Braised Pork Ribs in Caramel Sauce Recipe (Suon Kho)

Without fail each year, I make this Vietnamese kho recipe – small pieces of pork ribs that have been marinated, seared then simmered in a savory-sweet sauce. Called sườn kho, this braised pork ribs in caramel sauce recipe comes from my mom. I’ve first wrote about it in Saveur magazine and then included it in my first book, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. It’s a celebration dish.

My mom’s northern Vietnamese family prepared the dish for their month-long Tet festivities. An entire pig was slaughtered for the celebration, and all the parts were turned in to delicious foods – charcuterie, soup broth, and banh chung sticky rice cakes, for example. The ribs were also cooked in a traditional Viet way.

What is Kho?

Kho refers to foods that have been stewed or simmered. There’s classic bo kho beef stew with tomato and lemongrass and star anis. But the iconic, homey Viet renditions of kho ("caw" like the sound a crow makes) involve a bittersweet caramel sauce, which you can easily make yourself. I included a recipe in Into the Vietnamese Kitchen and Vietnamese Food Any Day. There’s also a blog post plus a video on VWK for making it, too. The caramel sauce is a staple for Vietnamese cooking.

Dishes that have been cooked as a kho keep well. They’re meant to be eaten over days, reheating well. That’s why this braised pork ribs in caramel sauce recipe is perfect for Tet, a time when everyone is supposed to relax, rather than slave in the kitchen.

Marinate, Sear, Simmer

Most kho, like the pork belly one on this site or the pork shoulder and eggs with coconut juice in Vietnamese Food Any Day are simply simmered. This one involves a little more care but the marinating, searing and simmering builds layers of complex flavor and texture.

If the weather is good, grill the ribs. I broiled mine this year and there was a little fire I had to put out (watch the grease!).

Instant Pot vs. Stovetop

The original recipe published in Into the Vietnamese Kitchen in 2006 was a straight-up simmer on the stove. For this recipe, I updated it a bit by using the Instant Pot. It didn’t save a ton of time BUT, you can skim the fat quite easily because the pressure cooker never boils. The clear fat floats at the top and can be removed easily with a thin-lipped ladle.

For Tet, you’d serve these ribs along with banh chung sticky rice cakes and whatever else you fancy. It’s great on rice too. It’s also fine made any time of the year. But around Tet, the ribs always grace my table, served in ceramic bowl made in Bat Trang village in northern Vietnam. I bought it long ago during my travels and use it during Tet to underscore my roots.

Whether or not you’re Viet or have fancy dishware, make these ribs to celebrate good cooking. Make these Viet ribs for Tet (which can last for weeks!) or any time you want fabulous Viet food.

P.S. This dish freezes beautifully! I've frozen it for say, 6 months!

Related posts

• How to cut, cook and eat banh chung
• How to make banh chung
• Red Boat Fish Sauce Pork belly in caramel sauce
• Viet Caramel Sauce (Nước Màu) Recipe Video

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Braised Pork Ribs in Caramel Sauce Recipe

Use a regular rack or St. Louis-style rack of ribs for this Vietnamese kho recipe. Ask the butcher to saw the ribs into strips; that is not a job for the home cook. Serve with rice and a boiled vegetable or simple stir-fry. In Vietnamese, this is called sườn kho.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds meaty pork spareribs, cut crosswise through the bone into long strips 1 ½ to 2 inches wide
• ½ large onion yellow onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon recently ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons Caramel Sauce (see Note below)
• 1 or 2 green onions, green part only, cut into rings

Instructions

• Cut each rib strip between the bones or cartilage into individual riblets. In a large bowl, combine the onion, sugar, pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the fish sauce and mix well. Add the riblets and use your fingers or a large spoon to mix well, coating all the riblets evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Remove the bowl from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before searing. For the best flavor, use a grill to sear the riblets. Prepare a hot charcoal fire (you can hold your hand over the rack for only 2 to 3 seconds) or heat a gas grill to high. Remove the riblets from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and sear the riblets on the grill on all sides, turning as needed, for about 10 minutes total. Some charred edges and grill marks will deepen the flavor.
• Alternatively, position a rack as close to the heat source as possible and preheat the broiler for 20 minutes to get it nice and hot. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the riblets on the pan. Broil, turning once, for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, or until tinged brown and a bit charred.
• Transfer the seared riblets, the reserved marinade, and any cooking juices to 6-quart Instant, and add the remaining 3 tablespoons fish sauce, the caramel sauce, and water almost to cover (about 2 cups). Lock the lid in place then program to cook at high pressure for 13 to 15 minutes (use more time if you want tender ribs; I use less time because I like a bit of chew). Once done, let the Instant Pot depressurize naturally for 12 minutes before releasing pressure and unlocking the lid. (Or, cook the ribs in a 5-quart Dutch oven. Simmer them, covered, for about 45 minutes; resist removing the scum that rises to the top because it’s part of the flavor.)
• Regardless of cooking vessel, bring the ribs to a vigorous simmer (use saute on the Instant Pot), and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the riblets are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. You should be able to bite through a piece of cartilage easily but a slight crunch should remain. The sauce will have reduced somewhat, but there will still be a generous amount.
• Remove from the heat and let stand for a few minutes so that the fat collects on the surface, then use a ladle or spoon to skim it off. (Or, let cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight to congeal the fat, making the task much easier; reheat before continuing.) Return to a simmer and taste the sauce. Add extra fish sauce to create a deeper savory flavor, or water to lighten the flavor.
• Transfer the riblets and sauce to a shallow bowl and sprinkle the green onion on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

For the Caramel Sauce, see this recipe post or recipes in Into the Vietnamese Kitchen or Vietnamese Food Any Day.