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Caramelized Vietnamese Pork Shoulder Stew with Boiled Eggs
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Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Large Skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 star anise
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 green onions, sliced

Instructions
 

  • Place the sugar in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook without stirring until it melts and turns a deep amber color, about 4 minutes.
  • Add the pork shoulder chunks to the caramel and stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, turning the pieces so they brown lightly on all sides.
  • Stir in the garlic and shallots. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Transfer everything to a slow cooker. Add the fish sauce, water, star anise, and black pepper. Stir once.
  • Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
  • Add the peeled hard-boiled eggs during the last 2 hours so they warm through and absorb flavor.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust with a splash more fish sauce if needed. Remove the star anise.
  • Ladle the stew into bowls and top with sliced green onions.

Notes

Make the caramel a shade darker than you think you want it. It will mellow during the long cook and keep the final sauce from tasting too sweet. The eggs firm up slightly as they sit in the sauce, so add them only at the end to prevent them from overcooking. Leftovers reheat well on the stove with a little water to loosen the sauce.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Equipment: Slow Cooker, Large Skillet