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Pulled pork bao bun served
Soft bao buns filled with BBQ meat and vegetables

Pulled pork bao buns with quick pickle

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses Quick Meals
The perfect marriage between East and West. 'Pulled pork' is the pride of the American South: meat cooked slowly at a low temperature until it is so tender it can be pulled apart with a fork. We fill this smoky, juicy meat into the Chinese bao bun, which is steamed, neutral in taste, and fluffy soft. The crunchy, pickled vegetables ensure the flavour experience isn't too heavy. True street food vibes in your own kitchen!
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 550 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Asian-American Fusion

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Thick-walled pot (Dutch oven) or Slow Cooker
  • Two forks (for shredding)
  • Bamboo steamer
  • Frying pan for searing

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Soya
⚠️ Sesame

Instructions

1 ✓

Salt and pepper the meat thoroughly. Sear the crust on all sides in hot oil in a pan (approx. 2-3 minutes per side).

Tip: Searing (Maillard reaction) creates the flavour compounds that give the 'roast meat' taste. Don't skip it, or you'll just have boiled meat!
2 ✓

Place the meat in a pot (or roasting bag/casserole dish), pour over the BBQ sauce and water. Cover and braise on a low heat (or in an oven at 150°C) for 2.5-3 hours until the meat completely yields and falls apart.

Tip: During long heat treatment, the tough collagen (connective tissue) in the meat turns into gelatine, making it tender and succulent.
3 ✓

Meanwhile, make the quick pickle: cut the carrot and cucumber into matchsticks. Mix with the rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Tip: Vinegar and salt draw water out of the vegetable (osmosis), making it crunchy but pliable.
4 ✓

When the meat is ready, remove it and shred into strands using two forks. Toss back into the thick gravy remaining at the bottom of the pot.

5 ✓

Steam the bao buns for 6 minutes.

6 ✓

Fill the buns with the succulent meat and top with the drained pickles.

Recipe FAQ

What meat should I buy?
Pork neck or shoulder. It's important to have fatty meat, as the melting fat keeps the fibres juicy during the long cooking time. Loin would dry out!
Can I speed up the process?
In a pressure cooker, the meat tenderises in about 45-60 minutes, but slow cooking yields a richer flavour.

Ingredients

  • 8 whole Bao buns (ready-made/frozen)
  • 800 g Pork neck or shoulder (whole)
  • 200 ml BBQ sauce (smoky)
  • 1 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp Rice vinegar (for pickling)
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil
  • 1 whole English cucumber
  • 1 whole Carrot
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly ground pepper
  • 100 ml Water (for the meat)
  • 2 tbsp Oil (for searing)