Yields:
6
Total Time:
4 hrs
Jump to recipeThịt Kho Tàu is a salty-sweet dish of caramelized pork belly and marinated eggs. Hailing from South Vietnam (as evident by the use of coconut water in cooking), this flavorful dish is one of the most beloved amongst my friends (both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese alike). Every family has their own take on the dish, and this is my interpretation.
Don’t be intimidated by the long cooking time—most of it is letting it simmer on the stove so the pork belly can get nice and tender. Make the most of your efforts by cooking a large serving size because this dish works great as leftovers for a quick weekday meal.
In fact, its ability to keep for 4 to 5 days is why it’s a popular Lunar New Year’s (Tết) dish. Because no one wants to constantly be cooking while they’re receiving a stream of visiting guests.
Kitchen Tips:
- Feel free to alter the traditional 100% pork belly recipe to include a mix of leaner cuts (like pork shoulder or pork butt) so the richness doesn’t become overwhelming.
- Look for pork belly that is a fresh, pink color (not discolored or dry) with skin that isn’t too thick, and an even ratio of fat to meat at the top. We don’t want it completely fatty, and if it’s too lean, it might become tough and cook too quickly in the braising liquid.
- The coconut water can be substituted with water, coconut juice, coconut soda (such as Coco Rico, the preferred brand among Vietnamese home cooks), or any combination of all four. Be sure to adjust the sugar content of the sauce accordingly.
- Traditionally hard boiled eggs are used for this dish, but I prefer eggs soft boiled, so this recipe has instructions for those.
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Ingredients
For the pork
- 2 1/2 lb.
pork belly
- 2 Tbsp.
kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp.
distilled white vinegar (or juice of 1 lime)
For the marinade
- 4
cloves garlic
- 1
shallot
- 1/2 Tbsp.
kosher salt
- 1/4 cup
granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp.
fish sauce
- 1 tsp.
ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup
granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 Tbsp.
cooking oil
- 5 cups
coconut water
- 1/2 cup
fish sauce
- 1
yellow onion, halved
- 2
Thai bird's eye chilies, stems removed (optional)
For serving
- 6 cups
soft boiled eggs, peeled
- 6 cups
cooked white Jasmine rice
Pickled mustard greens (or other pickled vegetables)
Directions
Prepare pork:
- Step 1Place pork belly in a large Dutch oven or pot. Fill Dutch oven with enough cool water to cover the pork belly then add the salt and vinegar. Soak for 15 minutes to start removing impurities from the meat. Drain and rinse meat of salt and vinegar. Return pork belly to the Dutch oven.
- Step 2Pour enough fresh water to cover pork belly again. Bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes. By this point, a lot of scum should come to the surface. Drain then rinse the pork under running water until water is clear. Clean Dutch oven. (Similar to the previous step, this is done to further remove impurities from the meat to yield a clearer sauce. This step also makes it easier to slice the pork.)
- Step 3Cut pork into 1.5” cubes, making sure they are about the same size so they will cook evenly together.
Make marinade:
- Step 1Grind shallots, garlic, and salt into a paste.
- Step 2Coat the pork cubes evenly in the shallot-garlic paste, sugar, fish sauce, and black pepper. Marinate covered for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the fridge.
Cook pork + assemble:
- Step 1Heat Dutch oven on medium-low. Add sugar and watch it very carefully as it melts and caramelizes. (It will be slow at first, then quickly jump to the caramel stage, so don’t take your eyes off it!) When it reaches a dark golden brown color, immediately add oil and stir to stop the cooking.
- Step 2Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the pork pieces, and stir well for 3 minutes until the pork is browned on all sides.
- Step 3Add coconut water, fish sauce, onion halves, chili peppers, and remainder of marinade. Add more coconut water if liquid doesn't cover the pork. Once liquid is boiling, lower the temperature to a low-medium heat; it should be at a vigorous simmer for the next 2 hours. Keep uncovered so the liquid can reduce. Throughout cooking, check on it, skim any foam or impurities from the surface, and stir every 20 minutes.
- Step 4While the pork is cooking, place soft-boiled eggs in a large bowl or container. Remove about a cup of the liquid from the sauce and add to the peeled eggs to allow the color to permeate. This can be done at room temperature. If you are working with hard boiled eggs instead, they do not need a separate marination; they can just be peeled and thrown into the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Step 5At the end of 2 hours, the liquid should have reduced to half of the original amount. Remove the onion halves and chili pepper. Test to see if the pork is tender (it should still hold its shape, but be easily broken with chopsticks) and taste the sauce. Add sugar or fish sauce if it seems under-seasoned. It’s ok if the sauce is saltier or sweeter than you’d normally cook because it will be balanced out by the plain white rice. Turn off the heat and add the soft boiled eggs, stirring and keeping them in the pot until they’ve warmed back up.
- Step 6Vietnamese food is traditionally served family style. If you’d like to serve it as individual bowls, start with a rice base and top with the pork pieces. Slice the eggs in half, add spoonfuls of the sauce and crack black pepper over everything. Finally, add pickled mustard greens on the side of the bowl to cut the richness of the dish.
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