Best Michael Bao Huynhs Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Recipes

MICHAEL BAO HUYNH'S VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED PORK

Michael Bao Huynh's Vietnamese Caramelized Pork image

Thit kho to - a sticky-sweet pork dish with funky undertones of nuoc mam - is often served on Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese New Year and the nation's most important holiday. This recipe is adapted from Michael Bao Huynh, a chef and restaurateur who came to the United States as a refugee in 1982. Thit kho to is traditionally made with pork belly, but it can also be made with pork shoulder butt (as shown in the photo) - a lighter though no less delicious alternative. Serve the meat over a pile of snowy white rice with a bottle of hot pepper sauce nearby.

Provided by Dana Bowen

Categories main course

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 pounds pork belly or butt, sliced into thin, inch-long strips
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 heaping teaspoons minced garlic
1 dash sesame oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced
4 scallions, sliced, green part only
Rice for serving

Steps:

Cover bottom of a large, heavy skillet with one cup sugar and place over medium low heat. As soon as it melts and turns golden, add pork, raise heat to medium, and stir until coated. (Sugar will become sticky and may harden, but it will re-melt as it cooks, forming a sauce.)
Stir in remaining sugar, salt, pepper and fish sauce. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in garlic and oil and lower to simmer to reduce sauce for about 20 minutes.
Stir in Vidalia onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Pork should be caramelized; if not, raise heat and sauté while sauce further reduces. Transfer to serving bowl, and sprinkle with scallion greens.

THIT HEO KHO TRUNG (PORK AND EGGS IN CARAMEL SAUCE)

Thit Heo Kho Trung (Pork and Eggs in Caramel Sauce) image

Tet is for savoring abundance, which explains why this rich, savory braise of pork and eggs in bittersweet caramel sauce is a must-have on many southern Vietnamese Lunar New Year menus. It's an extravagant treat. Pork leg with the skin attached (fresh ham) is the cut of meat traditionally used, but pork shoulder or belly also offers the delicious balance of fat and lean meat. The eggs lend an interesting contrast of chewy white and buttery yolk, while the sauce featuring coconut water is softly sweet. Searing the meat and including peppercorns are modern touches that induce greater complexity. The cook time can be cut nearly in half by making the braise in a pressure cooker. Crunchy pickled bean sprout salad is the traditional accompaniment, along with plenty of rice. Stir-fried greens can be served alongside too.

Provided by Andrea Nguyen

Categories dinner, meat, main course

Time 2h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus more as needed
1/8 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, belly or leg (see Tip)
2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 cups unsweetened coconut water, strained if pulpy
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
2 fresh Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced (optional)

Steps:

Make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the 1/4 cup sugar, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar nearly dissolves, 60 to 90 seconds. Cook without stirring until the mixture turns champagne yellow, about 3 minutes, then continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, frequently picking up the pan and swirling it to control the caramelization. When the mixture is a dark tea color (expect faint smoking), turn off the heat and keep the pan on the burner. Let the caramelization continue until the mixture is burgundy in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the pan to a cool burner and add 3 tablespoons water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Warm over medium heat to loosen, if needed.
Cut the pork into chunks about 1-inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long, making sure each piece has both lean meat and fat. Warm the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in 2 or 3 batches, cook the pork on all sides until lightly browned, about 1 minute per batch, holding the seared meat on a plate. When done, return all the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, then add the caramel sauce, fish sauce, onion, garlic, peppercorns and coconut water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim the scum, then adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until a knife tip inserted 1/4 inch into the pork meets little resistance, about 1 1/4 hours.
Use tongs to retrieve the pork and hold in a bowl, loosely covered to prevent drying. If peppercorns cling to the pork, leave them for zing, or knock them off and discard. To quickly filter and remove fat from the cooking liquid, set a mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl, line with a double layer of paper towels and pour the liquid through. After most of the liquid passes through and a layer of fat remains above the solids, set the strainer aside. (Save the fat for cooking if you like.) You should have about 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
Return the liquid to the pot, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, then add the pork and eggs. Cook, gently stirring now and then, to heat through and coat with the dark sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest 5 minutes, uncovered, to concentrate flavors. Taste and add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of fish sauce or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or both, as needed for a pleasant savory-sweet finish. Transfer to a shallow bowl for serving. Invite diners to halve the eggs themselves. If you'd like spicy heat, gently smash the chiles in individual dishes for dipping sauce with some sauce from the pot, and use it to dip the pork and egg or to drizzle into the bowls.