This Vietnamese thịt kho recipe is a low and slow braise with suuuper tender and flavorful pork, with hard-boiled eggs that have absorbed all the seasoning too. It’s traditionally served around the lunar new year because of how well it keeps after cooking.
It’s savory, salty, and slightly sweet seasoned mainly with fish sauce and soy sauce paired with hard-boiled eggs. Served atop a large mound of steamed white rice, and a side of pickled mustard greens, these are the flavors and memories of my childhood.
Cuts of meat to use
If you can get pork belly with the bones, you’ll have even better results than just belly, but you can also substitute for whatever cut you prefer especially if you like it leaner. My ideal ratio of pork for this dish is actually 3/4 pork belly and 1/4 of a leaner cut like shoulder.
Pork belly and fat is tasty, but sometimes when the fat to meat ratio isnt right in it, im left with just hunks of fat and nothing to balance it out with. If you pay close attention when selecting the cuts with a ratio you like, it could work out.
Near me in Southern California’s Little Saigon, you can get a higher quality of pork belly at Quang Minh Mini Market. It costs more, but there seems to be a consensus that its worth the cost–something I need to check out! However, I’m having excellent thit kho results from using nearby Vietnamese and Filipino supermarkets in the meantime.
The pan-asian pork & egg dish
This dish is seen in very slightly modded variations across other ethnic cuisines, not just Vietnamese. I’ve seen variations in Japanese food, Chinese food, and Taiwanese food. In fact, it’s extremely similar to the recipes I have for Filipino pork adobo and chicken adobo.
I don’t know the actual connection–why all these Asian cuisines have this. Perhaps is the readily available and common ingredients for a simple recipe. It keeps well, and is delicious too.
One of these most comforting Vietnamese dishes | thịt kho trứng | caramelized pork and eggs
FAQ
Where did thit kho originate from?
What is Kho Vietnamese?
What is Vietnamese pork called?
What is the origin of pork belly?
What is Thit Kho?
Thit Kho or Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly with Eggs is made with pork belly braised in a mixture of soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar served with boiled eggs. It is then served on a bed of white rice, which perfectly rounds out the dish. On the blog this week is a recipe for a CLASSIC Vietnamese dish – thit kho or braised pork belly with eggs.
What does Thit Kho mean in Vietnamese?
Thit Kho translates to braised meat. Kho is the Vietnamese word for braise, and braising is a common way to cook meats and seafood in Vietnamese cuisine. Two examples are Ca Kho To, Ca Hoi Kho and Bo Kho. This dish uses a soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and coconut water mixture to braise pork belly.
Is Thit Kho easy to make?
The best part about thit kho is that it is so incredibly easy to make (you can also make this in the Instant Pot). Read on to learn more about this Vietnamese comfort food known as thit kho. What is thit kho? Thit kho is a braised dark amber caramelized pork and eggs that is marinated and slow-cooked with sugar, caramel syrup, and coconut juice.
Where does Thit Kho come from?
Thit kho is well known as a dish that hails from Vietnam. However, the Indochina regions of Asia also have variations of this dish. For example, Laos has an adapted version of this, generally using quail eggs in making this dish, which is called tom khem.