Braised Pork Belly Bao Buns (Gua Bao)
Servings: 8
Calories: 693kcal
Soft, homemade bao buns are filled with savory, melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly, then topped with tangy pickles, fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts for a delicious Taiwanese-inspired bite.
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Equipment
- 1 large oven-safe pot (with lid) preferably a Dutch oven
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Pickled Cucumbers and Radishes
- 2 small cucumbers cut into thin matchsticks
- 3 radishes thinly sliced
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup warm water about 100 to 110°F
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Braised Pork Belly
- 2 lbs pork belly preferably skin on, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger sliced
- 2 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup Shaoxing wine
- ½ cup light soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar preferably dark
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 1 cup water or enough to mostly cover the pork
For the Bao Buns
- 3 cups Red Lotus "Special" flour see NOTES
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup warm water 105 to 115°F, plus a little extra, if the dough is too dry, see NOTES
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For Serving
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- pickled cucumbers and radishes
- 2 scallions chopped
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts chopped
- red chili thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
Do Ahead - Make the Pickled Cucumbers and Radishes
- Put the cucumber strips and radish slices in a heatproof bowl or jar.2 small cucumbers, 3 radishes
- In a bowl, whisk the rice vinegar with the warm water, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Pour over the vegetables.½ cup rice vinegar, ½ cup warm water, 1 tbsp sugar, ½ tsp fine sea salt
- Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain before serving. Refrigerate if making more than 2 hours ahead.
Prepare the Braised Pork Belly (Day in advance - see NOTES if making same day)
- Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Pat the sliced pork belly chunks dry.2 lbs pork belly
- Heat the oil in a heavy, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in batches, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions; cook for about 30 seconds. Stir in the Shaoxing wine, soy sauces, brown sugar, cinnamon, star anise, and water, scraping up any browned bits.3 cloves garlic, 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, 2 scallions, ½ cup Shaoxing wine, ½ cup light soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 star anise, 1 cup water
- Return the pork with juices to the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover and transfer the pot to the oven.
- Braise for 2–2½ hours. The pork is ready when very tender but still holds its shape. If it isn’t tender yet, continue cooking and check every 20 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a heatproof pan. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard any solids. Pour the strained liquid over the pork belly and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Loosely cover with foil and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
- Use a spoon to scrape most of the solidified fat from the pork belly (it's okay if you don't get it all).
- Transfer the pork belly with congealed sauce to a pot and heat over medium heat. Cover and simmer on low for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the pork belly is tender again. Keep warm until ready to use.
Make the Bao Buns
- In a large bowl, or your stand mixer bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, yeast, baking powder, and salt. Add the warm water and oil, then mix until a shaggy (loose) dough forms.3 cups Red Lotus "Special" flour, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp active dry yeast, ¾ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp fine sea salt, 1 cup warm water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Knead by hand for 8–10 minutes, or with your stand mixer and dough hook for 5–6 minutes, until smooth and supple. If necessary, add a splash or two of more water if the dough is not coming together. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Form the dough into a smooth ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled, about 60–90 minutes.
- Line steamer trays with parchment. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 10 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, cover, and rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll each ball into an oval about 4 by 6 inches and ⅛ inch thick. Brush the surface lightly with oil and fold the oval in half. Place each bun on a small square of parchment, cover, and proof until puffy, about 25–35 minutes.
- Steam in batches over simmering water for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the buns sit, covered, for 3 minutes before opening the lid.
Assemble and Serve
- Open each warm bun and add a layer of cilantro leaves. Add a layer of the braised pork belly. Top with pickled cucumber and radish, scallions, and peanuts. Add sliced fresh chili if desired.1 cup cilantro leaves, pickled cucumbers and radishes, 2 scallions, ¼ cup roasted peanuts, red chili
Video
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
- Flour: We prepare the buns with Red Lotus Special Flour (“Silk Sifted”). If you can’t find it, bleached cake flour is a good alternative; bleached all-purpose flour also works, though the buns may be slightly chewier. You may need to add a little more water to the dry mixture to reach a smooth, workable dough. Add sparingly!
- Pork belly: Use skin-on or skinless pork belly, depending on your preference. Skin-on gives the finished pork a richer, more gelatinous texture; skinless is easier to cut and eat. Ask your butcher to remove the skin if you prefer it skinless.
- Soy sauce: The braise uses both regular (light) and dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce contributes deeper color and a richer flavor; regular soy sauce seasons the pork.
- Make-ahead option: The pork can be braised a day ahead and refrigerated in its cooking liquid. Chilling makes it easy to remove the solidified fat and gives the flavors time to develop. Reheat the pork gently in the sauce before serving.
- Same-day option: If you aren’t chilling the pork, let the braising liquid settle briefly, then skim excess fat from the surface before serving.
- Serving: Fill the warm buns just before serving so they stay soft, and the pickles and fresh garnishes retain their texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 693kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 868mg | Potassium: 422mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg