Rou Jia Mo (Chinese Meat Burger)
This recipe creates a classic Rou Jia Mo, a savory Chinese street food consisting of tender, slow-braised pork belly nestled within a freshly baked, crispy flatbread. The rich, aromatic pork filling contrasts beautifully with the warm, slightly chewy bun, offering a satisfying and flavorful snack or light meal.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 3 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 947 kcal
Allergen information: may contain gluten, soy, and sulphites. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
bun
- 300 gall-purpose flour
- 180 mlwater, warm
- 3 gactive dry yeast
filling
- 500 gpork belly, skin on, cut into 3-4 cm cubes
- 20 gginger, sliced
- 2 pcsstar anise
- 1 pcscinnamon stick
- 1 pcsbay leaf
- 30 mllight soy sauce
- 15 mldark soy sauce
- 30 mlshaoxing wine
- 10 grock sugar, crushed
- 480 mlwater
garnish
- 1 pcsgreen onion, chopped
Equipment
rolling pin · large bowl · dutch oven · knife · cutting board · heavy-bottomed pot · non-stick pan
The method
Step by step
- 1
For the buns, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Ensure water is warm, not hot, to activate the yeast properly.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with the yeast mixture. Knead for 5-7 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms.
About 7 min
Cook’s note: If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour; if too dry, add a tiny bit more water.
- 3
Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
About 30 min
Cook’s note: The dough will not double in size like bread dough, but it will relax.
- 4
While the dough rests, prepare the pork filling. Blanch the pork belly in boiling water for 5 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse well.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Blanching helps create a cleaner, more flavorful braising liquid.
- 5
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add the blanched pork belly, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf.
About 2 min
- 6
Pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and the larger quantity of water. Add the rock sugar.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Rock sugar adds a subtle sweetness and gloss to the pork.
- 7
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the pork is very tender and easily shreddable.
About 2 hr
Cook’s note: Check occasionally to ensure there's enough liquid; add more hot water if needed.
- 8
Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the braising liquid. Strain the liquid and discard the aromatics.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Reserve the braising liquid; it's essential for flavor and moisture.
- 9
Finely chop or shred the pork belly and mix it with a few tablespoons of the strained braising liquid to keep it moist.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Chop the pork very finely for the best texture in the bun.
- 10
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a long, thin rectangle.
About 5 min
- 11
Brush a thin layer of oil over the dough rectangle, then roll it up tightly into a log. Coil the log into a spiral and flatten it into a disc.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: This technique creates the characteristic flaky layers of the bun.
- 12
Roll each disc out into a round flatbread, about 1 cm thick.
About 5 min
- 13
Heat a dry non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. Cook each flatbread for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
About 16 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary.
- 14
Slice each cooked flatbread almost all the way through, creating a pocket.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to cut all the way through the bun.
- 15
Fill each bun generously with the chopped pork belly and garnish with the chopped green onion.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Add a little extra braising liquid to the pork inside the bun for extra juiciness.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 946.9kcal
- Protein
- 27.9g
- Carbs
- 61.2g
- Fat
- 68.5g
- Fibre
- 3.4g
- Sugar
- 0.7g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover pork filling and buns separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Reheat the pork filling gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Reheat buns in a dry pan or toaster oven until crispy.
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