This Vietnamese Pork recipe is an epic Vietnamese food speciality that’s easy to recreate in your own home. Slow cooked tender pork pieces in a sticky savoury-sweet glaze, Vietnamese Caramel Pork is a magical way to transform pork shoulder into something exotic and spectacular. And it’s SO easy!
Complete your Vietnamese banquet with fresh Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls to start and a side of fluffy coconut rice. And don’t miss the chicken version – Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken!
Vietnamese Caramel Pork recipe
Vietnamese Caramel Pork is one of those gems that seem exotic, yet is unbelievably simple AND you can get everything you need at your local supermarket. The pork is braised until tender, and looks completely unimpressive until the last 5 minutes when it magically caramelises and turns into something that you’d pay serious $ for at a posh Asian restaurant.
It’s sweet yet savoury, and the pork is fork tender. It’s called Thit Kho To in Vietnamese, and it’s traditionally made with pork belly. Personally, I prefer making it with pork shoulder (butt) because I find pork belly too fatty.
I just realised – I call this “fork tender”, but I guess it’s more appropriate to say “chopstick tender”… 😂
The secret ingredient – coconut WATER
There is one ingredient in Vietnamese Caramel Pork that you may not have in your pantry but is sold in all major supermarkets nowadays – coconut water. If you’re into healthy smoothies, you may well have some stashed away!!!
It’s not expensive, $2 – $3 depending on where you get it (Asian grocer stores are cheaper), and it’s essentially the “secret ingredient” for this recipe.
It doesn’t really taste like coconut, it’s sort of salty and sweet. Which makes it ideal to use as the broth for this recipe.
Substitute for coconut water?
Make it with coconut milk! I’ve tried it, and it’s great. A little saucier, a little sweeter, with a slight coconut flavour and smell that you don’t get in the traditional recipe. See the Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken recipe which is made with coconut milk.
How to make this Vietnamese Pork
I promised you this is simple – and it really is, which you’ll see in the video. It goes down like this:
Put brown sugar and water in a pot, bring to simmer to make a caramel;
Add pork, fish sauce*, garlic and eschallots**
Simmer for 1.5 hours until the pork is tender. Then magically, the pot of pale brown meat pieces in a murky liquid suddenly transforms into bronzed pieces of delectable, ultra tender pork that just melts in your mouth.
* NO it will not taste fishy! It’s the Vietnamese version of soy sauce!
** French shallots, shallots, depending on where you live. The baby onions. 🙂
How to serve Vietnamese Caramel Pork
Because the glaze has quite a strong flavour, I like to serve this with plain white rice. Steamed jasmine rice would be on point.
And for a fresh side, a crunchy Asian Slaw would be very fitting – and the fresh flavour will be great to balance the richness of the pork. Or toss steamed vegetables or a garden salad with this Asian Sesame Dressing or the Nuoc Cham in this Lemongrass chicken recipe.
“This Vietnamese pork recipe is a Vietnamese food speciality. One bite, and you’ll understand why!”
I love recipes like this. Forgiving, tastes exotic, kapow! flavours. It sounds and looks exotic, but the flavours are universally appealing.
Asian Food Lovers – this is for YOU! It’s an absolute ripper that I think you’ll love! – Nagi x
Get your Vietnamese fix!
Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken – the chicken version of this recipe
Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill!
Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls – the super quick version of the above
Browse all Vietnamese recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Vietnamese Caramel Pork recipe video!
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Vietnamese Caramel Pork
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 kg / 2 lb pork shoulder (butt) or boneless skinless pork belly, cut into 3 cm / 1.2″ pieces (Note 1a)
- 1.5 cups / 375 ml coconut water (Note 1b)
- 1 eschallot / shallot , very finely sliced (Note 2)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Garnishes:
- Red chilli and finely sliced shallots/green onions
Instructions
- Place sugar and water in a large pot over medium heat. Stir, then when it bubbles and the sugar is melted (it looks like caramel), add the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir, then adjust the heat so it is simmering fairly energetically. Not rapidly, not a slow simmer (I use medium heat on a weak stove, between medium and low on a strong stove).
- Simmer for 1.5 hours, uncovered. Stir once or twice while cooking.
- At around 1.5 hours, when the liquid has reduced down and the pork is tender, (see Note 3 if pork is not yet tender), the fat will separate (see video).
- Stir and the pork will brown and caramelise in the fat.
- Once the liquid is all gone and it’s now stuck on the pork pieces, it’s ready.
- Serve over rice, garnished with fresh chilli and shallots. Simple pickled vegetables are ideal for a side because the fresh acidity pairs well with the rich pork.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
DON’T MISS…..
The chicken version made with coconut milk – Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken!
