Gua Bao Pork Belly Steamed Buns
About this recipe
Gua Bao, also known as pork belly steamed buns, are a delicious and satisfying dish that combines tender braised pork with fluffy buns and fresh toppings. This recipe by Seonkyoung Longest brings a simple yet flavorful approach to making these delightful sandwiches at home.
In this video, Seonkyoung shows how to create a rich and savory pork belly filling, complemented by a variety of fresh toppings like cucumber and cilantro. The method she uses ensures the pork is perfectly cooked and infused with flavor, making it a standout dish for any occasion.
Ingredient notes
- You can use either pork belly or pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Shaoxing wine can be skipped or substituted with regular rice wine.
Tips from Seonkyoung Longest’s video
- Cutting the pork into 1-inch cubes shortens the cooking time, making it quicker to prepare.
- No oil is needed when frying the pork belly, as it has enough fat to cook in its own juices.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot while adding the sauce to incorporate all the flavors from the pork.
Good to know
- What type of soy sauce should I use?
- Use dark soy sauce, which is dark in color and not sweet.
- Can I skip the shaoxing wine?
- Yes, you can skip the shaoxing wine or substitute it with regular rice wine.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Seonkyoung Longest: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Turn on the heat over high heat and heat up a large Dutch oven.
- 2
Fry the 4 pounds of pork belly cut into 1-inch cubes in the pot without adding any oil.
- 3
While the pork belly is frying, prepare the sauce by mixing together 1 cup of chicken stock, 1/4 cup of oyster sauce, 1/4 cup of hoisin sauce, 1/4 cup of dark soy sauce, 1/4 cup of honey, and 1/4 cup of shaoxing wine or sake.
- 4
Check the pork belly; it should smell good and be frying nicely.
- 5
Chop 1 large onion and 15 garlic cloves, then add them to the pot with the pork belly.
- 6
Cook the garlic and onion with the pork belly for a couple of minutes.
- 7
Pour the sauce mixture over the pork belly and scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate the flavors.
- 8
Add 2 cups of water to the pot, bring to a boil, and hard boil for 20 minutes without a cover.
- 9
While the pork is cooking, prepare toppings: julienne some cucumber, slice red chili, and take some cilantro leaves.
- 10
Once the pork is tender and the sauce has thickened, scoop out the pork and sauce together.
- 11
Assemble the Gua Bao by placing the pork and sauce in the buns, adding cucumber, cilantro, and chili to taste. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts or sesame seeds if desired.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- The quantity for the pork belly was inferred from the context of the recipe.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Seonkyoung Longest’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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