steam the giò: Place the rolled giò into a steaming pot and steam for 6 to 7 hours. This ensures the beef is cooked through, tender, and flavorful. Avoid steaming it too quickly or for too long as this can ruin the dish. After steaming, let it cool, then refrigerate it for at least one day before serving. This helps the giò retain its best flavor and texture.
- Final Product: The giò me Nghệ An, when ready, will have a delicious aroma of tender beef, the rich taste of egg, the crispy sweetness of beef skin, and the spicy, fragrant notes of pepper and cardamom.
4. Ostrich Sausage
In addition to traditional sausages like beef or pork sausage, ostrich sausage is a unique and exciting option for a family meal. Read on to learn how to make this delicious and simple dish at home!
Ingredients:
- Ostrich sausage: Made from 90% to 95% ostrich meat
- Pork skin
- Fish sauce, pepper, monosodium glutamate.
Instructions:
- Cut the ostrich meat into pieces, not too large or small, about the size of a matchstick.
- Combine the meat with its skin, cartilage, seasonings, fish sauce, pepper, and monosodium glutamate. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes, then steam it.
- When wrapping the sausage, press and tightly roll the meat into a neat bundle, ensuring it looks beautiful. Then place it in a steaming pot and steam for 12 hours, unlike traditional sausages, which are finely minced. As a result, the ostrich sausage is almost entirely made from ostrich meat, giving it a unique texture—soft yet firm and juicy.
Ostrich sausage can be enjoyed daily, served as a gift, or as a special treat during holidays, offering an extraordinary taste for you and your family.
5. Vietnamese Pork Sausage (Giò Lụa)
Ingredients:
- Pork: 1kg (Choose lean pork, preferably from the hind leg – using entirely lean pork may result in a drier sausage).
- Potato starch: 30g
- Baking powder: 5g
- Sugar: 10g
- Fish sauce: 40ml
- Salt: a pinch
- Room temperature water: 50ml
- Banana leaves and string for wrapping.
Instructions:
- First, clean and chop the pork into small pieces. Marinate with all the seasonings (except for the water) and place it in the freezer for about 2 hours.
- Using a meat grinder, grind the pork, then wrap it tightly and return it to the freezer for another 2 hours.
- After that, grind the pork once more, slowly adding a little water to create a smooth, fragrant sausage mixture.
- Next, prepare the banana leaves. After washing and cutting them, steam them slightly to make them more pliable for wrapping.
- Place the string on a clean surface, layer 4 to 5 banana leaves on top, and spread the sausage mixture evenly. Roll it into a long cylindrical shape, fold the ends securely, and tie them with the string, just like wrapping a rice cake.
- Note: Don’t wrap it too tightly, as the baking powder in the mixture will cause the sausage to expand when cooked, potentially causing the wrapping to burst.
- Next, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the wrapped sausage for 40-50 minutes. After cooking, take it out and drop it on the floor—if the sausage bounces back, it’s done.
- Hang the sausage to drain and let it dry before serving!
6. Pork Head Jelly (Giò Thủ Tai Heo)
Ingredients:
- 2 small pig ears (about 500g)
- 1/2 pig tongue (about 300g)
- Pig snout and lips (about 400g)
- 50g dried black fungus (wood ear mushrooms)
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
- 1 garlic bulb
- 3-4 shallots
- 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger or 1 small onion
- 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- 1 teaspoon seasoning powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (40° protein)
- Salt to taste
- Cooking oil
- Banana leaves
- Jelly mold
- Plastic wrap
Instructions:
- Prepare the ingredients for making pork head jelly: Clean the pig ears, tongue, and snout by scraping off hair and membranes with a sharp knife. Rinse them in saltwater and drain. In a pot of boiling water, add some salt and smashed ginger or a small onion, then cook the pork parts until just tender. Remove them and cool in cold water, then scrape off any remaining impurities. Slice the pork parts thinly to ensure a tender texture for the jelly.
- Soak the dried black fungus in warm water to rehydrate, then slice it finely.
- Simmer the fish sauce and sugar on low heat to reduce the fishy smell.
- Sun-dry the banana leaves for 20-30 minutes, or briefly dip them in hot water and dry them with a clean cloth.
- Clean and dry the jelly mold.
- Peel and crush the shallots, then rinse them.
7. Beef Jelly (Giò Bò)
Beef sausage (or Bò Chả) is a flavorful and enticing dish perfect for family meals. Follow this simple and easy-to-make recipe from Mytour to prepare a delicious Beef Sausage!
Ingredients: (For 4 servings)
- 1 kg beef
- 200 g pork fat
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 90 g crushed ice
- Seasonings: fish sauce, sugar, pepper, monosodium glutamate
- Tools: steamer, meat grinder
Instructions:
- Prepare the beef and pork fat: Clean the beef and freeze it for about 1-2 hours. Select 50g of pork fat, cut the remaining fat into small pieces, and freeze for 1-2 hours. Boil 150ml of water, add the 50g pork fat, and cook for about 3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon sugar. Let it cool and finely chop. Dry the mixture for about 1 hour in the wind or sun for a crisp texture. Cut the frozen beef into small pieces.
- Grind the beef: Place the chopped beef in a meat grinder and grind it finely. After grinding, put it in the freezer. Then, grind the frozen pork fat. Combine the ground beef and pork fat, blend well. Season with 30ml of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and 1/3 teaspoon of monosodium glutamate. Grind again to combine. Add 2 pieces of crushed ice and blend for 10 seconds. Stir gently with chopsticks to ensure the mixture stays light. Repeat this step 3 times until the texture is smooth and sticky. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of baking powder to the mix.
- Season the beef sausage: Clean and chop the dill. Place a bowl with ice to cool it down and then discard the ice. Add the minced sausage mixture, then add the dill and dried pork fat, mixing well to combine the ingredients.
- Wrap the Beef Sausage: Clean the banana leaves, boil them for a while to soften, or hold them over fire for easier wrapping. Layer 2-3 banana leaves on top of each other, lining them with high-temperature plastic wrap. Brush a layer of oil on the banana leaves, scoop the sausage mixture in the center, and tightly roll the leaves around it. Fold both ends and secure with string, tightening it slightly.
- Steam the Beef Sausage: Bring a pot of water to a boil and steam the sausage. When the water reaches a light simmer, place the sausage inside. Cover the pot and steam for 5 minutes on high heat. Once the sausage expands, reduce the heat and steam for another 15 minutes. Flip the sausage to ensure even cooking and steam for another 10-15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the sausage covered for an additional 10 minutes. Let the sausage cool naturally to allow the juices to reabsorb into the sausage, preserving the freshness and natural sweetness of the beef. After cooling, slice the sausage into bite-sized pieces.
- Result: The Beef Sausage is delicious, chewy, and rich with the natural flavor of beef and the subtle fattiness of pork fat. Add a pinch of salt and pepper for extra flavor!
