Crispy Pork Belly Bao Buns with Pickled Cucumbers

Crispy Pork Belly Bao Buns with Pickled Cucumbers

adapted from Bon Appetit

The pork can be cooked 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat before serving.

Bao buns are available in Asian grocers. No bao buns? No problem! Serve in lettuce cups.

Makes 3 servings

1 12-ounce piece skin-on pork belly
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp.Truvia brown sugar blend™, divided

4 chiles de árbol
2 star anise pods
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 Persian or kirby cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 scallions, thinly sliced
½ red chile (such as Fresno or jalapeño), thinly sliced
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 Tbsp.white miso
6 Bao buns
1/4 bunch mint
1/4 cup kimchi

1. Diagonally score fat side of pork belly, cutting through fat but stopping at flesh and spacing about ¼" apart. 
2. Season pork with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. brown sugar; Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit at least 2 hours, or chill up to 2 days.
3. Preheat oven to 400°. 
4. Unwrap pork and place in the smallest baking dish you have available. 
5. Add chiles de árbol, star anise, soy sauce, remaining 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, and 1¼ cups water. 
6. Roast until most of fat has rendered, meat is tender, and top is browned and crisp, 2–2½ hours.
7. Meanwhile, toss cucumbers, scallions, red chile, and vinegar in a small bowl to combine. 
8. Mix gochujang and miso in another small bowl.
9. Steam the bao buns for 10 minutes.
10. Transfer pork to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. 
11. Pour off pan juices into a measuring glass. Skim fat from surface.
12. Slice pork into ½" slices, transfer to a platter, and pour pan juices over. 
13. Meanwhile steam the bao buns for 10 minutes or until heated through; Cut  open the bao bun but not completely through.
14. Serve the pork in the bao buns with the cucumber salad, mint, kimchi , and gochujang-miso mixture for topping.

Enjoy!