Cantonese Steamed Pork Belly in Black Bean Sauce

This Cantonese Steamed Pork Belly in Black Bean Sauce is one of my favourite homestyle dishes. The pork is juicy, tender and packed with umami flavour. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and goes so well with rice!

Table of Contents

• What is Cantonese Steamed Pork Belly in Black Bean Sauce?
• Watch How to Make It
• Ingredients
• How to Make This Dish
• Top Tips

What is Cantonese Steamed Pork Belly in Black Bean Sauce?

This recipe is inspired by the classic dim sum dish steamed spare ribs in black bean sauce (豆豉蒸排骨). Traditionally it uses pork spare ribs, but in the UK it can be tricky to find them already cut into small pieces. Chopping spare ribs at home can also be a hassle, so for convenience I have chosen pork belly for this recipe, which works really well.

In Cantonese dim sum restaurants, steamed spare ribs in black bean sauce are served on small dim sum plates, steamed in a bamboo steamer. You might also see it as a main dish, usually served with rice and cooked in a clay pot. The dim sum version sometimes comes with chopped pumpkin, taro, or fried tofu layered beneath the pork, which adds extra flavour and texture.

The pork belly is marinated and steamed until tender and juicy, while the fermented black soybeans give it a punch of umami and savouriness. At home I like to eat it with rice and smother it in the sauce. This recipe also takes less than 30 minutes to make at home!

Watch How to Make It

Ingredients

Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient list.

Fermented Black Soybeans

Fermented black soybeans (豆豉) are a key ingredient in this dish and one of my favourites to cook with! If you haven’t tried them before, think of them like anchovies or miso — salty, savoury, and packed with umami, so a little goes a long way.

You can easily find them in Asian supermarkets, sometimes labelled as “salted black beans,” or you can grab them on Amazon. Check the packaging and you’ll see the ingredients are usually very simple, just soybeans and salt.

If you really can’t find Chinese fermented black beans, you can use premade black bean sauce instead. Just know that the flavour is much richer and more authentic if you use the actual fermented beans!

Pork Belly

As I mentioned earlier, this recipe traditionally uses spare ribs, but for a quick and easy version I’m using pork belly instead, cut into 1-inch chunks. I like to pick pork belly that isn’t too fatty and that doesn’t come with the skin.

Deep-fried Tofu Puffs

This ingredient is optional, but I highly recommend adding it because it soaks up all the delicious sauce. Deep-fried tofu puffs are airy and spongy on the inside, making them perfect for absorbing flavour.

You can usually find them in Asian supermarkets in the refrigerated section, often labelled as “Deep Fried Tofu.”

I like to give them a quick rinse first because they can be quite oily, then gently squeeze out the excess water. I usually cut them in half and lay them fried side down on a plate so the sponge part is facing up. I layer these at the bottom of the dish and spread the marinated meat on top, so when it’s steaming, all the juices drip down and soak right into the tofu.

You can also swap in chunks of pumpkin or taro at the bottom of the plate. Many dim sum restaurants do this too!

How to Make This Dish

Rinse the fermented black soybeans in water to remove any impurities, then drain and roughly chop them.

In a bowl, combine the sliced pork belly with the chopped black beans, minced garlic, chopped bird’s eye chillies (optional), julienned ginger, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, sugar, and a splash of water. Mix well so the pork absorbs the marinade. Drizzle with sesame oil and mix again to lock in all the flavours. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Use scissors to cut the fried tofu in half. In a heatproof deep plate, arrange the tofu with the sponge side facing up in a single layer. Spread the marinated pork belly evenly on top so it cooks consistently.

Place a steaming rack in a deep wok and pour in about 2 inches of hot water. Put the plate on the rack, turn the heat to high, and cover with a lid. Once the water starts bubbling, steam for 18–20 minutes until the pork is cooked through and tender.

Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Top Tips

• Marinate in the right order: When marinating the pork, start by mixing in the sauces and seasonings so the flavour can really penetrate the meat. Next, add the cornstarch — this helps tenderise the pork and slightly thickens the sauce. Add the sesame oil last to bind everything together and help the marinade absorb better.
• Layer the tofu correctly: Place the fried tofu on the plate first, sponge side up. When you lay the marinated pork on top and steam it, all the juices will drip down and the tofu will soak up that delicious sauce.
• Spread the pork evenly: Before steaming, make sure the pork is spread out evenly on the plate. This helps it cook evenly, so no pieces end up undercooked while others are done.
• Serve with rice: This dish is perfect with hot white rice, so prepare some while the pork is steaming to enjoy it at its best!

More Pork Recipes

• Hakka-Style Pan-Fried Meatballs
• Fish Fragrant Eggplant Rice
• Shang Hai Stir-Fried Rice Cakes

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