Authentic Thit Kho (Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly with Eggs)

This is Vietnamese comfort food at its best. Thit Kho or Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly with Eggs is made with pork belly braised in a mixture of soy sauce, fish sauce, and brown sugar serve with boiled eggs. It is then served on a bed of white rice, which perfectly rounds out the dish.

On the blog this week is a recipe for a CLASSIC Vietnamese dish – thit kho or braised pork belly with eggs. When I was little, I definitely took this dish for granted. It was something my mom would make for me all the time. I still remember smelling the aroma of the soy sauce, fish sauce, and pork when I came home from school. The feeling associated with this dish is shared among many in the Vietnamese community. Every time I told a friend I was making thit kho for the blog this week, I always got something like “oh my gosh that was my favorite” as a response. So I am so excited to share this recipe with you.

What is Thit Kho?

Thit Kho translates to braised meat. Kho is the Vietnamese word for braise, and braising is a common way to cook meats and seafood in Vietnamese cuisine. Two examples are Ca Kho To, Ca Hoi Kho and Bo Kho. This dish uses a soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and coconut water mixture to braise pork belly. The purpose of these ingredients is to create a balance of salty, sweet, and umami flavors in the final dish.

This dish is a common every day dish in Vietnam, and every family has their own unique way of making it. For me, my mom liked to keep it simple with pork belly, hard boiled eggs, and the braising liquid. The difference between her recipe and mine is that she used water instead of coconut water. I like using coconut water because it adds more flavor to the dish.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Pork belly – The pork belly is the foundation of this dish. I would recommend using pork belly since that’s what this dish is traditionally made with.
• Hard boiled eggs – Any kind of large eggs should work. If you want to be very fancy, you can use quail eggs.
• Shallots – This ingredient adds sweetness to the dish.
• Garlic – The garlic adds flavor and helps get rid of any unclean pork flavors.
• Brown sugar – Adds sweetness to the dish. Regular sugar can work, but brown sugar works better because it adds color and more depth in flavor.
• Fish sauce – Adds umami and saltiness to the dish.
• Soy sauce – This also adds umami and saltiness to the dish. I use regular soy sauce for my recipe, but my mom recommends using dark soy sauce to add more color to the pork belly and eggs.
• Coconut water – The coconut water adds sweetness to the braising liquid. If you don’t have coconut water, regular room temperature water works as a substitute. The only drawback of using regular water is that the braising liquid will have less flavor.

Which cut of pork should you use for thit kho?

I personally like to use pork belly because that is what is traditionally use, but you can also use pork shoulder or pork butt which are leaner cuts. The key to the best thit kho is to use meant with at least a little bit of fat because the fat is what keeps the meat juicy and tender.

Making my easy thit kho recipe

First prepare all your ingredients. Cut the pork belly into chunks that are no thicker than 1 inch. These pieces don’t have to be uniform or perfect. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and add in the pork belly chunks. Boil for 2 minutes to clean the pork belly. Take out and set aside. Next boil your eggs. Add 4 eggs to a pan and cover with water so that there is 1 inch of water above the eggs. Bring the water to a boil and turn off the heat. Let sit for 8 minutes and immediately submerge the eggs into ice water. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the shells and set aside.

Now it’s time to braised your pork belly! Add shallots, garlic, and some oil to a medium pot. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the shallots and garlic are shiny. Add in the brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, and coconut water. Stir and bring to a boil. Add your pork belly back in and lower the heat to a simmer. If the liquid doesn’t fully cover the pork belly, add more coconut water until it just covers the meat. Simmer with the pan slightly uncovered for 30 minutes. After simmering for 30 minutes, add in your hard boiled eggs. Let it simmer for another 30 minutes with the pan slightly uncovered. If the liquid does not completely cover the eggs, turn the eggs over after 15 minutes. Garnish the dish with green onions before serving.

Tips on how to make the perfect thit kho

Make sure to clean your pork belly

Red meat like pork has some gross, meaty flavors if not cleaned properly. The best way to clean pork is to bring water to a boil and cook the meat for 2 minutes. The brief cook time ensures all the good flavors stay in the meat, and only the bad flavors come out.

Braise the pork belly with the pan slightly uncovered

There is a lot of liquid in this dish, so leaving the pan slightly uncovered not only prevents the pork from over cooking, but it also thickens the sauce. In the end, the sauce should not be super thick. It will look watery, but flavorful!

How long do you braise thit kho?

The braise time for this recipe can change depending on how thick you cut your pork belly. I cut it 1 inch thick, but if yours are thinner, reduce the braise time and if yours are thicker, increase the braise time. The easiest way to know if your pork belly is done is to try it. Try it and adjust your cook time accordingly.

How do you store thit kho?

Store the dish in an airtight container in the fridge. It can last in the fridge for up to 3 days and up to 3 months in the freezer.

What do you serve thit kho with?

Thit kho has a lot of intense flavors, so the best and most traditional thing to eat with it is white rice. The rice soaks up the flavor of the marinade well, and it provides a good balance to the intensely flavored braised pork belly. Other alternatives are quinoa, brown or red rice, and bread (especially baguettes!). I’ve personally had this dish with bread, and it’s amazing!

Did you make this Thit Kho?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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