Super tender pork, and seasoned hard-boiled eggs, thịt kho is really easy to make, and the comforting, traditional Vietnamese dish that reminds me of my childhood.
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT120M
Total time: PT130M
Rating
5 stars (52 reviews)
Keywords
braised, eggs, fish sauce, pork, soy sauce
Ingredients
2 lb pork (I like 50% belly 50% shoulder)
tap water (for first boil)
6 fl oz Rico coconut soda (Coke or 7-Up works in a pinch)
3 tbsp fish sauce ()
2 tsp salt
filtered water
4 tbsp caramel color (nuoc mau) (Depending on how dark your caramel sauce gets, you may not need to use all of it.)
8 large hard-boiled eggs
1 yellow onion (split into 8 large chunks)
Categories
Dinner
Lunch
Cuisine
Vietnamese
Steps
Cut the pork into 1.5" cubes. I like this size for ease of eating, and it cooks faster than 1 huge chunk of pork.
Bring 2-3 quarts of tap water boiling on high, or enough to fully submerge the pork. When the water's boiling, add the pork for 1-2 minutes just to clean it. Drain then rinse the pork under running water until the water is clear.
Add the coconut soda, fish sauce and salt to the pot, then add filtered water so it just about covers the pork.
Turn the heat to high. When boiling, lower heat to about 25% heat or until you still see a low boil. Simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours total, leaving covered for the first 40 minutes. Check and stir the pot every 20 minutes. The longer you cook it, the softer the pork gets. After 40 minutes, remove the cover to let the liquid reduce so you get a more concentrated sauce later.
Make the caramel color (nuoc mau) in a separate pot and add it to the pot of thit kho
Make the hard-boiled eggs: add the eggs to a pot and cover the eggs with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Remove from heat and let it sit for 8 minutes. Cool under running water and peel the shells.
During the last ~30-40 minutes of cooking add the peeled eggs and onions.
The final goal is to reduce the liquid about 1/3 of the starting amount, but you can do it based your own taste of the sauce and pork softness. When the pork hits a doneness you like, re-season with salt or fish sauce, or add water to thin out to your taste. Remember you want it a bit saltier since it will dilute when eating with rice.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 1128 kcal
Carbohydrates: 16 g
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 105 g
Saturated Fat: 38 g
Cholesterol: 429 mg
Sodium: 1941 mg
Sugar: 15 g
Reviews
han gonzales on 2023-07-12 (5 stars): Hi Huy,
Thank you for the recipe. It is so tasty! My first time ever making Thit Kho, I was so nervous. Got thumbs up from my husband and kids :) I used pork belly and pork carnitas. I used all the coconut soda for the liquid in stead of water/coconut soda. I didn't use onion because I ran out.
Lisa Le on 2023-01-12 (5 stars): I added garlic and only used coconut water (didn’t add extra water). Almost as good as moms.
Phuong on 2022-09-11 (5 stars): Great recipe. Came out perfect during my first try. I
Made some minor changes. I added all the coco soda and omitted water. I also added some paprika, pepper, fresh garlic and garlic powder. Then I added more fish sauce towards the end. I also skimmed off the fat once it cooled down. Yummy recipe. Thanks for sharing.
David on 2021-08-14 (5 stars): Huy, thank you for this recipe. My family always used pork shoulder when making thit kho, but pork belly truly elevates the dish. Definitely worth trying this recipe, highly recommend.
ngoc anh on 2021-03-28 (5 stars): Thank you so much for this recipe! You have no idea how much it (and your entire website to be honest) means & has helped me through this pandemic. I haven't been able to see my mom in almost a year and a half now (she was in Vietnam right before the pandemic started) so this has helped me fill the missing hole in my heart (her food lol).
Can't wait to see what else you come up with!
Kimberly Nguyen on 2021-02-21 (5 stars): are the nutrition facts for the whole pot or just one serving?
Phillip Ngo on 2021-01-17 (5 stars): This is a killer dish and your recipe is spot on! Reminds me of mums version. I’ve made this using coconut water instead of juice as well and it’s still great. Thanks for sharing!
Daisy on 2020-11-04 (5 stars): This recipe was amazing - thanks so much for sharing! I was wondering if you've ever made this in an Instant Pot and if you needed to adjust anything?
Ariel on 2020-09-17 (5 stars): Tastes just like grandma’s! I live far away from her now, so I’m learning how to make the recipes on my own.
