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Imagine biting into a soft, pillowy steam bun filled with succulent, tender pork belly that’s been slow-roasted to perfection. The pork belly is infused with a sweet and savory glaze, featuring the rich umami of soy sauce, the subtle sweetness of mirin and brown sugar, and a hint of heat from gochujang. Each bite is an explosion of flavors, balanced perfectly with the fresh crunch of cucumber, the bright, herbal notes of cilantro, and the tangy kick of creamy kimchi mayo. The shichimi togarashi adds a final touch of spice and complexity, making this dish unforgettable—perfect for impressing guests or treating yourself to something truly special.

Let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t your usual crispy pork belly. We’re talking about tender, melt-in-your-mouth, flavor-packed pork belly that’s perfect for steam buns. Inspired by the incredible buns at Hip-Stir in Marion, IA, this is my best approximation of their dish. Aside from just going off my taste memory, I referenced the menu and studied all the pictures I could find online to get as close as possible. From their menu: 3 steam buns | pork belly | cucumber | herbs | red onion | creamy kimchi | togarashi

My recipe is a fusion of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese flavors—some may be a little more difficult to get, but if you have a well-stocked Asian market or *ahem* Amazon, you can get all the ingredients. Fair warning, though—this is a weekend project. We’re talking about prepping two days in advance and slow-roasting for hours. But trust me, it’s worth every minute.

A Brief History of Steam Buns

Before we dive into the recipe, let’s take a quick trip back in time. Steam buns, or baozi, have been a staple in Chinese cuisine for centuries. Traditionally filled with meats and vegetables, these fluffy, cloud-like buns have crossed cultural boundaries and evolved into various delicious forms. Our version today is a nod to this rich history but with a modern twist that pulls in flavors from Korea and Japan.

The Traditional Steam Bun

Classic steam buns are often filled with savory pork, sweet and tangy sauces, and fresh vegetables. The beauty of the steam bun lies in its simplicity and versatility. Whether you’re biting into a char siu bao (BBQ pork bun) or a vegetarian version packed with mushrooms and greens, the soft, pillowy dough and flavorful filling create perfect harmony.

The Recipe

Ingredients

4-pound pork belly, though you can really do this with just about any quantity/size of pork belly you want

Glaze:

Light soy sauce
Japanese mirin
Light or dark brown sugar
Garlic cloves
Fresh ginger
Gochujang
Water
Toasted sesame oil

Kimchi Mayo:

Kewpie mayo
Kimchi
Gochujang
Toasted sesame oil
Sriracha

To Serve:

Lotus steam buns
Thinly sliced cucumber
Picked cilantro leaves
Thinly sliced green onions
Shichimi togarashi*
Lime wedges

*Shichimi togarashi, also known as Japanese seven-spice blend, is a key part of serving these steam buns in my opinion; it adds tons of flavor and a bit of crunch. It typically contains the following ingredients:

Chili Pepper: The primary ingredient, providing heat.
Orange or Yuzu Peel: Adds a citrusy aroma and flavor.
Sesame Seeds: Both black and white sesame seeds are often used for their nutty taste.
Japanese Pepper (Sansho): Gives a slight numbing and peppery flavor.
Seaweed (Nori): Adds umami and a subtle oceanic flavor.
Ginger: For a warm, spicy note.
Poppy Seeds: Adds a bit of crunch and visual appeal.

These ingredients are blended together to create a complex, multifaceted seasoning that’s spicy, citrusy, and aromatic, with a hint of earthiness and umami. It’s commonly used to sprinkle over noodles, rice dishes, and, of course, our delicious steam buns.

Equipment

Plastic cutting board
Chef’s knife
Large sheet pan
Small blender or food processor (small personal blender works best if you have one)
Saucier or saucepan
Slicing knife (not necessary but it’s nice to have to easily slice the meat)
12″ nonstick skillet
Kitchen tweezer set or tongs (tweezers are fun to have and are easier/gentler on the pork when reheating but not necessary)
10-inch steamer baskets (not necessary to heat lotus buns, but again, nice to have)

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Pork Belly (Start Two Days in Advance of Serving)

– Night Before Cooking: Cut pork belly into 5 x 3-inch pieces. Prick fat layer, season with salt, wrap, and refrigerate. This allows the salt to really penetrate the meat, flavoring it throughout. Since we’re not going for crispy, wrapping in plastic wrap will keep the exterior of the pork from drying out overnight in the fridge.

– Cooking Day: Roast at 275°F for 4–5 hours until fork-tender. Cool and refrigerate overnight. This is a key step in my opinion; thinly slicing hot/warm pork belly might be impossible.

