Chinese Braised Pork Belly Bao
About this recipe
These Chinese Braised Pork Belly Bao are a delicious way to show love through food. With sticky, tender pork belly nestled in fluffy bao buns, this dish is all about comfort and flavor.
Marion Grasby’s recipe combines rich braising techniques with aromatic spices, creating a deep mahogany color and a mouthwatering taste that’s perfect for sharing.
Ingredient notes
- Choose a piece of pork belly with nice layers of meat and fat.
- For the spicy mayo, you can use coconut sriracha or any hot sauce of your choice.
- Bao buns can be homemade or store-bought.
Tips from Marion Grasby’s video
- Slice the pork belly in half to fit into the roasting tray and increase the surface area for braising.
- Cover the pork with baking paper and foil to keep it submerged in the braising liquid while cooking, ensuring even flavor throughout.
- Refrigerating the pork overnight helps it firm up for easier slicing before grilling.
Good to know
- How long does it take to cook the pork belly?
- The pork belly needs to cook in the oven for about 2 hours until tender.
- Can I use store-bought bao buns?
- Yes, you can use either homemade or store-bought bao buns.
- What should I do with the leftover braising liquid?
- The braising liquid can be reserved and simmered until thickened for drizzling over the pork.
- How can I make the spicy mayo?
- Mix mayonnaise with coconut sriracha or any hot sauce of your choice.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Marion Grasby: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Prepare the braising liquid by mixing soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, fennel seeds, star anise, spring onion, and ginger in a pot.
- 2
Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
- 3
Slice the pork belly in half to fit into the roasting tray and increase surface area for braising.
- 4
Place the pork belly in the tray and add enough water to cover it.
- 5
Cover the pork with baking paper and foil to keep it submerged in the liquid while cooking.
- 6
Cook the pork in the oven at low heat for about 2 hours until tender.
- 7
Remove the pork from the oven and strain the braising liquid, reserving it for later use.
- 8
Let the pork cool and then refrigerate it overnight to firm up for easier slicing.
- 9
The next day, remove the solidified fat from the top of the braising liquid and strain it again if necessary.
- 10
Simmer the reserved braising liquid until it thickens and becomes glossy.
- 11
Prepare the spicy mayo by mixing mayonnaise with coconut sriracha or your preferred hot sauce.
- 12
Slice the chilled pork belly into generous pieces.
- 13
Sear the pork belly slices in a hot pan until they are crispy and heated through, drizzling some of the thickened sauce over them.
- 14
Assemble the bao by placing a piece of pork in a bao bun, adding spicy mayo, shredded cabbage, spring onion, and crushed peanuts.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity of pork belly is inferred based on typical serving sizes for bao.
- The amount of water is a sensible guess to ensure the pork is covered during braising.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Marion Grasby’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
Are you Marion Grasby? Claim this page or ask us to take it down. Your call, always.
