Thit kho flavours in a fraction of the time: pork shoulder chunks char in the basket while a caramel of sugar and fish sauce reduces in a pan. The caramel should taste a shade past sweet, edging into bitter. That edge against the salty fish sauce and a lot of black pepper is the entire dish.
Everything you need
- 600 g pork shoulder, cut into 3 cm chunks
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 g) water
- 2 tbsp (32 g) fish sauce
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1 tbsp (14 g) vegetable oil
- 2 spring onion, sliced, to finish
Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Toss the pork with the oil and a pinch of salt. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for 3 minutes.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
-
Air fry the pork in a single layer for 14 to 16 minutes, shaking twice, until browned with charred corners.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
-
Meanwhile make the caramel: sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat, swirling never stirring, until it turns a deep amber, 5 to 6 minutes.
For this step
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 g) water
-
Off the heat, add the fish sauce carefully. It will spit and seize, and both are normal. Return to low heat and stir until smooth.
For this step
- 2 tbsp (32 g) fish sauce
-
Add the shallot, garlic and pepper to the caramel and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
For this step
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp black pepper
-
Tip the charred pork into the pan and toss over medium heat for 2 minutes until every piece is lacquered. Finish with spring onion and more black pepper over rice.
For this step
- 600 g pork shoulder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 spring onion
Tap a step to check it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
Cook's tips
- Take the caramel darker than feels safe. Pale caramel plus fish sauce just tastes like sweet salt. The bitterness is load-bearing.
- Shoulder, not loin or tenderloin. The chunks need internal fat to stay juicy under hard heat.
Make it your own
- Add a bird's eye chilli to the caramel with the garlic for the spicy version.
- Chicken thigh chunks work the same way at 12 minutes.
Storing & reheating
Fridge for 3 days. The glaze keeps the pork moist, and it reheats well in a pan with a splash of water, or 4 minutes at 180°C.
Frequently asked
What is Vietnamese caramel sauce (nuoc mau)?
Sugar cooked to the edge of burnt, then combined with fish sauce. It's the bitter-sweet backbone of dishes like thit kho, and takes about 6 minutes in a small pan.
Why did my caramel seize when I added fish sauce?
Cold liquid hitting hot sugar always seizes it. Keep the pan on low heat and stir. The lumps dissolve back into the sauce within a minute.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
More air fryer recipes
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.