Thit Kho — Vietnamese caramelized braised pork belly with eggs — is the ultimate comfort food of Vietnamese home cooking. Pork belly is simmered in a sweet-savory sauce of fish sauce, soy sauce, and coconut water until meltingly tender, then joined by hard-boiled eggs that soak up the mahogany braising liquid. Served over jasmine rice, it is the dish that defines Tet, the Lunar New Year.

Ingredients

Main

  • 450 g (1 lb) pork belly, skin on, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 cup coconut water (or substitute distilled water)

To Serve

  • 4-6 cups cooked white jasmine rice
  • Sliced green onions for garnish

Instructions

1

Prep the pork

Cut the pork belly into 1-inch chunks. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the pork belly chunks and boil for 2-4 minutes to clean them. Drain and set aside. This brief parboil removes any gamey off-flavors.

2

Hard-boil the eggs

Cover the eggs with water about 1 inch above them. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 8 minutes. Submerge in ice water. Peel when cool.

3

Build the braise

In a medium pot, saute the shallots and garlic in a little oil for 1-2 minutes until shiny and fragrant. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and coconut water. Stir and bring to a boil.

4

Braise the pork

Add the cleaned pork belly back to the pot. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. If the liquid does not cover the pork, add more coconut water until just covered. Simmer with the lid slightly uncovered for 30 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce a little.

5

Add the eggs

Add the peeled hard-boiled eggs to the pot. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes with the lid slightly uncovered. If the eggs are not fully submerged, turn them over at the 15-minute mark so they color evenly. The finished sauce should not be thick — it should look watery but be flavorful.

6

Serve

Taste and adjust. If it is not sweet enough, add a touch more sugar. If too salty, add water. Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve over jasmine rice.

VNomy Notes

  • Coconut water is the difference. Water gives you a good thit kho. Coconut water gives you a great one. The natural sugars and electrolytes add depth that water cannot replicate. Look for unsweetened coconut water in the refrigerated section. Substitute distilled water plus 1 teaspoon of sugar if you must.
  • The parboil is non-negotiable. Pork belly, especially US-sourced, has a meaty off-flavor that a 2-4 minute boil removes. Vietnamese home cooks do this for every pork braise. The brief cook time keeps the good flavors in and removes only the gamey notes.
  • Pork belly, not shoulder. Belly has the fat-to-meat ratio of about 50/50 that makes the dish work. Lean cuts like loin or shoulder are drier. The fat renders during braising, basting the meat in itself.
  • Fish sauce goes in, not on. Unlike bun cha where fish sauce is in the dipping broth, thit kho cooks with fish sauce throughout. The high heat breaks down the raw fishy notes and leaves pure umami.
  • The sauce is supposed to look watery. Do not over-reduce. Vietnamese braises are intentionally soupy — the rice does the absorbing. If you want it thick, add a cornstarch slurry at the end, but that is not authentic.
  • Eggs are the second protein. They are not just decoration. The whites soak up the braising color and turn mahogany, while the yolks stay slightly soft inside, creating a creamy element when sliced. Some families add 6-8 eggs for Tet.
  • Tet classic. Thit kho trung — thit kho with eggs — is the iconic Lunar New Year dish served on the family altar and to guests. The red-brown color symbolizes prosperity.
  • Reheats like a dream. Day 2 is better than day 1 as the flavors meld. It keeps for 3 days refrigerated and 3 months frozen.