These Vietnamese Pork Ribs are perfect as an appetizer, or as a main on for Asian-style meals. Using only few ingredients, the key to achieving this dark and robust glaze is the caramel sauce. Caramel sauce is one of the foundations in Vietnamese cooking, mainly in simmering meat such as chicken, pork, etc, providing that delectable taste and appearance.
Making your own caramel sauce is super simple, all you need is a little time and patience. To ensure your ribs turn out nice and tender, please ask your butcher for a pork ribs with good ratio of fat. Alternatively, this recipe works well with other fatty cuts of pork.
Ingredients:
500 g pork ribs – cut approx into 2-inch pieces
2 shallots – minced finely
3 cloves garlic – minced finely
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
Dash of white pepper
¾ cup water
Caramel sauce:
5 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
½ cup water
Serves 4
Recipe adapted from: Chicken and Rice
In a large bowl, marinate the pork ribs with all the ingredients (except water) for 1 hour or overnight.
In a deep pan or pot with lid, stir the sugar and water together and bring to boil.
Over medium-low heat, continue to let the sugar mixture boil and bubble.
Keep a close eye on the mixture and when it starts to turn champagne gold color, it is ready.
Add in pork ribs and fish sauce, toss well to ensure the ribs are evenly coated.
Bring to boil.
Add 3/4 cup water and stir to combine. Cover and cook the ribs over low heat for 40 – 45 mins, or until fork tender.
Turn up heat to thicken and reduce the liquid, tossing the ribs to coat the sauce.
Garnish with chopped spring onions and serve warm.