Pork Belly Bao Recipe
A fun winter recipe to try this holiday season. In traditional Chinese culture, it is customary to eat more meats to maintain one’s internal yang and stay warm throughout the cold season. The ingredients of the pork belly bao are not new but the presentation as a bao is relatively modern.
It is best known for the fluffiness of its signature white bao. To achieve its light and airy texture, the baos are steamed rather than baked. The hardest part about this recipe is the wait! To make sure the pork is juicy and well marinated, it sits in the marinade for 24-hours. Don’t worry though! It is definitely worth the wait.
If you try this recipe out, be sure to show us your recreations on social media!
Prep Time: 1 day and 5 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- White bun (bao)
- 3 lbs pork belly
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 cups soy sauce
- 3 tsp hoisin sauce
- 3 cups of chicken or beef broth
- 1/2 tsp green onion
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 3 tsp cilantro
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
- Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, green onion and 3 cups of broth in a pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Let cool and place the pork belly in. Marinate the pork belly 24 hours in the fridge.
- After the pork has been marinated, preheat the oven to 200°C. Put the pork belly on a pan and place it in the oven. Cook for about 5 hours until it is tender.
- Remove pork belly from the oven. Slice the pork into 3-inch blocks.
- Steam the bao until soft and fluffy. Open up the steamed the buns.
- On each bun, spread 1/2 tbsp of hoisin sauce and then top with a slice of pork belly.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving. Feel free to add other vegetables of your choice like cucumbers.
