Vietnamese Caramalized Pork

Caramelized Pork

Instructions:

1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 pound pork belly or boneless pork shoulder (skinless or skin-on), cut-into 1-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large shallots, chopped
1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced
Rice for serving.

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of a medium- to large-sized sauce pot with the sugar. Place the pot over low heat. When the sugar melts and becomes amber-colored, add the water and fish sauce. (Don't worry if the sugar hardens upon contact with water; it will re-melt as it cooks, forming a sauce.) Add the pork and stir until coated. Raise the heat to medium low.

2. Add the salt. Simmer on medium-low heat for 25 minutes. Be sure to keep this at the lowest simmer possible for a more tender finished product.

3. Stir in shallots and and cook until translucent, another 5 to 7 minutes. The sauce should now be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If that’s not the case, turn the heat up a little and simmer for another 5 minutes until the sauce is further reduced.

4. Transfer to a deep serving dish and sprinkle the scallions on top. Serve with rice and/or other sides.

Cooking

Food & Drink

Charlotte Lee