Caramelized Pork Belly (Thit Kho)

Rating: 4.4 stars
10 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 4
  • 4 star values: 6
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0

This dish is very popular in Vietnamese households for everyday eating but is also traditionally served during Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. The longer you cook the pork belly, the more tender it becomes. If you make this dish ahead, the fat will congeal on the surface, making it easier to remove, and a little healthier! This also allows the flavors to meld a little more. Serve with rice.

By Pat

Gallery

Recipe Summary

prep:
20 mins
cook:
1 hr 13 mins
additional:
10 mins
total:
1 hr 43 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
6 servings
Nutrition Info
Advertisement

Ingredients

6
Original recipe yields 6 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Slice pork belly into 1-inch pieces layered with skin, fat, and meat.

    Advertisement

  • Heat sugar in a large wok or pot over medium heat until it melts and caramelizes into a light brown syrup, about 5 minutes. Add pork and increase heat to high. Cook and stir to render some of the pork fat, 3 to 5 minutes.

  • Stir shallots and garlic into the wok. Add fish sauce and black pepper; stir to evenly coat pork. Pour in coconut water and bring to a boil. Add eggs, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until pork is tender, about 1 hour.

  • Remove wok from the heat and let stand, about 10 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface of the dish.

Cook's Note:

Check occasionally while the pork is simmering that the liquid doesn't evaporate too much. Add water a little at a time if sauce seems to be drying out.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
410 calories; protein 26.7g; carbohydrates 15.6g; fat 26.3g; cholesterol 266.8mg; sodium 1831.6mg. Full Nutrition
Advertisement

Reviews (7)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

ary0805
Rating: 4 stars
06/18/2016
It was a little too sweet for my liking, ended up adding water to bring down the sweetness. I also added two star anise to give it some additional flavor (just like my mom made). Overall, good recipe, I would make again. Read More
Helpful
(5)
10 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 4
  • 4 star values: 6
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 0
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
ary0805
Rating: 4 stars
06/18/2016
It was a little too sweet for my liking, ended up adding water to bring down the sweetness. I also added two star anise to give it some additional flavor (just like my mom made). Overall, good recipe, I would make again. Read More
Helpful
(5)
Kwistina
Rating: 4 stars
11/01/2016
This was very good, but you do have to watch the sugar carefully or it will quickly go from cartelized to a hard, burnt lump. Yes, that was my mistake . . . second try was better, but my vietnamese husband still added 2 TB of chicken marinade for coloring. Very easy, and, according to my spouse, very authentic. Read More
Helpful
(2)
amynguyen
Rating: 5 stars
05/19/2020
This is really great! I do add about a tbsp or two of hoisin sauce to give it colour. It tastes the best immediately but if you put it in the fridge overnight you can take out the cooled fat easily the next morning. Read More
Helpful
(1)
Advertisement
TyeDubrule
Rating: 4 stars
03/11/2017
This recipe is great. Be careful not to overcook the eggs and also understand that 'shallots' is not a unit of measurement. The shallots I bought from the store were much bigger than average a fact I was not aware of until I finished the recipe and realized I had way too much in the recipe! Read More
Helpful
(1)
b_koo916
Rating: 4 stars
03/18/2020
I added the suggested sugar amount and mixed it with water to get the carmelized color. However, it wasnt enough to give it the brown coloring. I ended up adding a dash of soy sauce and also threw in lemongrass. The lemongrass was definitely a nice touch. Meanwhile, I tried cooking the pork for an hour at low, but it was not getting tender. Hence, I just turned it up to medium heat until the meat and fat tenderized. Read More
Helpful
(1)
Kara Kidd
Rating: 5 stars
05/02/2019
When i carmelized the sugar i had trouble because the recipe didnt say put anything with it. so i added some butter at it worked! Read More
Advertisement
Abdullah Arjomand
Rating: 4 stars
03/07/2017
(3/6/16) Easy used thin cut pork belly without skin subbed onion for shallot thickened sauce with corn starch Read More
Advertisement
© Copyright 2021 allrecipes.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.allrecipes.com 03/06/2021