This caramel pork is my Vietnamese-inspired take on sticky, savoury-sweet pork, with fragrant Southeast Asian flavours woven in. Tender chunks of pork shoulder simmer slowly with fish sauce, soy sauce, lemongrass, garlic and kaffir lime leaves until the sauce reduces and the pork becomes glossy and caramelised.
Nicky’s Notes
This recipe rewards patience. The pork first cooks in a light sugar caramel, then the remaining ingredients are added and the mixture simmers slowly until the liquid reduces and the pork caramelises in its own juices.
Inspired by the classic Vietnamese caramel pork, this method produces tender, flavourful meat. I also add lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves—these aren’t always traditional, but they add a fresh aromatic note that balances the rich, savoury-sweet sauce.
I like to serve this over plain boiled rice for a comforting, home-style meal.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Caramel Pork
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- Caramel Pork Recipe
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 🍲 More of my favourite pork recipes
📋 Ingredients for Caramel Pork
Full recipe with quantities is in the recipe card below.
Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder is my preferred cut because its fat and connective tissue break down during long, gentle simmering, producing tender, succulent pieces. I use a boneless pork shoulder and cut it into 1-inch chunks.
✅ Pork belly will also work and gives a richer result, though it will be fattier and may need a little longer (about 30–45 minutes) to become tender and render some fat. ❌ Avoid pork loin for this recipe — it can dry out during the long cooking time.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below.
Make a light golden caramel with sugar and water, add the pork and cook a few minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, then simmer gently until the pork is very tender and the liquid reduces to a glossy caramel (about 90–110 minutes total cooking).
Recipe Tips
- Use a heavy-based pan to reduce the risk of catching and burning the sugar and sauce.
- Stir more near the end of cooking, when most of the liquid has evaporated and the pork begins to caramelise.
- Prefer it saucier? Add a few splashes of water at the end and stir to create a glossy sauce for spooning over rice.
Make ahead and Leftovers Guide
- Store leftover caramel pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in a saucepan over low-medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, stirring occasionally until piping hot.
- Alternatively, reheat in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between blasts and adding a teaspoon or two of water if it seems dry.
- This dish freezes well. Portion and freeze, then defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating until piping hot using the methods above.
Caramel Pork Recipe
15 mins
1 hr 40 mins
1 hr 55 mins
Ingredients
- 100 g (1/2 cup) white sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) pork shoulder chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 480 ml (2 cups) water
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 medium onion peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp lemongrass paste (or 2 lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, centre thinly sliced)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 6 kaffir lime leaves roughly torn
Instructions
-
Add the sugar and water to a large heavy-based pan and stir. Heat over medium for 3–5 minutes until bubbling and light golden brown.
-
Add the pork chunks and stir, cooking for about 5 minutes in the sugar mixture and stirring often so the pork begins to colour.
-
Add the remaining ingredients (water, soy, fish sauce, onion, garlic, lemongrass, salt, pepper and kaffir lime leaves). Stir, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently (uncovered) for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pork is very tender and will break apart with a fork.
-
The liquid will evaporate during this time and the pork will cook and caramelise in its own fat. If the liquid evaporates too quickly or the sauce looks like it might stick, add a splash of water or a little oil to prevent burning.
-
If you prefer a little sauce to pour over rice, add a couple of splashes of water at the end of cooking and stir through to loosen the coating before serving.
-
Serve the pork with steamed rice and greens. I like grilled spring onions (scallions) alongside it.
Notes
Nutrition
|
Carbohydrates: 29g
|
Protein: 59g
|
Fat: 47g
|
Sugar: 27g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.
🍽️ What to serve it with
Sides
How to Cook Rice Perfectly
Asian
Egg Fried Rice
Sides
Rice Cooker Coconut Rice
Salads
Asian Cucumber Salad
Sides
Marinated Onions
Sides
Tomato and Onion Salad
🍲 More of my favourite pork recipes
Asian
Sticky Chinese Pork Belly
Asian
Char Siu Pork
Asian
Thai Style Peanut Pork
Quick & Easy
Pineapple Pork Stir Fry
Asian
Sweet and Sour Pork
BBQ
Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Some links in the original post may be affiliate links, which can provide a small commission at no extra cost to you. Nutritional information is approximate and will vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.