Black Pepper Caramel Sauce (Vietnamese Nuoc Mau)

We're a game meat kind of family.

I come from a hunting family.  Not like famous African lion hunting (RIP Cecil), but hunting for the sake of putting food on the table.  I grew up that way and continue to support conservation so if you're a animal rights activist or vegetarian, chances are this post is not for you.  

Don't worry, though.  You can still visit my recipe index for some meat-free choices.

For the rest of you carnivores, I have a sauce here that might literally change your point of view on cooking.  

This sauce is derived from two sources.  First, Nuoc Mau is a traditional Vietnamese caramel sauce that I had never heard of until a few months ago.  Turns out, I'd been making this sauce without realizing that a culture halfway around the globe had already created it many many many years ago.

My family always buys a game rub each year that consists of most of these ingredients.  This rub is mostly brown sugar with a little extra savory seasoning to it.  We would let venison sit in this rub for a few hours and then grill or pan-fry it to get the sugars caramelized.

From that, I decided to make a caramel sauce that would give me the same flavor by just tossing the meat in the sauce before serving.  

That's why you will notice this Nuoc Mau has a few more ingredients than the original Vietnamese version.  It's a combination of a caramel sauce with this game rub I grew up with.

If you're not a wild game fan, I think this would still be perfect on beef or chicken.  This is a neat twist on an Asian classic and makes my venison dishes super sweet and spicy all at once!

Black Pepper Caramel Sauce (Vietnamese Nuoc Mau)

 

3/4 cup water, separated into 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup

1 cup water

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

 

 

Fill sink halfway with cool water.

 

On medium heat, combine 1/4 cup water and sugar in a pot. 

 

Stir mixture occasionally and monitor the mixture as it changes.  It will turn from opaque to clear, then turn color as it simmers.  When it reaches a dark amber color,  Submerge the bottom of the pan in the sink to stop cooking.

 

Add 1/2 cup water and stand back as the mixture will spit and bubble.  When the bubbling subsides some, stir the mixture until its cooled and smooth.

 

Stir in black pepper, salt, garlic powder and cayenne powder. 

 

Store in airtight container in refrigerator.  Use as a glaze for meat before or after cooking.