Step 2: Make Kimchi Mayo

– Since this really benefits from a little resting time to bring the flavors together, make this the day before serving when the pork is cooking. Blend all ingredients until smooth and refrigerate.

Step 3: Prepare the Glaze

– Boil glaze ingredients until syrupy. Cool.

Step 4: Assemble the Steam Buns

– Slice chilled pork, coat in glaze, and gently heat in a skillet.

– Stuff pork into buns with cucumber, cilantro, green onions, kimchi mayo, and shichimi togarashi. Serve with lime wedges.

Tips and Tricks

– Seasoning: Properly salt the pork belly overnight to enhance flavor.

– Slow Cooking: Ensure the pork is fork-tender; patience is key. If it’s not tender, keep cooking.

– Chill Pork: Refrigerating the pork overnight makes it easier to slice.

– Customize Heat: Adjust the gochujang and Sriracha to your preferred spice level.

– Glaze Consistency: Reduce the glaze to a maple syrup thickness for best results.

– This is great for serving a crowd, but if you just really need some tender pork belly steam buns for yourself, this freezes beautifully, glazed and all.

Congratulations, you did it! You’ve just made Glazed Pork Belly Steam Buns with Kimchi Mayo. This was a journey. This isn’t a dish you whip up on a whim; it’s a labor of love that pays off in every bite. It also makes a sh*t-ton of pork because if I’m spending all this time on a meal, I want some leftovers, ya feel me? Whether you’re impressing friends or treating yourself, these buns are a testament to the delicious possibilities that arise when culinary traditions meet creativity and restaurant inspiration. Happy cooking!

Glazed Pork Belly Steam Buns with Kimchi Mayo

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Author: Amanda
Yield: 10 to 12 servings 1x

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Description

Discover the ultimate Glazed Pork Belly Steam Buns with Kimchi Mayo recipe. This weekend project features tender pork belly, flavorful kimchi mayo, and a fusion of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisines. Perfect for impressing guests, treating yourself, or stocking your freezer!

Please note that this recipe is best started two days before you want to serve it.

Ingredients

Scale

4-pound pork belly
Kosher salt, to taste

SOY-GOCHUJANG GLAZE:

1 cup light soy sauce
1/4 cup Japanese mirin
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3” fresh ginger, peeled and cut into coins
2 to 3 tablespoons gochujang, to taste
2 tablespoons water
1–1/4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

KIMCHI MAYO:

1/3 cup Kewpie mayo
1/3 cup kimchi, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon gochujang
1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Squirt of Sriracha, to taste

TO SERVE:

Lotus steam buns, frozen and prepared according to package directions or homemade
Thinly sliced cucumber
Picked cilantro leaves
Thinly sliced green onions
Shichimi togarashi, to sprinkle on top
Lime wedges

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Instructions

To prepare the pork: The night before you want to cook the pork, cut the meat into approximately 5 x 3–3.5” pieces (I got six pieces out of mine). Prick the top fat layer all over with a fork. Season generously with kosher salt and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.
When you’re ready to cook your pork, preheat your oven to 275°. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange the pork on the sheet, leaving space between each piece. Lightly season the exterior of the pork again with kosher salt. Transfer to the oven and slow-roast for 4–5 hours or until the meat is fork-tender (you should be able to easily pull off a piece or cut a slice and taste for tenderness). There should be no chew! If the pork isn’t tender, continue to cook, checking every 15–20 minutes, until done. Remove from the oven and let cool; when cool enough to refrigerate, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold (preferably overnight). This will make it much easier to thinly slice.
While the pork cooks, prepare the kimchi mayo: Mix all the ingredients together in the food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and heat level and adjust as necessary. You may not need salt, depending on how salty your kimchi and gochujang is. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve; this gets better as it sits.
Shortly before you’re ready to serve, prepare the glaze: Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring to combine. Heat over medium heat until boiling, then boil for 12–17 minutes or until the sauce reduces and coats the back of a spoon. It should be a little thicker than the consistency of maple syrup when done; remember that the glaze will thicken even more as it cools. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Pour onto a sheet pan and let cool. (Alternatively, you can leave the glaze in the saucepan and dip each pork belly slice individually, transferring immediately to the preheated skillet in the step below if desired.)
Now’s the time to prep all your vegetables and the steam buns if you haven’t already.
Slice the chilled pork into approximately 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the slices in the glaze on the sheet pan, turning once to coat. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Arrange the glazed pork in the skillet and gently heat; you can drizzle a little more glaze over top as it warms if you have some left. Once heated, serve immediately in the steam buns with the vegetables and kimchi mayo. Sprinkle the shichimi togarashi over the top.