Inspired by Chinese Peking duck, these orange ginger roasted pork bao buns are sensational in every way. Serve the juicy pork in soft steamed baos with fresh cucumber, scallions, and hoisin sauce for an amazing meal!
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What makes this dish special
Whenever I think I already have enough kitchen appliances, a brand new one comes out that grabs everyone's attention. It always takes me a while to get on board but once I join the party, I understand the hype. First, it was the instant pot and then it was the air fryer. But I'll admit, I'm more than pleased that I purchased both because they have been complete game-changers.
Today's recipe utilizes the air fryer to cut the cooking time, making the dish recipe in a cinch. Have you ever tried Peking Duck? Well, these orange ginger roasted pork bao buns are loosely based on that classic Chinese dish.
Marinate the pork in a sweet and savory orange ginger sauce and roast it in the air fryer. Then, wrap it in soft bao buns with fresh cucumber and scallions. Serve the buns with hoisin sauce for a scrumptious appetizer or main course! And for another fantastic Chinese pork recipe, be sure to check out these Chinese pineapple buns with char siu pork, pork katsu with laksa curry, and jjampong!
Ingredients
- Pork butt: A cut of pork from the upper part of the shoulder from the front leg of the pig. It is well-marbled with fat, making it ideal for this recipe. The fat content helps keep the meat juicy while cooking in the air fryer. If you can't find pork butt, you can use pork shoulder instead.
- Orange marmalade: A type of preserve made from the juice and peel of oranges, boiled with sugar and water. Orange marmalade adds a sweet and tangy flavor to the marinade, which helps caramelize the pork during cooking.
- Hoisin: A thick, dark, fragrant sauce commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is made from soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic. It is used in both the marinade and as a dipping sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: A traditional Chinese rice wine with a rich, slightly sweet flavor and a deep amber color. If you can't find Shaoxing wine, use sherry wine instead.
- Five spice powder: A spice blend that typically includes star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Five-spice powder brings a warm, aromatic, and slightly sweet flavor to the pork marinade, contributing to the dish's depth and complexity.
- Bao buns: Bao buns are soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet. They are often sold in the freezer section of Asian markets.
Substitutions and variations
- Protein: You can substitute the pork with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I do not recommend using chicken breasts which can dry out too quickly in the air fryer.
- Spicy: Add chili flakes in the pork marinade or serve the bao buns with a spicy sauce.
- Wraps: Instead of bao buns you can use Peking Duck pancakes or any other thin pancake.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Marinate pork
To start, prepare the marinade for the pork. In a medium bowl, combine orange marmalade, soy sauce, hoisin, Shaoxing wine, minced ginger, orange zest, salt, five-spice powder, and minced garlic. Whisk these ingredients together until well combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for the glaze and set it aside.
Cut the boneless pork butt into portions about 9-10 ounces each, roughly 2 inches thick. Since air fryers have a smaller cooking area, we're going to cut the pork into smaller pieces. This also allows the pork to cook quickly.
You can cut the pork into slightly smaller portions at around 7 ounces, but keep the pieces at least 2 inches thick.
Place the pork portions in the marinade, making sure they are well-coated. I like to marinate the pork in a large Ziploc bag, allowing me to massage all the wonderful seasonings in the meat.
Refrigerate the pork for at least 8 hours or overnight, turning the pork halfway through to ensure even marination. Feel free to marinate the pork for up to 24 hours.
Step 2: Cook pork
When ready to cook, remove the marinated pork from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Letting the meat come to room temperature allows it to cook more evenly.
Meanwhile, mix the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade with 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 tablespoon of hot water to create a honey glaze.
Since air fryers heat up quickly, there's no need to preheat it. Pour ¼ cup hot water into the air fryer basket, then place the rack on top and lay the marinated pork in an even layer on the rack. The hot water will help keep the meat moist while catching the drippings which will help prevent burning.
Air fry the pork for 5 minutes. Then, remove the pork and baste it with the honey glaze. Flip the pork over and brush with more glaze. Continue to air fry for 10-13 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. If the water evaporates, add extra hot water to the basket.
Once cooked, remove the pork from the air fryer and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing it thinly.
Step 3: Prepare toppings
While the pork is resting, prepare the toppings for the bao buns. Thinly slice 1 cup of cucumber and 1 cup of scallions. Additionally, have 1 cup of hoisin sauce ready for drizzling.
Bao buns are typically sold frozen and need to be steamed before consuming. Follow the package instructions to steam 20 bao buns until soft and fluffy.
If you're making a smaller batch, only steam the buns that you need. They are best served freshly steamed.
Step 4: Assemble bao buns
To assemble the orange ginger roasted pork bao buns, first, split open each steamed bun. Stuff each bun with a few slices of roasted pork. Then, add a layer of sliced cucumber and scallions to the pork. Drizzle with hoisin sauce to taste, and serve extra sauce on the side for additional flavor.
You can also serve the pork, toppings, and sauce separately, allowing the diners to assemble their baos. Serve the assembled bao buns immediately while warm and enjoy this flavorful dish.
While I was slicing the pork, I couldn't help but sneak in a tasting. Wow, I was blown away by how juicy and flavorful the pork was!
It would be delicious all on its own but by taking it one extra step and turning it into baos, the orange ginger roast pork transforms into a complete dish. From the fresh cucumber to the thinly sliced scallions to the sweet hoisin and fluffy baos, every bite delivers.
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: Cook the pork and reheat when ready to serve.
- Store: Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If using frozen bao buns, keep them in the freezer until ready to assemble buns. For leftover assembled bao buns, store them in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Frequently asked questions
If you don't have an air fryer, you can roast the pork in a conventional oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F and place the pork on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Pour 1 ½ cups of water into the pan below the rack. Roast for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. Baste the pork, flip it over, and baste again. Continue to roast for another 10 minutes, basting once more. Return to the oven and roast for the final 10 minutes.
Yes, you can substitute hoisin sauce with alternatives such as the traditional Peking Duck sauce, plum sauce, or even teriyaki sauce.
More Asian pork recipes
Looking for more Asian pork dishes? Try these:
Recipe
Orange Ginger Roasted Pork Bao Buns
Ingredients
Orange ginger roasted pork
- 2 ½ lb boneless pork butt cut into 9-10 ounce portions, about 2 inches thick
- ¼ cup orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon hot water
Remaining ingredients
- 20 bao buns
- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1 cup hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Prepare pork. Combine orange marmalade, soy sauce, hoisin, Shoaxing wine, minced ginger, orange zest, salt, five spice powder, and garlic in a medium bowl. Whisk until combined and reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade, setting it aside. Pour remaining marinade over pork, tossing to coat. Let sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight, turning over pork halfway through.
- Remove pork from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together reserved 2 tablespoons marinade with 2 tablespoons honey and water.
- Pour ¼ cup hot water to the air fryer basket. Place the rack on top and lay the pork in an even layer on the rack. Air fry pork for 5 minutes at 375 degrees F. Remove from air fryer and baste pork with honey glaze. Flip pork over and brush with more glaze. Continue to air fry for 10-13 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. If the water evaporates, add extra hot water to the basket.
- Remove pork from air fryer and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice pork into thin slices.
- Meanwhile, steam bao buns according to directions on package. Split open buns and stuff with sliced pork, cucumber, and scallions. Drizzle with hoisin sauce, serving extra sauce on the side.
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