Pork Belly Bao Buns

5 from 1 vote

Pork Belly Bao Buns: These fluffy bao buns are filled with tender, flavorful pork belly marinated in a savory blend of soy sauce, garlic, and five-spice powder. Topped with fresh cucumber, green onions, and hoisin sauce, they make a delicious and satisfying meal.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3 10

Marinating/Rising Time4

Total Time7 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 808kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

For The Pork Belly

1½ pounds pork belly
¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic minced
1 inch ginger piece grated
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon five-spice powder

For The Bao Buns

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup warm water
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon baking powder

For The Garnish

sliced cucumber
sliced green onions
hoisin sauce
fresh cilantro

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar, and five-spice powder. Place the pork belly in a ziplock bag and pour in the marinade. Ensure it's well-coated.Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the marinated pork belly on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 2.5 to 3 hours until the pork is tender and the skin is crispy. Remove from the oven and let it rest before slicing into thin pieces.
Mix the flour, warm water, instant yeast, sugar, vegetable oil, and baking powder in a large bowl. Knead until the dough is smooth. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball with a rolling pin into an oval shape, then fold over using a chopstick.
Place each bun on a piece of parchment paper and let them rise again for about 30 minutes. Steam the buns in a bamboo steamer over boiling water for 8-10 minutes until puffy and cooked through.
Open each steamed bun and spread a little hoisin sauce inside.Add a few slices of the roasted pork belly.Garnish with sliced cucumber, green onions, and fresh cilantro.
Serve the Pork Belly Bao Buns immediately while warm.

Notes

Marinate the pork belly overnight for maximum flavor.
Use warm water (110°F/43°C) to activate the yeast for the bao buns.
Place buns on parchment paper to prevent sticking during steaming.
Slice the pork belly thinly for easy assembly and better texture.
Reheat leftover buns by steaming them until warm and puffy.

Nutrition