Delicious Vietnamese Pork Belly and Egg Recipe
Delicious, comforting and full of flavor – that’s what this Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly & Eggs Recipe is all about. If you’re looking for an easy recipe that will transport your taste buds straight to South Vietnam, then look no further than this traditional Vietnamese dish.
Braised in a rich and salty sweet sauce with fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and coconut water, the pork belly becomes super tender and melts in your mouth. Add in a few hard-boiled eggs towards the end of the cooking process and let them soak up all the delicious flavors.
This dish is often served with a side of white rice or vermicelli noodles to balance out the strong flavors. It’s the ultimate Vietnamese comfort food that can be enjoyed any day of the week. Whether you’re a fan of caramelized pork or simple braised meat, this recipe has something that will appeal to everyone’s taste buds.
So don’t wait any longer – grab your pot and let’s get started on making this incredible dish that will leave you wanting more every single time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Get ready to experience the ultimate Vietnamese comfort food with this braised pork belly and eggs recipe! This dish is a traditional Vietnamese delight that is the epitome of sweet and salty. It has made its way from the street stalls of South Vietnam to some of the finest Vietnamese restaurants all around the world, and for good reason. The combination of tender pork belly and hard-boiled eggs, caramelized with fish sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar, creates an explosion of flavors in your mouth that you won’t soon forget.
The dish is easy to make and perfect for sharing with family and friends. It’s also super versatile; it can be served as a main dish with steamed rice or as part of a multi-course meal. Not only is this dish delicious, but it’s also packed with healthy and nutritious ingredients such as coconut water which not only adds depth of flavor but also aids digestion.
It’s no wonder that this dish is a crowd-pleaser amongst foodies and tastemakers alike. The blend of coconut, black pepper, sugar, salt, fish sauce, and pork belly melts in your mouth creating an unforgettable taste sensation that you’ll crave time and time again. So don’t be shy to try something new for an ultimate Vietnamese comfort food experience!
Ingredient List
Here are the ingredients you will need for this traditional Vietnamese dish:
Meat
- 1 kg pork belly, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Note: If you cannot get pork belly, you can also use spare ribs or pork shoulder.
Sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
Other Ingredients:
- 10 hard-boiled eggs
- 2 cups coconut water or water
- 1 small bunch of scallions, sliced thinly
Optional
– For an added sweetness, add about ½ cup (100g) of Caramel Sauce to the dish.
You can find all ingredients from your local Asian market, so don’t be worried about the availability. This savory comfort food is a wonderful dinner for friends and family on any special occasion.
The Recipe How-To
Here’s how to make delicious Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly & Eggs:
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds pork belly, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 small can of coconut water
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 10 eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
Instructions:
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Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced pork belly and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown and release its fat.
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Pour off any excess fat, leaving about two tablespoons in the pot. Add the sugar and cook for another minute, stirring constantly until it melts and caramelizes.
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Add the coconut water, fish sauce, black pepper, and enough water to barely cover the pork belly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
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Cover the pot and braise for two hours or until the pork is super tender.
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While the pork is braising, hard-boil the eggs and peel them.
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After two hours of braising, add the peeled eggs to the pot and gently stir to coat them with the flavorful broth. Braise for an additional hour, or until the eggs take on a reddish-brown color from the caramelized broth.
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Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or sugar if needed.
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Serve hot with steamed rice and sautéed greens.
This dish is a traditional Vietnamese comfort food that translates braised meat in coconut water or “thịt kho tàu.” The dish is salty-sweet with a melt-in-your-mouth texture due to extended cooking times.
Substitutions and Variations
If you’re looking to switch things up a bit, there are plenty of ways to make this Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly & Eggs recipe your own. Here are some substitutions and variations to try:
– Protein: Instead of pork belly, you can also use spare ribs or pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces.
– Sauce Variations: For a sweeter twist, you can add caramel sauce or brown sugar to the traditional fish sauce and soy sauce mixture for a more caramelised and salty-sweet flavour.
– Spices: Play around with different spices to add depth and complexity to the dish. You can try adding five spice powder or star anise for more intense flavour.
– Coconut Water: Some recipes also use coconut soda instead of coconut water which imparts a slight sweetness, but lessen the salty notes in the sauce mixture.
– Vegetables: Make it a complete meal by adding vegetables like bamboo shoots or green onions for additional flavour and crunch.
– Egg Variations: Instead of hard boiled eggs, you might consider using soft-boiled eggs–with a silky smooth yolk that simply melts in your mouth!
Don’t be afraid to experiment and make your own variation of this classic Vietnamese dish!
Serving and Pairing
This braised pork belly and eggs recipe is the ultimate Vietnamese comfort food that is perfect for serving with steamed rice. The tender pork belly with a salty-sweet flavor is paired perfectly with hard-boiled eggs that have absorbed all the flavors in the pot. This delicious dish originated from South Vietnam and has become a staple in Vietnamese cuisine.
To really up the ante, serve this dish with some refreshing coconut water to balance out the strong flavors. You can also add some steamed vegetables such as bok choy or green beans to give it a healthy crunch.
For an even heartier meal, you can serve this dish with spare ribs or pork shoulder. The caramelized pork pairs well with a soy sauce marinade creating an explosion of flavor in your mouth.
The combination of flavors in this dish is truly extraordinary and will leave your guests wanting more! Be sure to have plenty of rice on hand because they will want to heap it onto their plate.
Make-Ahead, Storing and Reheating
If you’re planning on making this dish ahead of time, you can braise the pork belly up to 2-3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors will meld together beautifully, making for an even more delicious meal.
