Instant Pot Caramelized Pork and Eggs / Thit Kho Trung

Method22 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: This route uses the full batch in an 8-quart Instant Pot. Place all nine eggs on an egg rack or steamer basket in the inner pot and add the separate 2 cups hot egg-cooking water.

   Uses 9 large eggs · 2 cups hot water for the egg-cooking stage in the 8-quart Instant Pot

2. 2

   Step 2: Fit the pressure-cooker lid and set the steam-release handle to Sealing, following the appliance instructions.

   Uses eggs and egg-cooking water on rack

3. 3

   Step 3: Cook the egg pot from step 2 on High Pressure for 5 minutes. When the pressure-cooking program ends, allow a 5-minute natural pressure release, then carefully release the remaining pressure according to the appliance instructions. Open only after all pressure is released.

   Uses sealed egg-cooking pot

4. 4

   Step 4: Lift the cooked eggs from step 3 into a bowl of ice water and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the used egg-cooking water.

   Cool hard-boiled eggs · 5 minUses All 9 cooked eggs, lifted from the cooker · Ice water as needed for the cooked eggs

5. 5

   Step 5: Peel all nine cooled eggs from step 4 and keep them covered in the refrigerator while preparing the pork.

   Uses All 9 cooled eggs, drained from the ice bath

6. 6

   Step 6: Fill the cleaned inner pot halfway with separate hot parboiling water. Place it in the Instant Pot, cover with a glass lid and select Sauté to start heating. The author gives about 15–20 minutes to reach a boil; use the boiling-water checkpoint.

   Uses Hot water as needed to fill the inner pot halfway for parboiling pork

7. 7

   Step 7: Sprinkle the 2 tbsp cleaning salt and 2 tbsp cleaning vinegar over the pork sirloin and pork belly (1 lb). Rub gently, rinse off with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the rinse water and keep the work area clean.

   Uses 2 lb pork sirloin tip roast · 1 lb pork belly · 2 Tbsp salt (for cleaning the pork) · 2 Tbsp vinegar (for cleaning the pork) · Cold water as needed to rinse the pork before and after parboiling

8. 8

   Step 8: Trim excess fat from the dried pork from step 7 and cut both cuts into chunks about 2 inches across.

   Uses cleaned and dried sirloin and belly

   
9. 9

   Step 9: When the parboiling water from step 6 boils, add all the pork chunks from step 8 and stir gently. Cover with the glass lid, return to a boil and parboil for about 10 minutes.

   Parboil pork · 10 minUses heated parboiling water · trimmed pork chunks

10. 10

    Step 10: Lift the parboiled pork from step 9 into a large colander. Rinse off loose residue with cold water, drain well and transfer the pork to a large bowl. Discard the parboiling liquid.

    Uses parboiled pork, lifted from the liquid · Cold water as needed to rinse the pork before and after parboiling

11. 11

    Step 11: Drizzle the full 1/4 cup fish sauce over the drained pork from step 10. Mix and keep the bowl covered in the refrigerator while preparing the caramel. Reserve any marinade left in the bowl when the pork is lifted out.

    Uses drained parboiled pork · 1/4 cup fish sauce

12. 12

    Step 12: Wash the emptied inner pot thoroughly, dry it and return it to the Instant Pot.

13. 13

    Step 13: Before heating the sugar, peel and smash the two large garlic cloves and cut the half brown onion into thick wedges. Have the marinated pork and cooked eggs ready to retrieve.

    Uses 2 large garlic cloves · 1/2 medium brown onion

14. 14

    Step 14: Select Sauté and sprinkle the full 1/4 cup sugar evenly across the dry inner pot.

    Uses 1/4 cup sugar

15. 15

    Step 15: Watch the sugar from step 14 as it melts and caramelizes to a honey color, about 10–15 minutes, without stirring. Have the pork ready and proceed as soon as the color is reached, avoiding scorching.

    Uses quarter-cup sugar in heated pot

16. 16

    Step 16: Lift all the pork from the marinade bowl in step 11, reserving the leftover liquid there. Add the pork to the honey-colored caramel from step 15 and quickly combine to coat. Cancel Sauté.

    Uses all marinated pork, lifted from the bowl · honey-colored caramel

17. 17

    Step 17: Add all nine peeled cooked eggs from step 5 to the caramel-coated pork from step 16. Pour in the full 2 1/2 cups coconut water and 2 cups hot braising water. Rearrange so the eggs are covered; add more of the remaining hot braising water only if needed, following the 2–3-cup total guide.

    Uses caramel-coated pork in pot · All 9 peeled cooked eggs · 2 1/2 cups coconut water · 2 cups hot braising water initially · Additional hot braising water only if needed, from the remaining supply

18. 18

    Step 18: Add the smashed garlic and onion wedges from step 13, all 1/2 tsp black peppercorns and any fish-sauce marinade remaining in the bowl from step 11.

    Uses pork, cooked eggs and braising liquids · prepared garlic and onion wedges · 1/2 tsp black peppercorns (about 20-25 peppercorns) · remaining fish-sauce marinade

19. 19

    Step 19: Close the pot from step 18 with the pressure-cooker lid and set Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes. After the program ends, allow at least the initial 15-minute natural-release checkpoint, then keep the valve at Sealing and continue natural release until all pressure is released and the float valve drops. Do not force the lid open. Check that the pork is fork-tender and reaches at least 63 °C (145 °F); continue cooking if needed, following the appliance instructions and allowing full natural release before reopening.

    Uses complete pork, egg and seasoned-broth pot

    
20. 20

    Step 20: After the pork is fully tender and has reached at least 63 °C (145 °F), turn off the heat and rest the opened pot off the heat for 3 minutes before serving.

    Rest cooked pork · 3 minUses fully cooked pork, eggs and broth

21. 21

    Step 21: Serve the rested pork, eggs and broth from step 20 with ready cooked white rice, if desired. Offer either ready pickled bean sprouts or ready pickled mustard greens as an accompaniment.

    Uses rested pork, eggs and broth · Ready cooked plain white rice for serving, optional · Ready pickled bean sprouts for serving, optional · Ready pickled mustard greens for serving, optional

22. 22

    Step 22: Divide leftover pork, eggs and broth into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours, at 4 °C (40 °F) or below. Use within 3–4 days. Reheat the portion you will eat to 74 °C (165 °F).

    Uses leftover cooked pork, eggs and broth