Glazed Pork Belly Steam Buns with Kimchi Mayo

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Author: Amanda
Yield: 10 to 12 servings 1x

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.