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The Complete Guide to Sugar Alternatives: Everything You Need to Know →Vietnamese Caramel Pork with Jaca
A classic Vietnamese comfort dish — tender pork shoulder braised low and slow in a sticky, sweet-savory caramel glaze made with Jaca (allulose), coconut water, fish sauce, and garlic. Served over steamed jasmine rice, this is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version of the beloved Thit Kho To.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Jaca (allulose) (replaces 1/2 cup brown sugar at 2x ratio)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 pounds pork shoulder (butt), cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups coconut water
- 1 shallot, very finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 red chili, sliced (for garnish)
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- steamed jasmine rice (for serving)
Sweetener Used
1 cup Jaca (allulose) Allulose
Replaces: 1/2 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
Place 1 cup Jaca (allulose) and 1 tablespoon water in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir until the Jaca melts and begins to bubble into a golden caramel, about 3–4 minutes.
- 2
Add the pork shoulder pieces to the caramel and stir to coat evenly.
- 3
Pour in the coconut water, then add the sliced shallot, minced garlic, fish sauce, and white pepper. Stir to combine.
- 4
Bring to a gentle simmer. Adjust heat so the liquid is bubbling steadily but not rapidly.
- 5
Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice during cooking. The pork should become fork-tender and the liquid will gradually reduce.
- 6
When the liquid has reduced down and the pork is tender, continue stirring as the fat separates. The pork will begin to brown and caramelize in the rendered fat.
- 7
Once the glaze is sticky and clinging to the pork pieces (no more pooling liquid), remove from heat.
- 8
If the pork becomes tender before the liquid has fully reduced, simply continue simmering. If the liquid reduces before the pork is tender, add 1/2 cup water and keep cooking.
- 9
Serve over steamed jasmine rice, garnished with sliced red chili and green onions.
- 10
This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version of Vietnamese Caramel Pork (Thit Kho To) — all the rich, sticky-sweet flavor without conventional sugar.
Pro Tips
- Pork shoulder (butt) is ideal for this dish — the marbled fat keeps the meat incredibly tender during the long braise.
- Do not use pork tenderloin or loin — they are too lean and will dry out.
- Coconut water is NOT the same as coconut milk. It is sold in the drinks aisle and tastes mildly salty-sweet, not coconutty.
- The magic happens in the last 5 minutes when the liquid evaporates and the pork caramelizes in its own fat. Do not rush this step.
- Jaca (allulose) caramelizes beautifully just like conventional sugar, making it perfect for this recipe.