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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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 love this recipe (and so many of your others as well). Do you think this will freeze well? TIA
Do you need to cut the pork shoulder up in pieces? Can I just make the caramel and then put it all into a slow cooker with the pork shoulder whole and let it cook within the slow cooker on low or high for 2.5 hours?
Hi Ru, no you want it simmering away in the sauce as per the recipe so I would cut it up. N x
Could I use pork country style ribs for this? They’re just pretrimmed chunks of pork shoulder.
For sure will work.
Can I use coco sugar instead of brown sugar?
Hi D, coconut sugar should be fine here – N x
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make!
This is soooo delicious. I partnered it with white rice and your asian slaw. My 16 year old son cannot stop giving compliment on the combo.
Thank you, Nagi, for sharing all your delicious recipes.
Dozer is super cute!!!
Will this work in a pressure cooker?
Hi LL, not this one sorry! It needs to simmer and reduce to caramelise. N x
Made this tonight with pork belly and it was very very good. Loved the transition from simmering grey sloppy not very appetising stuff to dark, glistening mouthwatering chunks. I’ve been given permission to make this one again!
Many years ago I learned how to cook what I called ‘Viet-namese posrk from a lady I love very much. It was my favourite but when I moved to New Zealand (from the UK) I stayed in touch but lost my recie notes. I’m hoping that this Caramel Pork recipe, which is cooking as I write this, is going to be Tuyet Van’s dish.
Thank you so very much 🙂
Hi Nagi,
I made this succulent recipe yesterday night with the Asian slow salad. No words can justify just how delicious both of these dishes are. we cooked the pork for the full 1-1/2 hours as you suggested and true to your word the meat was so succulent. the sweet Caramel coating is mouth watering and the salad complimented this dish to perfection. No exaggeration, it was the tastiest salad we have ever eaten.
We had seconds tonight! 🙂
Thank you once more!
In the 70’s I met a wonderful Viet-namese family, with whom I’m still in touch, although we now live at opposite ends of the world. One of the dishes they taught me was this glorious caramelised pork belly but until 2-3 years ago, I couldn’t get coconot water where I lived and it never tastedquite right.
Now I can and finally, at last and to my great delight, I’m going to be able to make Dang Tuyet Van’s authentic recipe. Thank you SO much. xxxx I’ve waited a long time for this 🙂
I used only 85g of brown sugar and it still turned out way too sweet. Put in juice of half a lemon to counteract the sugar , some soy sauce, Thai chillies and about 2 cups of water and let it simmer till the sauce thickened. Turned out quite good but still a tad sweet for our taste.
Hi Vicky – this one is supposed to be sweet – it is a “Caramel Pork” 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi
I’m salivating…just like Dozer!!
Would pork rashers be too fatty?
They’re trimmed a little, but I’m thinking they’re similar to belly, so it should work??
Thanks for your wit and epic recipes
Many thanks jacqui
Hi Jacqui – that will work fine here!! N x
Hi Nagi, does this dish reheat well? I want to take to an international food night and will have to make at home first.
Hi Katrin, yes it does – I usually just microwave to reheat and it’s just as good 🙂 N x
I discovered you only a few months ago and now it seems that every time I Google search for any recipe, the top response is always one of yours. I’ve already made your recipes for Thai red curry with chicken, wild rice salad, laksa noodle soup, Greek chicken gyros, rissoles, and Vietnamese rice paper rolls. Tonight I’ll be making this and I’m confident it will be as delicious as every other recipe of yours! I think yours have become my new favourite go-to recipes. Keep it up, I’m loving your work!
Hi, Nagi. I can’t wait to make this recipe. Since it’s not as saucy, would you recommend a sauce I can make kn the side that pairs well and is a bit spicy? Thank you in advance.
Hi Shania, you could always make a Nuoc Cham to go with this – https://salesdock.info/vietnamese-chicken-noodle-bowl/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Wow! The sauce with the pork was INCREDIBLE. Thank you so much for your recommendation and this recipe. Along with the sauce, I made a spicy cucumber-radish-jalapeño pickle on the side. So good! This was the first Asian-style dish that I made and came out as it should. I can’t wait to make it again.
Such an easy recipe and so delicious! I cut up a piece of pork scotch roast and it cooked up very tender. Another keeper. Thanks Nagi.
Thank you so much for this delicious and simple recipe! It was my first attempt at Vietnamese pork and my husband was so happy with it, he said it was better than his favorite restaurant! I made your Asian slaw to go with it, and it was a great pairing.
Really great recipe! It’s a hit at my house. I use pork shoulder with cartilage since we love slow cooking it until the meat falls off the bone. I also used coconut soda since we just have that handy at home. The recipe is super delicious and we make it often! :]
Just made this tonight for my folks and it was fantastic. The line “pale brown meat pieces in a murky liquid suddenly transforms into bronzed pieces of delectable” was perfectly described 🙂 Thanks for the recipe.
Al