Grilled Sausage on Lemongrass Skewer (Nem Lụi Huế)

Hue Grilled Sausage on Lemongrass Skewer - or Nem Lụi Huế - is one of the most beloved dishes from Hue, a beautiful ancient city in central Vietnam. Known for its imperial history and rich culinary heritage, Hue's food is often complex, balancing sweet, savoury, spicy and umami flavours in every bite. This dish is no exception.

Believe it or not, I've never been to Hue. It's been on my list for years, and I always planned to visit during one of my trips back to Vietnam. But, as life would have it, other things always took over. That hasn't stopped me from falling in love with Hue cuisine though. It's one of the most celebrated regional cuisines in Vietnam, known for its depth of flavour and exquisite presentation.

Wherever I go in Vietnam, whether in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, there's always a Hue restaurant to be found. And every single time, the first dish I order is Nem Lụi Huế.

This dish is not just about the grilled meat, it's about the whole experience. The lemongrass does more than act as a skewer - it infuses the pork and prawn mixture with its delicate fragrance. Once grilled, the sausage develops a smoky, slightly sweet and deeply savoury flavour with a hint of spice. You don't just eat the sausage on its own. Instead, you wrap it in rice paper with rice noodles, crunchy vegetables like cucumber, carrots, peppers, pineapple and fresh herbs, then dip it into a tangy, sweet and spicy sauce. Trust me - once you start rolling and dipping, you won't stop.

Let's get into how to make this flavour-packed dish at home.

Ingredients for Hue Grilled Sausage on Lemongrass Skewer

To make this dish, you will need:

For the sausage

• Vietnamese pork sausage meat - if you prefer homemade, check out my homemade Vietnamese sausage meat from this recipe. This is the same base mixture before it's rolled into sausage form.
• Pork mince - I opt for 12% fat to keep the sausages juicy.
• Prawns - Blended into a fine paste for extra flavour and texture.

For the marinade

• Dark brown sugar
• Fish sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Paprika powder
• Tapioca flour
• Ground black pepper
• Annatto seed oil (learn how to make annatto seed oil from this recipe)
• Garlic and onion juice (To extract the juice, mince garlic and onion, place in a herb bag or muslin cloth, and squeeze. This ensures a smooth sausage texture).

How to make Hue Grilled Sausage on Lemongrass Skewer

Prepare the sausage mixture

In a stand mixture fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the pork sausage meat, pork mince, prawn paste and all the marinade ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until everything is well incorporated. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can mix by hand - just wear food-safe gloves and knead for a few minutes until the mixture is smooth.

Cover the sausage mixture and let it rest in the fridge for 2 hours. This helps the flavour develop and makes it easier to handle.

Prepare the lemongrass skewers

Using a meat tenderiser or the back of a knife, lightly bruise each lemongrass stalk to help release its natural fragrance during grilling.

Take a portion of the chilled sausage mixture and shape it around each lemongrass stalk, squeezing gently to ensure it sticks well. Repeat until you've used up all the sausage mixture.

Cooking the skewers

Arrange the skewers in a single layer inside an air fryer basket.

In a small bowl, mix annatto seed oil and honey. Brush this over the sausages to give them a beautiful golden colour as they cook.

Air fry at 180-200°C for 8 minutes. Flip, brush with more annatto oil and honey, then cook for another 4-5 minutes until the sausages are golden.

How to serve Nem Lụi Huế

Once cooked, slice the sausage off the lemongrass stalks and cut each sausage into strips.

Next, prepare the dipping sauce by mixing: 1 part fish sauce, 1 part lime juice, 1 part sugar, 5 parts water and finely chopped chilli for a spicy kick.

It's always more fun to let everyone roll their own wraps at the table. To roll, take a rice paper sheet and layer on:

• A strip or two of grilled sausage
• Rice noodles
• Cucumber, carrot, pineapple, fresh herbs and lettuce

Roll it up tightly, dip into the sauce and enjoy the burst of sweet, savoury, tangy and spicy flavours in every bite!

Final thoughts

Hue cuisine is known for its complexity and balance of flavours, and Nem Lụi Huế is no exception. The grilled sausage, infused with lemongrass, brings smoky richness while the fresh vegetables and tangy dipping sauce add a refreshing contrast. It's the kind of dish that turns every bite into an experience.

Let me know if you try this recipe and don't forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.

Happy Cooking!