Pork and pineapple go wonderfully together. There are many dishes from different countries that include these two ingredients.
In Vietnam, we braise pork (belly, shoulder, and spare ribs) with pineapple, sometimes in a clay pot for a traditional look. In Vietnamese, we call this Thịt Kho Thơm or Thịt Kho Khóm.
The pineapple in this dish not only serves as the braising liquid, but it also helps tenderize the pork and adds a fruity tartness to balance the fatty pork.
As the sauce reduces, the pineapple juice becomes a shiny glaze for a beautiful finish.
It’s a savory dish with a hint of sweetness, and it goes wonderfully with steamed rice for a complete meal.
My husband doesn’t like pineapple in these Vietnamese fish sauce-braised dishes. So for the longest time in our marriage, I didn’t make Vietnamese braised pork and pineapple.
It wasn’t practical to make a dish that only I would eat. The other night, I said, “Screw it! I’m making pork and pineapple, and that’s that.”
In my head, it was very dramatic. In real life, husband was just as happy that I cooked dinner.
Recipe below. Happy cooking.
And if you enjoy pork belly, make sure to check out my other pork belly recipes or traditional Vietnamese vegetable side dishes to transform this into a hearty, Vietnamese family-style meal.
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Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Belly and Pineapple (Thit Kho Thom)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
Small chunks of pork belly and pineapples, braised in a combination of fish sauce and sugar, this dish goes wonderfully with steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork belly
- 1 small shallot (peel and mince)
- 4 garlic cloves (peel and mince)
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon thick soy sauce or 1 teaspoon homemade caramel cooking sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 oz pineapples chunks (1 cup with a bit a juice)
- 2 green onions/scallions (slice thinly; separate whites/greens)
Instructions
- Prepare pork belly: Cut pork belly into small chunks so that each chunk includes a bit of skin, fat and meat. In a claypot or skillet, marinate pork with shallots, garlic, whites of green onions, fish sauce, ground pepper, thick soy sauce/homemade caramel cooking sauce, and half of the sugar for at least 15 minutes.
- Braise: Heat the claypot on medium-low to a low simmer. Add pineapple and its juice. Braise for 45 minutes, uncovered. Cook 10 more minutes, uncovered, or until liquid reduces down into a glaze. Taste test if see if remaining sugar is needed (sometimes pineapples release a lot of its own sugar and additional sugar may not be needed).
- Finish: Garnish with remaining green onions and serve with steamed rice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
