Description
Sweet and savory pork belly, slow-cooked to perfection, nestled in fluffy steamed buns with vibrant fresh toppings. A flavor explosion in every bite!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) pork belly
- 1 cups (237 ml) low sodium soy sauce
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) mirin
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) brown sugar
- 0.25 cups (60 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 6 cloves garlic
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- cucumber
- carrots
- green onion
- red chili
- toasted sesame seeds
- Asian Steamed Buns
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine.
- Place the pork belly in a plastic or glass container and pour half of the marinade over it. Turn the pork belly several times to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a small pan and heat over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until it boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly reduced. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.
- After pork has marinated, preheat oven to 300°F (149°C).
- Lay two large pieces of tin foil on top of each other and transfer the pork belly (not the marinade) to the center. Seal tightly to keep the juices in.
- Place the foil packet on a baking sheet and cook for 2 1/2 hours.
- Open the foil packet, exposing the pork but retaining the juices, and increase oven temperature to 450°F (232°C).
- Cook for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
- Reseal the foil package and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Transfer the pork belly to a cutting board and slice crosswise into 1/4″ strips.
- Working in batches, add 6-7 pork strips to a large skillet with a little fat and drippings. Cook over medium-high heat until fragrant and golden.
- Add 3-4 tablespoons of reserved marinade and cook for 2-3 more minutes to glaze the pork.
- Serve pork belly in Asian Steamed Buns with carrots, cucumber, red chili, green onion, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of reserved marinade.
Notes
- For optimal tenderness, score the pork belly skin in a crosshatch pattern before marinating.
- Leftover pork belly can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to control the spice level according to your preference.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 160 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 1000
- Fat: 30
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 80