Pork Belly Buns (Soft, Sticky, Bao-tiful)

Bao buns are clouds. Clouds that hold pork belly.

Sticky, tender, five-spice pork belly tucked into a fluffy steamed bun with crunchy slaw and hoisin. It’s sweet, savory, soft, and crisp all at once. Impressive? Yes. Hard? Not at all.

Ingredients

Makes 8 buns.

For the Pork Belly:

• 1 lb (450g) pork belly, sliced into ½-inch thick pieces
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Buns:

• 8 pre-made bao buns (or homemade)

For Toppings:

• ½ cucumber, julienned
• 2 green onions, sliced
• Extra hoisin sauce
• Sriracha (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate Pork

1. In a bowl, mix soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, five-spice, and garlic.
2. Coat pork belly slices. Marinate 30 minutes (or overnight).

Step 2: Cook Pork

1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized.
2. Add leftover marinade + ¼ cup water. Simmer 5 minutes until sticky and thick.

Step 3: Steam Buns

1. Steam bao buns according to package instructions (usually 3-5 minutes).

Step 4: Assemble

1. Open each bun. Spread hoisin inside.
2. Add pork belly, cucumber, and green onions.
3. Drizzle with extra hoisin and sriracha if desired.

Step 5: Serve

1. Serve warm. Eat with your hands. Smile.

Summary

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Marinate Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: ~55 minutes

Yield: 8 buns

Difficulty: Easy

Storage Notes

Store Components Separately:

• Pork belly: Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet.
• Bao buns: Freeze for up to 2 months. Re-steam from frozen.
• Toppings: Cucumber is best fresh.

Do Not Store Assembled:

Buns get soggy. Assemble right before eating.

Quick Sub:

No homemade bao? Use King’s Hawaiian rolls or small burger buns. Different, still delicious.

Make It Spicy:

Add chili crisp or sriracha mayo to the bun.