Barbecue Pork Buns Recipes

BAKED BBQ PORK BUNS (CHAR SIU BAO)

Steps:

• Pour the milk into a small bowl and warm it to approximately 100 to 110°F (38°C), about 30 seconds in the microwave. The milk should be warm, just a bit above body temperature.
• Add the yeast and a pinch of the sugar to the warm milk. Let the yeast activate for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and frothy.
• Add the remaining dough ingredients into your stand mixer bowl. Pour the activated yeast and milk over everything. Stir a few times with a spatula to make a rough dough. Knead with the hook attachment on setting 6 for 15 to 17 minutes, until the dough is smooth and stretchable. Test the dough by pulling a piece of it using both hands. It should stretch into a very thin and translucent sheet. (This dough can be kneaded by hand, but it is a wet dough, so having a dough scraper for the process will be very helpful. Knead it for 20 to 30 minutes in this case.)
• While kneading the dough, grease the inside of a large bowl with a thin layer of butter or oil.
• Pull the dough into a tight ball using your hands and place it into the greased bowl. Flip the dough ball a couple of times so that it is fully coated in the butter. Cover with plastic wrap. Let it proof until the size has doubled, about 1 hour in the winter, or 30 to 45 minutes in summer. (*Footnote 1)
• While the dough is resting, combine all the filling ingredients in a small pot except for the diced char siu. Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved fully.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thickened, so you can draw a line on the bottom of the pot with a spatula, about 1 minute. Take the pot off the heat and let the mixture cool off. Once cooled, add the diced char siu and mix until it is evenly distributed.
• Once the dough has doubled, punch it down using your hand and form it into a tight ball. Cut the ball into 12 even pieces (approximately 62 g per piece). Cover the pieces you aren't working on with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
• One piece at a time, pull and pinch the edges of the dough to the top until the dough is round. Flip the piece so that the pinched part of the dough is on the work surface. Place your palm and fingers over the ball forming a domed cage, move the dough in small circular motions while applying light pressure to seal it.
• Once all the pieces are formed, you can begin filling them. One at a time, use your palm to flatten the ball, then gently spread the edges until the dough has a 4 to 5" (10 to 13 cm) diameter. You should keep the center a bit thicker than the edges so the buns will be shaped evenly once wrapped.
• Place a tablespoon of filling in the center. Gather the edges over the filling and pinch them together to seal it on top. Flip over the bun and roll it in the same circular motion as before to seal, but be gentle so the filling doesn't tear through the dough. (If a piece of pork starts to poke out or looks like it's about to you can pinch the dough over the trouble area and smooth it out with your finger.)
• Place the buns on a parchment-lined baking tray, at least 1" (2.5 cm) apart, and cover them with plastic wrap. Let the buns rise until they grow 1.5 to 2x in size, about 30 to 45 minutes in winter, or 15 to 20 minutes in summer.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). (*Footnote 2)
• Gently brush a thin layer of milk onto the top of each bun. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds to garnish, if using.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown.
• Let the buns rest until slightly cooled. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Once the buns have fully cooled, you can place them in a large ziplock bag. It's OK to leave the buns at room temperature for a day. Store them in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• To reheat the refrigerated buns, heat them in a microwave or a 350°F (176°C) oven until warmed throughout. For frozen buns, reheat them in a 350°F (176°C) oven without thawing until warmed throughout, 10 minutes or so.

CHINESE BBQ PORK STEAMED BUNS | MARION'S KITCHEN

Steps:

• Step 1.For the dough, mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre pour in the water and the oil. Mix with a wooden spoon until a dough starts to form. Then use your hands to knead the dough for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springy to the touch. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• Step 2.In the meantime, for the filling, heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Then add the Chinese BBQ pork, char siu sauce, soy sauce, sugar and water. Mix well and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Then stir through the cornflour mixture. Simmer for a further minute or until the filling is very thick. Remove from heat and spread the mixture out on a tray. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to cool down.
• Step 3.Take the dough and on a floured surface, roll into out into a rough rectangle, then fold the dough in half and roll out again. Repeat another 2 times. Then roll up into a cylinder and cut the dough into 16 pieces (the sides will have a spiral pattern due to the folding). Flatten a piece of dough with your palm. Then use a rolling pin to roll the edges so that they are thinner than the centre of the dough disc (similar to dumpling wrapper). Repeat with the remaining dough pieces.
• Step 4.Take a disc of dough and place 2 heaped tablespoons of filling in the centre. Pleat the dough edges up and around the filling to completely enclose. Place the bun on a tray lined with baking paper. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover with a damp tea towel and rest for 1 hour in a warm place.
• Step 5.Place the buns in a steamer and cook over boiling water for 10 minutes or until the dough is fluffy and cooked through.
• Notes: - Char siu sauce is a type of Chinese BBQ sauce that can be found at any Asian grocery store.
• - Hong Kong or Pau Flour has a similar protein content as cake flour but it is bleached and milled very fine. So if you want super white buns, then go for that. But cake flour has a little more flavour and is still bleached...just not as much as the Pau flour. Protein content directly influences how much gluten can be formed. The lower protein means less gluten forms and this makes the buns tender and fluffy.

