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Gua bao
Put the pork belly in a Dutch oven with both soys, Shaoxing, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, spring onion, star anise, five-spice and water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer very gently until a chopstick slides in without resistance, about 90 minutes. Leave it in the liquid.
Questions about this dish
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Gua bao take?
3 hr 35 min all in — 40 min prep, 1 hr 40 min cook, 1 hr 15 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 pieces. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Soy, Peanuts, Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Is the published recipe vegetarian or vegan?
It is not labelled vegetarian or vegan. If a swap on this page says otherwise, that note is the limit of what we claim.
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What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Wok, Mixing bowl, Rolling pin, Dutch oven.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
How much sugar?
4 tbsp (1 for the dough, 1 for the pickle, 2 for the peanuts) of Sugar.
How much soy sauce?
100 ml of Soy sauce.
How much dark soy sauce?
1 tbsp of Dark soy sauce.
How much brown sugar?
2 tbsp of Brown sugar.
How much vinegar?
3 tbsp (rice vinegar) of Vinegar.
What can I use instead?
Pork belly → Braised shiitake mushrooms or fried tofu. Vegetarian bao are common in Taiwanese temple food. Braise in the same liquid for 20 minutes.
What should I watch for?
Lifting the lid straight away collapses the buns. Wait.
Any tips from this recipe?
Shop-bought frozen folded bao buns from an Asian grocer are a fair shortcut. Steam from frozen 8 minutes. The pork can be braised two days ahead and sliced cold, then reheated in the liquid. Do not skip the sugar in the peanuts. The sweet against the fatty pork and sour pickle is the whole balance.
Can I prepare this ahead?
The pork can be braised two days ahead and sliced cold, then reheated in the liquid.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.