Korean-influenced Spicy Smoked Pork Belly Buns Recipe :: The Meatwave

Ingredients

• For the Pickles
• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1 seedless cucumber, very thinly sliced on a mandoline
• For the Kimchi Mayo
• 2/3 cup drained kimchi, roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• For the Glaze
• 1/4 cup Korean rice syrup
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
• For the Pork
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru
• 3lbs boneless, skinless pork belly
• 2-3 chunks of a medium smoking wood, such as oak or hickory
• For the Buns
• 18 fresh or frozen Chinese-style steamed buns
• 8 red bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced on a bias
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions