Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • 50g White Miso
  • 40g Runny Honey
  • 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Mirin
  • 1⁄2 Tsp Sesame Oil
  • Juice 1 Lime
  • 1 Garlic clove grated
  • 10g Fresh Ginger grated
  • 1 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar
  • 4 slices Pork Belly
  • 4 Bao Buns

For the Apple Sauce

  • 2 Granny Smith Apples
  • 50ml Water
  • Pinch Salt
  • 1 Tsp White Miso
  • 1 Tsp Brown Sugar
  • Juice 1⁄2 Lemon
  • 2 Spring Onions sliced thinly

two filled Bao on table

Method

  • Make the marinade by combining the following into a tub with a lid; Miso, Honey, Soy, Mirin, Sesame Oil, Lime, Garlic, Ginger and Brown Sugar.

  • Add the pork slices to the marinade, making sure all of the meat is thoroughly coated in the sauce. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, turning the slices over half way through.

  • Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celsius. Transfer the marinaded Pork Belly to a baking dish and cover the top tightly with foil. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.

  • Meanwhile lets prepare the Apple Sauce. Peel and core the Apples. Chop into 1cm cubes and add to a saucepan along with the Water, Salt, White Miso, Brown Sugar and Lemon Juice.

  • Heat on medium low for around Ten minutes, until the Apples start to break down.

  • Transfer the mix to a blender (or keep in the pan and use a stick blender) and blend until it forms a smooth sauce. Transfer to a jar or bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.

  • Once the Pork has been in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, remove the foil and baste the pork in the juices that have run off into the tray.

  • Increase the oven temperature to 200 degrees celsius. Cook for a further 15 minutes at this higher temperature to bring some colour and crispiness to the pork belly.

  • After this time, remove the Pork from the dish and transfer onto a chopping board to rest for 10 minutes.

  • During this time, heat up the Bao buns per the instructions on the packet, I usually microwave mine for one minute each.

  • Slice the Pork Belly into thin slices. Spread a spoonful of the Apple sauce into each opened Bao bun, followed by some slices of the Pork Belly and finished with a scattering of Spring Onions.

Enjoy!