LIFE OF DOZER
Still his favourite toy. I swear, I can feel the attitude reverberating off him every time I see him bounding around in the backyard with this toy.
I made this some time ago. It was delicious! Just wondering if I can substitute honey for the brown sugar. And if so, same ratio?
Hi Meldy, I’m sure you could, I haven’t tried it however!
Made this tonight, it was SO good!! I’ll admit I was skeptical in the beginning when it looked like a drab gray soup, but it did exactly what you said it would and after an hour and a half I had beautiful, browned, SUPER TENDER pork. I’ll be making this again for sure!
I’m so glad you stuck with it Gina! x
I am a bit confused., On the ingredients list, it said 1 1/4 cups / 375 ml coconut water. 1 1/4 cup equals 295.7 ml. 375 ml equals 1.585 cup.
Oops – should be 315ml which equals 1 1/4 cup!
Cooked this tonight and it was amazing! Thanks from the UK… I love your blog
Awesome Chris!
I’m sorry, my last comment posted while I was trying to add stars! Please delete it, if you can I’ll repost my question:
Love, love, love your recipes, Nagi!
I’m thinking of cooking this for 15-20, thinking I’ll need to do it in 2 batches, how well does it reheat?
Hi Nagi! Love, love, love your recipes. Tossing up on doing this to feed 15 – 20 , so might have to do two batches, how does it go reheating?
I am making this right now and can’t wait for the “magic”!!!! I have made many of your recipes and they are always a hit! And might I add, they are simple yet ultra-flavorful. My food 9 times out of 10 looks just as good as your beautiful pictures! I absolutely LOVE your recipes. They are magical.
I hope you love it Teri!!! And I’m so glad that your dishes come out like in my photos, I HATE recipes that lie! 😂
This was amazing Nagi so easy yet so good! Thanks for another great recipe.
This recipe looks great!! Can I use coconut soda instead?? It’s what I have in my pantry
Dearest Nagi, I stumbled upon your site one late night while wrecking my brains for simple and affordable yet tasty dishes for my family; recipes which do not require fancy ingredients and are accessible to the most basic of home cooks. We have tried 4 of your dishes over the past 3 days and they are absolutely amazing! I just want to encourage you to keep up the wonderful work, and to know that your recipes are so deeply appreciated all around the world! xoxo
Thank you so much for your lovely message Lisa! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes! N x
Thank for this recipe it was amazing!
Do you think it can be done in a slow cooker?
Please post a kungpao chicken recipe 🙏🙏
I made this dish for dinner. My husband liked it. He just did not like the house smelling so fishy. I think the fish sauce I got was too strong.
Another great recipe Nagi, you have the gift, well done.
The only change I made was to add a big splodge of balsamic vinegar at the end, just to reduce the sweetness of the sugar, I’m not much of a sweet tooth.
Hi Nagi, I just made this for dinner! Can I just say I am so amazed that how you described the pork being “unimpressive” and then how the pieces “magically caramelises” actually happened in my kitchen! 🙂 I didn’t manage to simmer for 1.5hours, only managed 45mins. So they were tasty, but could afford to be more tender. Will try this again and maybe with your chicken recipe this time! THANKS again, Nagi!
Terrific to hear you enjoyed this!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know – N x
I love your recipes. Thank you so much for sharing.
You’re so welcome Mira! I’m glad you like them! 🙂 N x
That dish was just amazingly good!!
Followed your recipe and served with basmati rice and your pickled carrots and cucumber.
No words in my dictionary are good enough to tell you how great you are!!
Every recipe I have tried from your site has been a 10/10 !!!!!!
You are the best in the web world of cooking!!!
That’s terrific to hear Berny! So pleased you enjoyed this 🙂 PS You’re giving me a big head…
I don’t have any coconut water and don’t have time to head to the shops. Will it be ok without? I’ve made this a few times and love it!
Sorry Jen it’s kinda critical!
I ended up using coconut milk and it was delish!
This looks amazing! How long would you recommend cooking in a pressure cooker?
Hello from Costa Rica,
It is recommendable to prepare this dish for 24-30 people? Any special recommendation?
Thank you & Pura Vida!!
Hi Cinthya! Just don’t crowd the pot – so use large ones, and make them in multiple pots! It reheats great too 🙂
Thank you Nagi!!
Since your fish in lemon butter cream was such a hit at home, I came running back to your website. After trying both recipes, I’m convinced that you have magical powers, and you sprinkle pixie dust on anyone reading through your website! There’s no other way to explain how these incredibly simple recipes end up tasting so exotic and delicious! This pork reminded me of candied meat that I’ve had in Singapore and Malaysia, only way way better.
Seriously, you’re making my head grow SO BIG!!!
Allergic to fish oil what can I use to substitute.
Just soy sauce is fine 🙂