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.
Hello Nagi, Dozer, looks YUMI !! Will try this one and its Fork tender for Me. Enjoy Tasi!!!
Dozer says WOOF back!! 🐶
This looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it. I like that you used pork sholde rinstead of belly.
Thanks Sue! I really prefer shoulder in this rather than belly 🙂 N x
Nagi this looks and sounds so good. Just when I thought I knew everything about Vietnamese food I read “Caramel Pork” in my inbox and here I am, learning about more awesome Vietnamese foodie stuff! And using coconut water to make the sauce….. Mind. Blown! 😀
Coconut water is so great, perfect to use as a broth cause it’s salty as well as sweet! I actually don’t like the taste of it at all, but it’s PERFECT to use for cooking!
This looks so delicious and enticing. I’m not a big pork fan, but I am going to try this one. Glad you used pork shoulder and that it turned out so moist and tender. Pork belly is good but I agree, a bit too fatty, and too rich for a whole meal.
I agree Kim! I think belly works well for roasting so the fat drips down. 🙂 Just personal taste, I guess! N x
Can’t wait to try this. You always have the best recipes. Thanks again.
Thanks Brendan! Hope you do try this, it is so good! N x
Sounds like I need to make a trip to buy ingredients. This looks scrumptious and also pretty easy to make. My kind of cooking!
I just love Dozer! He is seriously into that toy!
He’s obsessed with it, all that ATTITUDE!!! 😂
Hi, Nagi–
You could probably cut the sugar in half if you use Splenda Brown Sugar mixture. And maybe low-sodium soy instead of fish sauce?
It looks delicious, but unless we can lower the sugar and salt, it’s not for us. 🙁
Hmm, I’m not familiar with Splenda! And yes you can use low sodium soy 🙂 N xx
I am so VERY glad I found your site. I need to go shopping for all ingredients, Keep them coming and I love the pictures of Dozer. I have not tried this yet, the 5 stars are for my salivating over your pictures.
LOVE hearing that!! 😂
Nagi, I just got an Instant Pot that I’m just learning to use. I wonder if you have one (if not yet, I’ll bet you will sooner or later). This looks like a wonderful recipe (my mouth watered just looking at the photos) and the process might be great in an Instant Pot. If I get brave enough to try it in an IP I’ll let you know.
Hi Barbara! Does IP have a simmer function without the lid? If so, then YES!!
I prefer to use Palm sugar I buy the round cakes of it put it in an oven set on warm so it can be broken up easily I weigh it as opposed to a measuring cup the taste difference is subtle but delishious
Camille! That’s so wonderful to hear, I am absolutely trying this with palm sugar next time!! N xx
Hi,, Nagi, I also wondered if this would work with chicken or beef, with cooking time adapted as needed. I do have recipes for Vietnamese Caramel Chicken, but I’d like to try your version.
Hi Marlene – counting down the DAYS!!! Yup works with beef, added a note about this. For chicken it requires more adjustment and I find it works better with coconut milk in a skillet, rather than in a pot. It’s SO GOOD! I plan to share the chicken version soon!
Hi Nagi! What an interesting dish, such lovely, sticky chunks of pork! This is a must make soon!
Interesting is right! But flavour that I bet you will love, I call this a “universally appealing” dish! 😂
Hi. So…we like things saucy in our house. But I would think that increasing the sauce would keep the park from being properly caramalized. I’ll make it as written. If the family feel like they need a sauce, what would you recommend? Or is it saucy enough to at least coat th rice? Thanks!!
Hi Bryn! I hear ya, I’m usually a saucy gal too! I would use the option making this with coconut MILK instead, see note 1b. You still won’t get sauce but there is more wet coating on the pieces of pork which will coat in the rice. This recipe made with coconut water is not like that BUT the pork is fork tender and juicy AND loaded with flavour, so actually, you want to shovel in rice with every bite of pork too, otherwise the pork alone is pretty strong flavoured. If that makes sense? I tender to sort of smush up the pork into shreds and mix it throughout the rice 🙂 N x
Amazing…can’t wait to try…Do you think this would work with pork tenderloin????
Hi Lyn! I’m sorry but that’s too lean for this recipe 🙂 I added a new Note 1 a) with a list of cuts and proteins suitable for this recipe! N xx
I’d love to try this but we have a very severe fish allergy in our house. Can I substitute soy sauce or just leave it out completely? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Karen! I think 2 tbsp of light or all purpose soy sauce will be terrific sub 🙂 N x
Thank you! Can’t wait to try it this weekend!
Hi Nagi could this be done in the slow cooker?
I’m sorry, no it can’t Sue, it needs the lid off to evaporate 🙂 (Unless you can simmer in the slow cooker without the lid??)
In the ground pork version of this recipe I see you can add lemongrass with the garlic. Would that apply to this recipe too?
Hi Lee! This long cook version doesn’t need it because the long cook time is how it gets that beautiful depth of flavour. I felt that the quick version needed more flavour which is why I added it. N x
Ha – I SWEAR you are right inside my head sometimes, Nagi! I just wrote this very recipe idea down today in my little book of ideas!
This looks and sounds just incredible. I didn’t know about the coconut water!
NO WAY!!! Now, don’t tell me…. are you doing a chicken version soon?? 😂
You make it so easy to cook with your notes and subs. All I will need is coconut water and It’s tonight’s dinner. Love the pictures of Dozer. Thank You
Oooh I really hope you love this Mary!! Thank you for trying my recipes – N x
Hi Nagi,
Is it possible to use beef (which part?) instead of pork?
I love this dish. But my mum put toooo much fish sauce in it. I would like to try it on my own. But pork is not my favourite meat
Hi Anne! I just added a new note 1a for beef 🙂 Chuck, brisket and gravy beef will all be great!