Description
Caramelized Vietnamese Pork brings a delightful taste of Hanoi right to your kitchen table. Tender meat sizzles with a sweet-savory glaze that makes dinner feel like a special culinary adventure.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
Aromatics:
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
Seasonings and Liquids:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Pat 2 pounds of pork shoulder cubes completely dry using paper towels to ensure perfect browning.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat at 375°F. Brown pork cubes in batches for 2-3 minutes per side without overcrowding.
- Reduce heat to medium. Sauté 1 large thinly sliced onion for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1-inch minced ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Create caramel by adding ½ cup sugar to pot’s center. Allow sugar to melt undisturbed until deep amber color develops, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Pour ¼ cup fish sauce into caramelized sugar, stirring quickly to combine and prevent crystallization.
- Mix in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce. Stir thoroughly to incorporate.
- Return seared pork to pot, coating completely with caramel sauce.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes over meat.
- Add 2 cups water or chicken broth, ensuring liquid nearly covers pork.
- Simmer at 225°F for 2-3 hours with lid on, until pork becomes extremely tender and easily shreds.
- Check liquid levels periodically, adding extra broth if pot becomes too dry.
- Remove lid and increase heat to medium. Reduce sauce for 20-30 minutes until thick and glaze-like, stirring frequently.
- Taste sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Plate over cooked rice, garnishing with 2 thinly sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, and pickled vegetables.
Notes
- Pat the meat completely dry before searing to ensure beautiful caramelization and prevent steaming instead of browning.
- Watch the caramel stage carefully since sugar can quickly burn and create bitter flavors when left unattended.
- For a lighter version, trim excess fat from the pork shoulder and use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce overall calorie content.
- When shredding the meat, use two forks to pull apart the tender pieces and distribute the rich caramel sauce evenly throughout the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Pork
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 433 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg