- 600g slab of pork belly (skin on)
- Salt
Cucumber Relish
- 1 whole cucumber
- 12g sugar
- 4g salt
To Finish
- 12 mini plain steamed buns
- 100ml Hoisin sauce
2 days before serving:
- Fill your sous vide water bath with water and preheat to 70ºC (158ºF) with 24 hours cooking time.
- Once target temperature is reached, seal the pork belly in a bag and submerge in the water bath.
1 day before serving:
- Once it’s cooked, rapid chill the sealed bag containing the pork in an ice bath. Place the unopened pouch containing the pork belly skin side down between two baking trays and a weight in top to flatten the skin. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
30 minutes before serving:
- Remove the chilled pork from the bag. Rub salt on the skin generously. Cut the pork into 1cm (2/3 inches) thick portions with the same width as the buns.
- Preheat broiler to 250ºC (482ºF). Place the sliced pork together skin side up and wrap tightly with aluminium foil on all sides, except the skin. Grill for 10 - 12 minutes until crispy.
- Meanwhile, shred the cucumber with a grater. Mix in salt and sugar, set aside.
- Steam the buns for 5 - 8 minutes until soft and fluffy, do this in batches if necessary. Slice the buns 3/4 open, leaving a ‘hinge’.
- Spread a thin layer of Hoisin sauce on the base of each bun. Place a piece of pork belly and top it with some grated cucumber. Serve immediatley.