Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork is a popular dish at Thai restaurants. The Caramelized Pork pairs well with Coconut Rice and a green tangy salad. Crispy Onions finish off the dish.
Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork
Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork is a popular dish at Thai restaurants.
The Caramelized Pork pairs well with Coconut Rice and a green tangy salad. Crispy Onions finish off the dish.
I’ve seen this dish made using chunks of pork, strips and even shredded.
For this Instant Pot Pressure Cooker recipe, I decided to use strips of pork and make the recipe super simple.
It also cooks with a very simple Coconut Rice recipe.
My Pressure Cooker Thai Triple Coconut Rice recipe is very delicious, but is a sweet recipe and therefore, would not pair well with this Sweet Pork recipe.
When cooking a whole meal, each part must pair with the other and the ingredients for this recipe, pairs perfectly.
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork
We’ve had this dish at a local Thai restaurant and it is one of Ed’s favorites, as he likes a more simple recipe without so many fancy ingredients.
Moo Wan is a very sweet dish and quite delish.
But, for me, a little too sweet. Soooooo.
When I make it at home, I add a bit of garlic and a little heat to cut the sweetness.
Grapeseed or Vegetable Oil Work Well
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What is Moo Wan Pork?
- It is a Thai recipe.
- It is made with Dark/Black Sweet Soy Sauce and Palm Sugar.
- Often served as an appetizer since the dish is so sweet.
- It can be made with Pork Belly.
- I’ve done a Vietnamese version, using ribs, called Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Spare Ribs.
For this recipe, I chose Grapeseed Oil, which is a mild tasting Oil.
Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil or other mild oil will work well too.
Just make sure you first heat up your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
Shallots add a Wonderful Flavor
What are the Ingredients for Thai Moo Wan Pork?
- Shallots
- Pork – Shoulder (Picnic/Butt) or Pork Belly
- Brown and Palm Sugar
- Fish Sauce
- Dark/Black Sweet Soy Sauce
- Soy Sauce
- White Pepper
Shallots are more complex than onions and add a wonderful flavor.
I like the color too!
Fresh Garlic is added to the Shallots
You can use as much Garlic as you like for this recipe.
Three cloves will give it a nice taste.
Adding more, will give it a more noticeable garlic taste and change the recipe.
It’s like two recipes in one.
Add a bit more Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste and you have a delicious Spicy Sweet Garlicky Pork!
Pair that recipe with my Pressure Cooker Garlic Whipped Potatoes, as a side dish. Walaaa, a whole new meal!
Pour in the Liquids and Sambal Oelek
The Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce will easily deglaze the cooking pot.
Shallots release a lot of liquid, so there won’t be much stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Mix in Half the Sugars
The Brown Sugar, Palm Sugar and liquids will simmer and begin to become syrupy.
As it is simmering, use a Spatula to stir while the Shallots and Garlic release more flavor.
Stir in the Pork with the Sweet Sauce
Add the meat and mix it into the Sauce.
The Pork is cut into bite sized strips.
If you prefer chunks, then cut the Pork into chunks.
Pork Shoulder is very fatty and runs through the meat, so as you are cutting, cut off the excess fat.
The Picnic part of the Shoulder is less fatty than the Butt.
Pot in Pot Coconut Rice
My “Rice Pan” is just one of the pans from this Stainless Steel Pan Insert Set.
Combine the Rice, Coconut Milk, Salt and Water in the Pan.
Cooking Coconut Rice with the Moo Wan
If you don’t want any of the liquid from the cooking pot to get into the Rice Pan, use the cover with the steam holes.
Otherwise, just leave the pan uncovered.
Simmer with the Rest of the Sugar to Thicken
After the pressure cook time is up, add the rest of the Sugars and simmer, until the Sauce has thickened.
During this time, the Pork will finish cooking and become fork tender.
If you were cooking the Pork in chucks for a Pulled Pork version, you would need to add 5 minutes to the cook time.
Then during this stage, remove the Pork, while the Sauce is thickening and shred the Pork.
Just toss the Shredded Pork back in and continue to simmer, until thick.
For a delicious Mexican Pulled Pork recipe, try my Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas.
The Sauce will Caramelize
Once you are able to drag the Spatula through the Sauce and a clear space remains, the Sauce is perfect.
Other Thai recipes you may enjoy are:
Pressure Cooker Thai Coconut Chicken
Pressure Cooker Thai Triple Coconut Rice
Instant Pot Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork
Caramelized Onions are delicious on top of this Pressure Cooker Moo Wan Sweet Pork recipe.
Serve it with a side salad, which includes greens greens and a Balsamic based dressing.
Pickled Vegetables also makes a great accompaniment to this recipe, as it balances out the sweetness.
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
- 6 oz Porcelain Ramekins
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Salbree Steamer Basket
- Ekovana Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Stackable Pans Set
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 3 large Shallots sliced medium thick
- 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce, Low Sodium
- 3 cloves Fresh Garlic minced
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar divided
- 1/4 cup Palm Sugar divided
- 2 Tablespoons Sweet/Black Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Premium Fish Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek Ground Chili Paste
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground White Pepper
- 2 pounds Pork Shoulder (Picnic) cut into 1/4" x 2" strips
- Scallions for garnish
- Caramelized & Crispy Onions for garnish
Rice
- 12 ounces Jasmine Rice rinsed
- 1 can (14 oz) Coconut Milk
- 1/4 cup Fresh Water
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (or 1 tsp sea salt)
Instructions
- Select the Sauté or browning button on your Pressure Cooker and allow to fully heat.
- Add Oil and Shallots to cooking pot and Sauté for two minutes. Add Garlic and Sauté another 30 seconds.
- Add Soy Sauce, Fish Sauce, Sambal Oelek, White Pepper and half the Sugars to cooking pot and let simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off Pressure Cooker
- Add Pork and combine with the Sauce.
- Place Trivet into cooking pot and place pan on top. Add all Coconut Rice ingredients. Cover with a vented lid.
- Lock on lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook at High Pressure for 6 minutes. When Beep sounds, wait 10 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- Remove lid, remove pan of Rice and set aside. Mix in the rest of the Sugar. Select Sauté or Browning and let simmer until Sauce has thickened and the Sauce can be parted with a spatula.
- Garnish with crispy caramelized Onions and Scallions. Serve with a green salad with an acidic dressing, like Balsamic Vinegar.
Notes
Pin this Pressure Cooker Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork
Instant Pot Thai Moo Wan Sweet Pork w/Coconut Rice
The rice came out salty and was not fully cooked but the pork was really good. As Melissa P says, soy sauce is not always gluten free. I have not been able to find gluten free soy sauce so I subbed half molasses, half low sodium soy sauce. I also only had thin pork chops. I was also worried since I am allergic to onions that there would not be enough liquid. The pot came to pressure pretty quickly and the pork came out great.
If it was salty, then you might have used sea salt instead of Kosher salt. Sea salt is twice as powerful as Kosher. Jill
You have this recipe tagged as Gluten Free and it is not a gluten free recipe. The soy sauce and dark/sweet soy sauce both contain gluten (wheat). Someone who cooks gluten free everyday will catch this, but someone cooking for a friend may not.
We enjoy your pressure cooker recipes and are looking forward to trying this one. Thank you!