When reheating, simply place the container on the stove over medium heat and stir occasionally until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave, but be sure to cover it with a damp paper towel or microwave-safe lid to prevent the meat from drying out.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for up to three months. To freeze, transfer the pork belly and eggs to an airtight container or freezer bag and label it with the date. When you’re ready to enjoy again, thaw the container overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
It’s important to note that if you’re planning on making this dish ahead of time, don’t add the hard-boiled eggs until just before serving. Otherwise, they’ll soak up too much of the sauce and become rubbery.
With this make-ahead, storing and reheating tips, you can now plan your meals without worrying about compromising flavor or texture. This Vietnamese braised pork belly and eggs recipe can surely give you a comforting taste of South Vietnam anytime!
Tips for Perfect Results
For the ultimate Vietnamese comfort food, nothing beats thịt kho, caramelized braised pork belly and eggs. It’s a dish made for the soul, which is why you must put your heart into cooking it right. Here are some tips to help you attain melt-in-your-mouth pork and hard-boiled eggs that are perfectly seasoned.
First and foremost, make sure to choose the right cut of pork, either pork belly or spare ribs. These cuts have ample fat content that, when cooked low and slow, translates into super tender pork that melts in your mouth. Pork belly is the better option since it already has the bones removed for easier consumption. While selecting pork belly, make sure to choose one with thin alternating layers of meat and fat instead of belly tough meat.
When caramelizing the pork, be patient and don’t turn up the heat too high. The process involves deglazing the pot with water repeatedly while adding in palm sugar or brown sugar until it becomes a sticky caramel sauce. Be careful not to burn the sugar as this can ruin the flavor of the entire dish.
For an added layer of flavor and depth, replace some or all of the water with coconut water. It’ll add a subtle sweetness and depth to the dish that you just can’t achieve otherwise.
Use soy sauce or fish sauce to season as they provide both salty and sweet flavors to balance out the dish’s richness. If using soy sauce, be mindful that it might darken the dish.
Finally, let your braised pork sit overnight in its juices to allow all those salty sweet flavors to infuse throughout. Gently reheat the next day before serving with rice or pickled vegetables.
Thit kho tau is a traditional Vietnamese dish served in South Vietnam on regular days or during special occasions like Tet (Vietnamese New Year). With these tips in mind, go ahead and braise yourself a perfect pot of comfort food.
FAQ
Now that you have all the information you need to make this delicious Vietnamese braised pork belly and eggs recipe, you might have some questions. Don’t fret! In this section, we will answer the most frequently asked questions, so you can tackle any problems that may come up during your cooking process. So, grab a pen and paper and let’s get started!
What does thit kho mean in Vietnamese?
In Vietnamese cooking, braising is a popular method for preparing meats and seafood, and Thit Kho is a dish where meat is braised. Thit Kho is made by braising pork belly in a flavorful mixture of fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and coconut water. This dish is similar to other Vietnamese braised dishes like Ca Kho To, Ca Hoi Kho and Bo Kho, which also use the braise method.
Why is braised pork belly tough?
When dealing with tough pork belly after braising, the possible culprits are either undercooking or cooking at high heat. A helpful tip is to braise the pork belly at a medium simmer until it’s tender. Another alternative is to add beer to the braising liquid as it is known to both tenderize the meat and remove porky flavor.
What is braised pork belly called?
One of the most renowned and widely-known dishes in China is Shanghai-Style Braised Pork Belly. Known as “red cooked pork” or hong shao rou in Chinese, this dish has numerous variations and adaptations that have emerged from the original recipe.
What is pork belly in Vietnamese?
Thịt heo quay, or crispy roasted pork belly, is a popular Vietnamese dish enjoyed both at home and at special gatherings. It’s a showstopper dish that is sure to please even the most discerning palates.
Bottom Line
In conclusion, this Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly & Eggs recipe is the ultimate comfort food that will satisfy your cravings for something salty-sweet and deliciously tender. With its combination of pork belly, eggs, caramel sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce, this dish brings you the perfect blend of flavors that will melt in your mouth.
Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, this easy-to-make recipe is sure to impress your friends and family. It’s a traditional Vietnamese dish that has been enjoyed throughout South Vietnam for generations, and now it can be enjoyed by you too.
So why not give this recipe a try? With its simple ingredient list, easy-to-follow directions, and mouthwatering results, you won’t be disappointed. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try experimenting with some of the substitutions and variations we’ve suggested to make it your own.
In the end, whether you’re looking for the ultimate Vietnamese comfort food or trying to impress your dinner guests with a new recipe from around the world, this Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly & Eggs recipe is one that won’t disappoint. So get cooking, and enjoy!
Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly & Eggs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pork belly or 1 1/2 lbs pork ribs
- 6 -8 eggs
- 16 ounces coconut, soda
- salt
- sugar
- black pepper
- cooking oil
Instructions
- Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, turn off the heat, but leave the eggs in the pot for another 5 minutes. Place the eggs in a cold water to cool them down. Peel the eggs and use a tooth pick to poke a few holes all around each egg.
- Next, rinse off your cut of pork and pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut the pork into approximately one and a half inch squares. Sprinkle with some salt and black pepper.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of sugar to the dry pot and cook on high heat, stirring frequently until the sugar melts into a light brown liquid.
- Quickly, stir in all the meat so the caramel doesn’t burn on the bottom.
- When all the pieces of the meat turn light brown, pour in the full can of coconut soda and two cups of water. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of black pepper and one tablespoon sugar. Cover the pot.
- As soon as the pot begins boiling, uncover it and skim away all the white foam off the surface. Add in the eggs and cover the pot once more. Bring the heat back down to low and let the dish simmer for about an hour, hour and a half – or until the water reduces almost to the bottom of the pot. This step largely depends on personal preference. If you like thicker sauce, allow it to cook for longer. Just know that leaner cuts of meat can dry out a little if you do. If you like a thinner, wetter sauce, take it off the heat sooner.
- As always, season to taste as you go!