Thịt kho trứng
Southern Vietnamese Tết braise: pork belly and whole eggs simmered slowly in coconut water and dark caramel until the pork is soft and the broth turns amber.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 20 min
- Rest
- 30 min
- Total
- 3 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Thịt kho trứng is pork belly and hard-boiled eggs braised in coconut water, coloured with a dark sugar caramel and seasoned with fish sauce. The pork is cut into big chunks, skin on, blanched, marinated with shallot and garlic, then seared in the caramel before the coconut water goes in. It simmers gently and uncovered for about two hours, skimmed often, until the fat is soft and the skin almost melts. The eggs go in halfway so they take colour without turning rubbery. The broth stays fairly thin and clear amber, not thick and sticky, and it should taste sweet, salty and porky in equal measure.
What you'll need
10 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Pork
- Braise
Ingredients
Pork
- Pork, skin-on belly, in 5 cm chunks1 kg
- Shallot, minced4
- Garlic, minced4 clove
- Fish sauce, 2 tbsp for the marinade, the rest for the braise74 ml
- Sugar, 1 tbsp for the marinade, 2 tbsp for the caramel44 ml
- Black pepper4.9 ml
Braise
- Coconut water, unsweetened1 l
- Egg, hard-boiled and peeled8
- Water, 2 tbsp for the caramel, the rest to top up250 ml
- Fresh chilli, whole bird's eye (optional)2
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Put the pork in a pan of cold water, bring it to the boil and boil for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse. This clears the scum and keeps the broth clear.
10 min
Step 2
Toss the pork with the shallot, garlic, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sugar and the pepper and leave for 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge. Meanwhile boil the eggs for 8 minutes, cool them in cold water and peel.
30 min
Step 3
Put the remaining 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp water in a heavy pot over medium heat. Let it melt and bubble, swirling but not stirring, until it is the colour of strong tea, about 5 minutes. Add the pork with its marinade at once and stir to coat.
8 min
Tip: Stop at dark amber. Black caramel is bitter and cannot be fixed.
Watch: Dark caramel is very hot and spits when the meat goes in. Stand back and use a long spoon.
Step 4
Sear the pork in the caramel for 3 to 4 minutes, then pour in the coconut water and the remaining fish sauce, and add water if needed so the pork is just covered. Bring to the boil, skim, then lower to a gentle simmer, uncovered, for an hour, skimming now and then.
65 min
Step 5
Add the peeled eggs and the chillies and simmer for another hour, turning the eggs now and then so they colour evenly, until the pork skin is soft enough to cut with a spoon and the broth is amber.
60 min
Step 6
Taste and adjust with fish sauce or a pinch of sugar. Skim off as much fat as you like, or chill overnight and lift it off cold. Serve with rice and pickled bean sprouts or mustard greens.
5 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 587 kcal
- Protein
- 56.5 g
- Carbs
- 17.8 g
- Fat
- 31.1 g
- Saturated fat
- 10.9 g
- Fibre
- 2.5 g
- Sugar
- 13.1 g
- Sodium
- 1617 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Coconut water → Water with 1 tbsp extra sugar
It works, but you lose the soft sweetness and the gloss coconut water gives the broth.
Hen eggs → Duck eggs or quail eggs
Duck eggs are richer; boil them for 10 minutes. Quail eggs need 3 minutes and go in for the last 20 minutes only.
Tips
- Make it a day ahead. It improves overnight, and chilling makes the fat easy to lift off.
- Score the eggs lightly with a knife before they go in so the colour and flavour reach further.
- Serve with dưa giá: bean sprouts pickled overnight in salted water with a little vinegar, sugar and sliced carrot.
History & culture
In the south no Tết is complete without a big pot of thịt kho trứng. It is cooked a day or two before the New Year, when the markets close, and reheated every day of the holiday, eaten with rice and pickled bean sprouts or mustard greens to cut the fat. This is the festival pot; the rest of the year a smaller one is ordinary home food.
Kho means braising in a salty, caramel-coloured liquid, and it is one of the oldest Vietnamese home methods, used for fish as often as pork. The southern habit of braising in coconut water comes from the Mekong Delta, where coconut palms line the canals. Northern families make jellied pork, thịt đông, for Tết instead.
Traditional — Some families use duck eggs, which are larger and richer. Fresh young coconuts give the sweetest broth; unsweetened cartons work well. This is the long southern Tết braise, different from the site's quicker, stickier Vietnamese-style caramel pork.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Thịt kho trứng take?
3 hr 10 min all in — 20 min prep, 2 hr 20 min cook, 30 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 people. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Fish, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Gluten-free.
10 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Dutch oven, Chef's knife, Cutting board.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Fish sauce — 5 tbsp (2 tbsp for the marinade, the rest for the braise). Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.
How much fish sauce?
5 tbsp (2 tbsp for the marinade, the rest for the braise) of Fish sauce.
How much sugar?
3 tbsp (1 tbsp for the marinade, 2 tbsp for the caramel) of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Coconut water → Water with 1 tbsp extra sugar. It works, but you lose the soft sweetness and the gloss coconut water gives the broth. Hen eggs → Duck eggs or quail eggs. Duck eggs are richer; boil them for 10 minutes. Quail eggs need 3 minutes and go in for the last 20 minutes only.
What should I watch for?
Dark caramel is very hot and spits when the meat goes in. Stand back and use a long spoon.
Any tips from this recipe?
Make it a day ahead. It improves overnight, and chilling makes the fat easy to lift off. Score the eggs lightly with a knife before they go in so the colour and flavour reach further. Serve with dưa giá: bean sprouts pickled overnight in salted water with a little vinegar, sugar and sliced carrot.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Make it a day ahead. It improves overnight, and chilling makes the fat easy to lift off. Serve with dưa giá: bean sprouts pickled overnight in salted water with a little vinegar, sugar and sliced carrot. Toss the pork with the shallot, garlic, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sugar and the pepper and leave for 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge. Meanwhile boil the eggs for 8 minutes, cool them in cold water and peel. Taste and adjust with fish sauce or a pinch of sugar. Skim off as much fat as you like, or chill overnight and lift it off cold. Serve with rice and pickled bean sprouts or mustard greens.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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