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Pork Belly Steamed Buns Recipe

By: Andrea Alden

Your Napoleon BBQ can be used to cook any number of dishes, not just a delicious steak or hamburgers. I use my Napoleon daily for interesting recipes like these Pork Belly Steamed Buns. Also called Gua Bao (Gwah – Baa), these feature delicious and tender pork belly that has been seared, then braised to intense tenderness and then wrapped in pillowy soft bao steamed buns. Top these with your favorites like cool and fresh sliced cucumber, sliced sweet or hot peppers, threads of enoki mushrooms, and even peppery baby arugula.

Prep Time
40 min
Cook Time
105 min
Yield
4
Difficulty
Difficult

Pork Belly Steamed Buns Recipe

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Ingredients

Method

Photos

Ingredients

Steam Bun Dough

2 cups 

flour

½ cup 

milk

2 tsp.

instant yeast

Pinch 

salt


Braised Pork Belly

1 lb. 

pork belly

2 tsp.

Chinese 5 spice

¼ cup 

brown sugar

¾ cup 

soy sauce

½ cup 

of shaoxing wine

2 tbsp. 

sesame oil

5 cloves 

garlic, sliced

1½ inch cube

ginger, sliced

2 to 3 cups 

water


Toppings

sliced cucumber
enoki mushrooms
sliced sweet peppers
sliced hot peppers
sliced carrot
arugula

Method
  1. Preheat the grill, with a cast iron frying pan, or dutch oven (lid off), to high, between 450°F and 500°F.
  2. Season the pork belly with the Chinese Five Spice powder on all sides. In a medium bowl combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, and shaoxing wine. Fill another bowl with 2 to 3 cups of water.
  3. Sear the pork belly over direct heat until grill marks form on all sides. Add the sesame oil to the cast iron pan, then lightly fry the ginger and garlic before transferring the seared pork belly into the pan. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and about 1 cup of water before covering with foil (or put the lid on your dutch oven).
  4. Turn the grill down to about 325°F, and turn off the burners that were used to sear the pork belly, leaving the ones under the cast iron pan on. Braise the pork belly for about 90 minutes, checking the liquid levels every 30 minutes and adding more water as needed.
  5. While the pork belly is braising, make the buns. In your stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine the dough ingredients until an elastic and smooth dough forms. Turn it out onto a clean surface and cover with a clean damp cloth to proof for 60 minutes.
  6. Once the dough has risen kneed it until smooth once more, then divide into eight portions. Kneed each portion and roll into an oval shape. Fold the oval in half and slide a piece of waxed paper between.
  7. When the pork belly is nearly ready, place the Napoleon Stainless Steel Wok onto the side burner with 1½ cups of water inside. Heat the water until simmering and lower in a steamer basket, or bamboo steamer with the buns inside. Steam for about 15 minutes.
  8. Serve the pork belly sliced and coated in sauce with toppings like hot peppers, cucumber, and arugula.

These Pork Belly Steamed Buns were delicious. The work and wait is definitely worth it because when the saucy and supple pork combines with the crunch from the veggies and soft chewiness of the buns, your taste buds are going to be blown away. What is your favorite meal to make with pork belly? Share your favorite recipes and stories about pork belly on our social pages like Grills Facebook and Grills Instagram. Use the hashtags #BBQPorkBelly and #NapoleonGrills.

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Sear the pork belly over high heat until grill marks form

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Place the pork belly in the pan with aromatics

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Add sauce, water, then cover

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Simmer until tender

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Nearly there

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Steam buns for 15 minutes

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Pile high with loads of toppings  

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Serve with other favorites like stir fry noodles and fried dumplings

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Enjoy

AndreaAlden
Andrea Alden

I used to be the Sultana of Sizzle, but you can call me Andrea. I have always been passionate about food. Even though I was majoring in Art and Graphic Design, I would frequently be found cooking for my friends and family.

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Sear the pork belly over high heat until grill marks form

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Place the pork belly in the pan with aromatics

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Add sauce, water, then cover

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Simmer until tender

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Nearly there

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Steam buns for 15 minutes

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Pile high with loads of toppings  

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Serve with other favorites like stir fry noodles and fried dumplings

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Enjoy