STEAMED BARBECUE PORK BUNS

Steps:

• Pour water into a bowl. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable oil, sugar, and self-rising flour. Mix using a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough comes together.
• Turn dough out onto your counter and knead into a smooth ball, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl. Flip to lightly coat. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Combine pork, green onions, cayenne pepper, sesame oil, and hoisin sauce in a separate bowl. Mix well and refrigerate.
• Add a couple inches of water to a Dutch oven and set a bamboo steamer on top.
• Poke dough down to deflate and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Cut dough in half and roll each half into a long tube. Divide each tube into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and press into a disk. Roll each disk until about 1/8-inch thick and 4 to 5 inches wide. Roll out edges so they are slightly thinner than the center.
• Transfer a spoonful of filling onto the center of each dough circle. Pinch edges together to form multiple small pleats, moistening edges with water if needed. Squeeze pleats together at the top to seal in the filling. Place pork buns on individual squares of parchment paper. Transfer them to the cold steamer, cover, and let proof until noticeably puffed, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Bring the water in the Dutch oven to a boil over high heat. Set timer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave buns covered for 15 minutes. Uncover and transfer to plate.

CHINESE STEAMED BUNS WITH BBQ PORK FILLING

Steps:

• Mix together pork, barbecue sauce, shallots, flour, chicken stock, soy sauce, oil, and sugar. Chill in refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
• Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Cook the pork until an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Allow to cool; shred or finely chop the meat.
• Prepare dough for Chinese Steamed Buns (see footnote).
• Shape dough into balls. Roll each out into a circle, (like won-ton wrappers). Put 1 tablespoonful of prepared meat mixture in the center of each circle, and wrap dough around filling. Place seam-side down onto wax paper squares. Let stand until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Bring water to a boil in wok, and reduce heat to medium; the water should still be boiling. Place steam-plate on a small wire rack in the middle of the wok. Transfer as many buns on wax paper as will comfortably fit onto steam-plate, leaving 1 to 2 inches between the buns. At least 2 inches space should be left between steam-plate and the wok. Cover wok with lid. Steam buns over boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes.
• REMOVE LID BEFORE you turn off heat, or else water will drip back onto bun surface and produce yellowish "blisters" on bun surfaces. Continue steaming batches of buns until all are cooked.

BARBECUE PORK BUNS

Steps:

• Sauce: Stir water into cornstarch in small cup until smooth.
• Add remaining four ingredients; stir. Set aside.
• Filling: Heat sesame oil in large frying pan on medium.
• Add green onion, garlic and ginger.
• Stir-fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until soft.
• Stir sauce mixture.
• Stir into green onion mixture until boiling and thickened.
• Add pork. Stir until coated.
• Turn into medium bowl.
• Chill for at least 1 1/2 hours until cold.
• Makes 1 cup of filling.
• Dough: Heat and stir water, milk, sugar and salt in small saucepan until sugar is dissolved.
• Cool slightly.
• You should be able to hold your finger in water mixture and it should be almost hot.
• Process flour and yeast in food processor for 2 seconds until just combined.
• With motor running, gradually add liquid through food chute until dough comes together and forms ball.
• Process for 30 seconds.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead for 2 minutes, adding more flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Place in large greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
• Cover with tea towel.
• Let stand in oven with light on and door closed for about 1 hour until doubled in bulk.
• Punch dough down and knead gently to remove any air pockets.
• Roll into cylinder shape.
• Cut crosswise into 12 portions.
• Roll or flatten each portion into 4 inch circle.
• Spoon rounded tablespoon of filling onto centre.
• Gather edges together over filling, twisting in clockwise direction to form"top knot".
• Place each bun, smooth side down, on waxed paper cut into squares about 2 1/2 inches in size.
• Cover with tea towel; let stand for about 1 hour until slightly risen.
• Set buns with waxed paper, about 1 1/2 inches apart in large bamboo steamer or on rack over rapidly boiling water in wok or Dutch oven; cover.
• Steam for 15 minutes.
• This may have to be done in batches.