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
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, five-spice, and garlic.
- Coat pork belly slices. Marinate 30 minutes (or overnight).
Step 2: Cook Pork
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear pork 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized.
- Add leftover marinade + ¼ cup water. Simmer 5 minutes until sticky and thick.
Step 3: Steam Buns
- Steam bao buns according to package instructions (usually 3-5 minutes).
Step 4: Assemble
- Open each bun. Spread hoisin inside.
- Add pork belly, cucumber, and green onions.
- Drizzle with extra hoisin and sriracha if desired.
Step 5: Serve
- 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.
