Char Siu Braised Pork Bao with Pickled Onions

What can compare to melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly glazed in a sweet and spicy chili sauce with pickled onions in a soft steamed bun?

Ingredients

• Brown sugar  ·  6 tablespoons 
• Honey  ·  1 cup 
• Hoisin Sauce  ·  1 cup 
• Soy Sauce  ·  3/4 cup 
• Herbie's Chinese 5 Spice  ·  4 teaspoons 
• Red Food Dye (optional)  ·  6 teaspoons 
• Pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3 inch cubes  ·  3 pounds 
• Red Onion, Peeled and thinly sliced vertically  ·  2 
• Rice Wine Vinegar  ·  2 cups 
• Honey  ·  1 cup 
• Chinese Bao (Buns)  ·  16 
• Daikon Sprouts for garnish  ·   

Instructions

For the Pork:

Whisk together first 6 ingredients and marinate pork overnight or at least 6 hours in the refrigerator in a zip lock bag.

Remove from bag and add the whole mixture to a dutch oven, a slow cooker, or a pressure cooker, depending on your preferred method of braising. If cooking in a dutch oven heat over medium low and cook for 3 hours until pork can be easily shredded with two forks. If mixture sticks to the pot during braising, add 1/2 a cup of water to the pot. If using a slow cooker, set on low for 8 hours. If using a pressure cooker put on the Meat/Stew setting (35 minutes). Shred pork in the sauce and keep warm for serving.

For the Pickled Onions:

In a saucepot whisk the vinegar and honey together over medium heat, when mixture reaches a simmer turn off the heat and add the onions. Let cool to room temperature and store in a container with a tight fitting lid for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

To assemble:

Steam the buns for 5 minutes either in a bamboo steamer, or in a regular steamer basket lined with parchment paper.

Add generous spoonful of the warm shredded pork and 3-4 slices of pickled onions and 5-6 daikon sprouts and serve warm.