Clay Pot Pork

Cooking meat in caramel sauce is a popular technique in Vietnam; the sweet/bitter sauce makes a perfect foil for slow-braised pork. This is traditionally made in a clay pot, but a heavy saucepan or small Dutch oven also works well. The relatively large amount of fish sauce is important for the flavor of the dish. Serve the pork over white rice.

Yield:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 1/3 cup sugar
2. 3/4 cup chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth or water
3. 1/3 cup Asian fish sauce, preferably Vietnamese
4. 3 shallots, thinly sliced
5. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6. 3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally, white and green parts kept separate
7. 1 lb trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
8. 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook sugar in a dry 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar has melted into a deep golden caramel. Carefully add stock and fish sauce (caramel will harden and steam vigorously) and cook, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Add shallots, garlic, and white part of scallions and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.
2. Toss pork with pepper in a bowl and stir into sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover pan, reduce heat to low, and braise pork, stirring once or twice, until very tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Stir in scallion greens and serve with rice.

Notes