Vietnamese Caramelized Ribs / Suon Ram Man
When it comes to Vietnamese comfort food, there’s something deeply satisfying about a dish that combines tender pork ribs with a caramelized, savory-sweet sauce. Suon Ram Man, or Vietnamese Caramelized Ribs, is precisely that. This recipe is one I hold close to my heart, as it perfectly captures the essence of Vietnamese home-cooked meals—rich in
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 lbs Baby Back Rib
- 2 tbsp Minced Shallot
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp MSG
- 1 tbsp Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 6 oz Coco Rico
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 2 Thai Chili
- Black Pepper
- Green Onion
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Ribs:
- 2
Process baby back ribs by removing the membrane and cutting the ribs between the bones. Parboil in a pot of water for 5-10 minutes to help reduce porky odor and impurities. Drain and rinse with cold tap water
- 3
Marinade:
- 4
In a mixing bowl, combine minced shallots, minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, MSG, oil, salt and pepper. Add in parboil ribs, and marinate in the fridge for 10-15 minutes
- 5
Nuoc Mau/Vietnamese Caramel:
- 6
Make the nuoc mau (Vietnamese caramel) by adding sugar to a pot on medium-low heat. Slowly melt the sugar while occasionally stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the color turns a dark amber color – about 5-6 minutes
- 7
Cook:
- 8
Add in marinated pork ribs and all of the marinade. Brown the pork off in the caramel for 2-3 minutes
- 9
Pour in half a can of Coco Rico or just enough to barely cover the ribs. Season with fish sauce, chopped Thai chili, and black pepper
- 10
Bring the pot up to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer covered for 30-40 minutes or until pork ribs are tender
- 11
Remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium-high, and let the pork cook uncovered for another 5 minutes to let the sauce reduce and glaze over the pork
- 12
Serve:
- 13
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve with rice!