Improving　catalytic　activity　and　stability　is　imperative　for　efficient　methane　oxidation　and　emission　control.　Herein,　we　proposed　a　designed　one　pot　strategy　adopting　deoxycholic　acid　as　a　template　and　polyvinylpyrrolidone　as　a　bridging　agent　to　facilely　anchor　palladium　on　alumina　by　building　an　Al-O-Pd　bond.　There　is　no　need　to　introduce　foreign　elements　or　perform　post-synthetic　chemical　modifications　to　the　simple-component　Pd-Al2O3　catalyst.　Due　to　the　bonding,　highly　dispersed　palladium　particles　could　be　kept　from　aggregating　even　during　successive　heating　and　cooling　ramps　of　250-850　°C,　as　evidenced　by　the　small　variation　in　particle　size　(1-2　nm).　Encouragingly,　the　constructed　catalysts　exhibited　an　excellent　catalytic　activity　with　a　T99　of　355　°C,　along　with　the　significantly　enhanced　durability　in　comparison　to　conventional　Pd/Al2O3　catalysts　under　demanding　conditions　(different　reaction　temperatures　with　or　without　water　vapor).　The　enhancement　was　primarily　associated　with　the　stabilized　PdO　phase,　which　derived　from　the　anchored　small　palladium　particles　and　the　consequently　promoted　oxygen　mobility.　©　2020　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.