For the past few months, I’ve been relying on Instacart for most of my grocery needs. One of my recent orders, I asked for a pork butt roast for my annual Irish cider roast pork. Unfortunately (or fortunately???), the shopper grabbed pork rib for barbecue instead! Instacart is awesome for these kinds of mistakes and offered a refund, no problem. But, I still had this pork that I had absolutely no plans for on my upcoming menu.
I absolutely will not waste food that is purchased by mistake unless it is just something I really don’t like or fresh produce for which I cannot find a use before it goes bad. Well, as y’all know, my family is all about Asian food! I’ve particularly been feeling Vietnamese food lately. My time over there with my son was so enjoyable, and the food so delicious, that it’s one of the first Asian cuisines I turn to when contemplating a new dish.
Vietnamese caramelized pork popped into my head, and I knew that would be the perfect use of this oopsy purchase. I know there are a ton of ways to make caramelized pork online. Many require you to cook the sugar until it caramelizes… which is a process that seems straightforward enough. But let me tell you, even the seasoned pros can struggle with it (ever watch The Great British Bake Off??? Case in point).
Also, it’s not like we’re trying to create actual caramel for a dessert item. We want our pork to be caramelized… so the process of creating a caramel seems unnecessary, to me anyway. I also see people calling for an unearthly amount of sugar, which is, again, so unnecessary! I want to eat pork for dinner, not sugar. Save dessert for after your meal. Or before your meal, if that’s your thing. But let’s not have dessert for actual dinner, yeah?
Another common Vietnamese caramelized pork calls for ground pork. That’s all and good, but there is something delectable about pork rib meat that ground pork cannot even come close to. Caramelized ground pork is a great meal to make on a budget. But for not that much more money, getting pork rib meat takes an average dish to a heavenly dish!
That all said, making Vietnamese caramelized pork is so super simple. The small ingredient list may seem questionable, but the ultimate outcome is absolutely amazing. The pork should melt in your mouth and every bite should explode with flavor!
I know the biggest hesitation many may feel is about the fish sauce. Fish sauce is very pungent in a not so pleasant way, and a lot of people think that they’re food is going to taste the way the fish sauce smells. It won’t! The best thing about fish sauce is that it adds an amazing umami flavor to Asian dishes. And for this dish, it is the perfect counterbalance to the sugar. Again, save dessert for after (or before?) dinner.
Some recipes leave it at just fish sauce and brown sugar. However, I wanted to up the flavor a bit. Fresh garlic, ginger, and lemongrass are all wonderful and light flavors to add to any Asian dish. A little soy sauce for added umami and a hint of saltiness and some sesame oil for a subtle sesame flavoring both round of the flavors of this dish perfectly.
I prefer to cook this in a wok, but it will easily cook in a large saucepan as well. I cook the pork on each side until it, well, caramelizes and turns a very dark brown. When cooking fattier meats, I always start the sear fat side down and let it cook a little longer on that side than non-fatty sides. The fat adds so much flavor to dishes like this and should be very easy to chew. Giving it that extra sear for an additional minute or two helps break down the fat a little more to ensure it will be perfectly tender.
After cooking the pork in batches and removing it from the wok, I keep the marinade reserved on the side. If there are any pork remnants that are black and burnt, I carefully scrape those out of the wok before adding the onions. The onions cook pretty quickly at this point, and for dishes like this, I prefer them firm tender. I know that sounds oxymoronic, but the idea is that you don’t cook the onion until it is totally softened or even caramelized itself.
Then, I throw the pork back into the wok and add the marinade, stirring frequently. This let’s the pork reheat. Also, any pieces that need a little extra time to cook will be able to cook through a little further. The marinade nicely coats the meat, and the onions suck it right up! Now, one thing to note, pork does not have to be cooked well done. I aim for about a medium doneness, but if a few pieces are slightly less than that, it’s not something that bothers me. If it bothers you, you can throw the top of the wok on and cook on low for another few minutes.
I served this on top of steamed white rice. A squeeze of fresh lime and a sprinkling of scallions and cilantro finished the dish off perfectly. I’m not always a fan of adding scallions as a garnish… sometimes the crunch does not compliment the dish. In this case, however, it compliments the caramelized pork perfectly, so I definitely recommend it. And, cilantro always adds a nice burst of fresh flavor, definitely when paired with a freshly squeezed lime wedge!
One last thing… looking for the best veggie to serve with this? I absolutely recommend pan seared bok choy drizzled in some soy sauce and sriracha. This is also delicious with pan seared green beans!
Enjoy!
How to Make Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Pork
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Asian
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
1 lb pork rib end, bone removed, if necessary, and cut into 1” chunks
1 sweet onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1” ginger, minced
1 – 3” lemongrass stalk, minced
¼ cup fish sauce
3 TBs brown sugar
2 TBs soy sauce
½ TB sesame oil
1 TB olive oil
To Serve
Steamed Rice
Scallions
Cilantro
Lime slices
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Add the pork and stir to thoroughly coat. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator, bringing out 1 hour before cooking.
Heat the olive oil in a large wok over medium heat. Carefully swirl to coat the bottom half of the wok. Working in batches, cook the pork about 2 minutes per side until charred but not burnt. Remove and set aside. Scrape up and carefully remove any burnt flakes. Add the onions and cook until crisp tender ~ about 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the remaining marinade sauce and cook, stirring, until the onions absorb most of the sauce. Return the pork to the pan and heat through ~ about 1 minute.
Serve over rice garnished with scallions, cilantro, and a squirt of lime. Serve with fried bok choy, if desired.
Enjoy!
Keywords: Vietnamese caramelized pork, caramelized pork, Vietnamese pork, Vietnamese pork barbecue, Vietnamese pork BBQ, how to make Vietnamese caramelized pork
