Momofuku Pork Buns Recipe

So everyone LOVES Momofuku’s pork buns, right? They’re actually really easy to make, especially if you outsource the buns. I picked some up in Chinatown (at Hong Kong Grocery store) for $2.99 and ended up recreating Momofuku’s pork buns for much less than what I’d spend if I went to the restaurant. Try recreating this recipe at home – it’s delicious and REALLY easy to make!

Momofuku Pork Buns

Ingredients

1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups water, divided
2 1/2 lb skinless boneless pork belly, cut into quarters
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Hoisin sauce, for serving (optional)
Sliced cucumbers, for serving (optional)
Finely chopped scallions, for serving (optional)
Buns

In a small bowl, mix together salt and sugar. Place 4 cups water in a pot:

Add salt and sugar:

Stir until all of the salt and sugar have dissolved (do not bring to a boil):

You can either wait for the brine to cool down or add ice cubes to bring the brine to room temperature:

Put pork belly in a large sealable bag:

And pour in the brine:

Carefully press the air out of the bag and seal. Lay in a shallow dish and let brine, chilled, at least 12 hours:

After brining for at least 10 hours, preheat oven to 300°F with rack in middle. Discard brine and put pork, fat side up, in an 8- to 9-inch square baking pan. Pour in broth and remaining 1/2 cup water:

Cover tightly with foil and roast until pork is very tender, about 2 1/2 hours:

Remove foil and increase oven temperature to 450°F, then roast until fat is golden, about 20 minutes more:

Cool 30 minutes, then chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour.

To steam the buns, you can either put them in a steamer or microwave them for 30 seconds. I was feeling lazy so I just microwaved them:

Add some chopped scallions (and hoisin sauce if you have any):

And add as much pork as you want:

Enjoy:

Cost Breakdown

1/2 cup kosher salt – $0.50
1/2 cup sugar – $0.50
4 1/2 cups water, divided – free
2 1/2 lb skinless boneless pork belly, cut into quarters – $4.99
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth – $0.79
Hoisin sauce, for serving (optional) – n/a
Sliced cucumbers, for serving (optional) – n/a
Finely chopped scallions, for serving (optional) – $0.33
Buns – $2.99 for 8

Total: $10.10 for about 8 pork buns…each pork bun is about $1.26! MUCH less than what you’d pay at Momofuku!