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Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Salad Bowls - if you look up fresh and delicious in the dictionary, you might just see a picture of this fabulous dish. It's sweet, salty, spicy and FRESH all rolled into one!

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork

A classic Vietnamese specialty dressed up in light and lean clothes! This salad bowl is bursting with freshness and flavor.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Vietnamese Caramelized Pork
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 327 kcal
Author Chris Scheuer (Nuoc Cham adapted from Fine Cooking)

Ingredients

For the pork:

  • 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon mild paprika
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon finely sliced cilantro stems optional
  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin 1 large or two small, silverskin removed

For the sauce:

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water divided
  • 1 tablespoon clear corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh lemongrass or lemongrass paste
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Instructions

For the pork:

  1. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup. Spray the foil with cooking spray or drizzle with a bit of oil. Set aside. 

  2. Combine the olive oil, brown sugar, garlic salt, onion powder and paprika in a small bowl and stir till well combined.

  3. Place the pork on the prepared pan and pat dry with a paper towel. Rub the pork all over with the brown sugar mixture. Use your hand to thoroughly coat with the rub. Allow to sit with rub while the oven preheats.

  4. Preheat oven to 450˚F. Roast pork for 8 minutes then remove from oven and flip tenderloin(s) to opposite side with tongs. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil then return to oven and continue cooking another 10-15 minutes or until temperature reads 145˚F in the thickest portion. Check temp after 10 minutes and every couple of minutes after.

  5. Tent pork loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice meat thinly, about ¼ inch thick. Combine sliced pork and sauce and serve.

  6. Serve with rice and lots of fresh veggies. We like to drizzle the veggies with nuoc cham, which is a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce. I've included a recipe below under the recipe "Notes".

  7. If making ahead, cool then wrap meat tightly in foil and refrigerate till ready to use.

For the sauce:

  1. While the meat is roasting, combine sugar, ¼ cup water and corn syrup in a medium size pan. Stir in the center of the pan to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until the mixture turns a medium amber color. Swirl the pan occasionally once the color begins to change.

  2. Remove from heat and carefully add remaining ¼ cup water (mixture will spatter when you add the water), soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, lemongrass and chili garlic sauce. Stir well then return to heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside. (If you like a thicker sauce, just let it simmer a little longer to desired consistency.)

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above for further instructions and more tips.

To make nuoc cham combine: 5 tablespoons water, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro (optional) and in a medium size glass jar. Shake until well combined. We like to serve lots of fresh, raw veggies with this Vietnamese Caramelized Pork and drizzle the nuoc cham over the veggies.

Nutrition Facts
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork
Amount Per Serving
Calories 327 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 98mg33%
Sodium 1222mg53%
Potassium 629mg18%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 0.3g1%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 32g64%
Vitamin A 168IU3%
Vitamin C 0.1mg0%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.