Vietnamese Caramel Pork With Black Pepper 5 Points Food

MICHAEL BAO HUYNH'S VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED PORK

Steps:

• Cover bottom of a large, heavy skillet with one cup sugar and place over medium low heat. As soon as it melts and turns golden, add pork, raise heat to medium, and stir until coated. (Sugar will become sticky and may harden, but it will re-melt as it cooks, forming a sauce.)
• Stir in remaining sugar, salt, pepper and fish sauce. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in garlic and oil and lower to simmer to reduce sauce for about 20 minutes.
• Stir in Vidalia onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Pork should be caramelized; if not, raise heat and sauté while sauce further reduces. Transfer to serving bowl, and sprinkle with scallion greens.

VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED PORK

Steps:

• Place a large heavy skillet or wok over high heat, drizzle the oil into the pan, and pour the sugar over the oil. Cook and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and turns a light brown color. Be careful, the melted sugar is very hot. Stir in the pork, 2 green onions, chile pepper, black pepper, shallots, garlic, and salt, and toss them in the caramelized sugar until the pork turns golden brown. Drizzle the sesame oil over the pork and vegetables, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer to reduce the juices.
• When the juices have been mostly absorbed, turn the heat back up to high, and cook and stir the pork and vegetables until the sauce has thickened and coated the pork, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of green onion rings.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE CARAMEL PORK

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok over a high heat and stir-fry the pork in batches until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Turn the heat right down and add the remaining oil, then stir in the shallots, ginger and chilli. Cook over a low heat for a couple of mins until just starting to soften. Add the sugar, fish sauce and 200ml water to the pan and stir everything together. Bring to the boil, stirring, so that the sugar dissolves, then return the pork to the pan. Bubble vigorously for 8-10 mins until the sauce thickens to coat the meat and become glossy. Taste and stir in a little more fish sauce, if needed, along with the chilli sauce. Sprinkle with the spring onions and serve with steamed rice and pak choi.

VIETNAMESE CARAMEL PORK

Steps:

• Place sugar and water in a large pot over medium heat. Stir, then when it bubbles and the sugar is melted (it looks like caramel), add the rest of the ingredients.
• Stir, then adjust the heat so it is simmering fairly energetically. Not rapidly, not a slow simmer (I use medium heat on a weak stove, between medium and low on a strong stove).
• Simmer for 1.5 hours, uncovered. Stir once or twice while cooking.
• At around 1.5 hours, when the liquid has reduced down and the pork is tender, (see Note 3 if pork is not yet tender), the fat will separate (see video).
• Stir and the pork will brown and caramelise in the fat.
• Once the liquid is all gone and it's now stuck on the pork pieces, it's ready.
• Serve over rice, garnished with fresh chilli and shallots. Simple pickled vegetables are ideal for a side because the fresh acidity pairs well with the rich pork.

VIETNAMESE CARAMEL PORK WITH BLACK PEPPER - 5 POINTS

Steps:

• Spray a large nonstick wok or high-sided skillet with nonstick spray and set over high heat.
• Add the scallions and garlic; stir-fry until softened, about 1 minute.
• Add the pork and stir-fry until browned, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the content of the wok to a bowl and set aside.
• Return the wok to the heat and add the sugar; cook, stirring, until melted, lightly browned, and caramelized, about 30 seconds.
• Slowly stir in the broth.
• The caramel may form a hard lump.
• Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts again and the broth boils, about 20 seconds.
• Stir in the fish sauce and pepper, then return the pork, vegetables, and juices to the wok.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces to a glaze, about 2 minutes.
• Serve at once.

PRESSURE COOKER VIETNAMESE CARAMEL PORK AND EGGS

Steps:

• Make a caramel sauce: In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, vinegar and 1 tablespoon water over medium heat until the sugar nearly dissolves, 60 to 90 seconds. Cook without stirring until champagne yellow, about 3 minutes, then continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes, frequently picking up the pan and swirling it to control the caramelization. When the mixture is a dark tea color (expect faint smoking), turn off the heat and keep the pan on the burner. Let the caramelization continue until the mixture is burgundy in color, 1 to 2 minutes. Slide the pan to a cool burner and add 3 tablespoons water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Warm over medium heat to loosen, if needed.
• Cut the pork into chunks about 1-inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long, making sure each piece has both lean meat and fat. Warm the oil in a 6-quart multicooker on the highest heat setting, such as "Saute." Working in 2 or 3 batches, cook the pork on all sides until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, holding the seared meat on a plate. When done, return all the pork and any accumulated juices to the pot, then add the caramel sauce, fish sauce, onion, garlic, peppercorns and coconut water. Lock the lid, then set to high pressure for 12 minutes.
• Naturally depressurize for 10 minutes before releasing pressure. Use tongs to retrieve the pork and hold in a bowl, loosely covered to prevent drying. If peppercorns cling to the pork, leave them for zing, or knock them off and discard. To quickly filter and remove fat from the cooking liquid, set a mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl, line with a double layer of paper towels and pour the liquid through. After most of the liquid passes through and a layer of fat remains above the solids, set the strainer aside. (Save the fat for cooking if you like.)
• Return the liquid to the pot, bring to a boil on the highest heat setting (Saute) and cook until reduced to 1 cup, 15 to 18 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer, then add the pork and eggs. Cook, gently stirring now and then, to heat through and coat with the dark sauce, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest 5 minutes, uncovered, to concentrate flavors. Taste and add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of fish sauce or 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, or both, as needed for a pleasant savory-sweet finish. Transfer to a shallow bowl for serving. Invite diners to halve the eggs themselves. If you'd like spicy heat, gently smash the chiles in individual dishes for dipping sauce with some sauce from the pot, and use it to dip the pork and egg or to drizzle into the bowls.

VIETNAMESE CARAMELIZED GRILLED PORK

Steps:

• Pound chops between 2 large sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until less than 1/8 inch thick. Make several small 1/4-inch-deep slits around edge of each chop to prevent curling, then halve chops lengthwise and transfer to a bowl.
• Cook sugar in a dry 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar is melted into a golden caramel. Add shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, and salt (caramel will harden) and cook, stirring constantly, until caramel is dissolved and shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce over pork and toss until well coated.
• Heat a lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then grill pork in batches, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 1 minute per side. (Discard any remaining caramel sauce.)