Barbecue Pork Buns Recipes

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.

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.

STEAMED BBQ PORK BUNS (CHAR SIU BAO)

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (you can also just use a regular mixing bowl and knead by hand), dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Sift together the flour and cornstarch, and add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to the lowest setting and let it go until a smooth dough ball is formed. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hours. (I haven't forgotten about the baking powder. You'll add that later!)
• While the dough is resting, make the meat filling. Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute. Turn heat down to medium-low, and add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until the mixture starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour, cooking for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork. Set aside to cool. If you make the filling ahead of time, cover and refrigerate to prevent it from drying out.
• After your dough has rested for 2 hours, add the baking powder to the dough and turn the mixer on to the lowest setting. At this point, if the dough looks dry or you're having trouble incorporating the baking powder, add 1-2 teaspoons water. Gently knead the dough until it becomes smooth again. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for another 15 minutes. In the meantime, get a large piece of parchment paper and cut it into ten 4x4 inch squares. Prepare your steamer by bringing the water to a boil.
• Now we are ready to assemble the buns: roll the dough into a long tube and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Press each piece of dough into a disc about 4 1/2 inches in diameter (it should be thicker in the center and thinner around the edges). Add some filling and pleat the buns until they're closed on top.
• Place each bun on a parchment paper square, and steam. I steamed the buns in two separate batches using a bamboo steamer (be sure the boiling water does not touch the buns during steaming process). Once the water boils, place the buns in the steamer and steam each batch for 12 minutes over high heat.

BARBECUE PORK ON BUNS

Steps:

• Combine first four ingredients in a slow-cooker.
• Cover and cook on high for 5 hours.
• Drain and slice or shred pork.
• Serve on buns with additional barbecue sauce if you'd like.

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.

SUGARED PORK BUNS

Steps:

• For the roast pork: Combine the honey, hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, ginger, five-spice powder and garlic in a nonreactive baking dish large enough to hold the pork snugly. Whisk until smooth and season with pepper. Cut the pork against the grain into 1-inch-thick slices. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a rack on top.
• Drain the meat from the marinade (reserving the marinade) and place on the rack. Roast until the top is lightly caramelized, about 25 minutes. Flip the pieces and roast until the second side is lightly caramelized, about 25 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, pour a few tablespoons of the marinade into a small bowl. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Add 2 cups of the marinade to a small saucepan (discard the rest) and heat over medium. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Let the pork cool, then chop into small pieces for the filling and put in a medium bowl. Add the thickened, cooled marinade and stir to coat.
• For the dough: Combine the yeast, 1/2 cup warm water (90 to 110 degrees F) and a pinch of sugar in a large spouted measuring cup. Let sit until foamy, about 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whisk the milk, vegetable oil and egg into the yeast mixture. Add to the flour mixture and mix with the paddle to make a cohesive dough. Switch to the dough hook and knead, adding a little more flour or water if needed, to make a dough that cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead until the dough is very smooth and springy, 4 to 5 minutes. Knead the dough on a floured counter to bring the dough together. Oil a large bowl and turn the dough to coat in the oil. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Punch the dough down and divide into 2 pieces. Roll each piece to about a scant 1/4 inch thickness and use a 4-inch ring cutter to cut as many circles as possible. Reroll the dough to cut out 9 to 12 circles total. Fill the center of each with about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Pinch the dough to enclose the filling and make a ball. Put the balls pinched-side down on the baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the topping: Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, baking powder and salt in the work bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and process until crumbly. Add the egg and egg white and process to make a very smooth paste. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a medium plain tip.
• Once the buns have risen, pipe a spiral of topping on each bun. Bake until the buns and topping are golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Serve warm.

SMOKY BBQ PORK BUNS WITH CRUSHED AVOCADO

Steps:

• Heat the oil and fennel in a pan for about 1-2 mins until sizzling. Add the pork and fry until starting to brown in places, breaking it up with your spoon as it cooks. Add the paprika, passata and some seasoning. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 30 mins, then cook with the lid off for another 15 mins until the mince has broken down and the sauce is thick. Stir through the barbecue sauce and add the beans, then cook for 1 min until warmed through. Turn the heat off but leave on the hob for up to 3 hrs. Can be chilled for up to two days, or frozen for up to two months. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or in a smaller pan.
• Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the lime juice and some salt. Squash the avocados in your palms through your fingers to make a chunky, crushed guacamole consistency - this is a great job for kids. If you don't want to use your hands, use a fork instead. Cover the surface directly with cling film to prevent it from browning. Can be chilled in the fridge for up to a day. Serve the pork mince piled into buns or with a French stick, with the avocado and some grated cheese.

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.

SLOW-COOKED BARBECUED PORK ON BUNS

Steps:

• In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except buns.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup pork mixture into each bun.

BARBECUE PORK BUNS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas. Mix the sugar into the bread mix in a large bowl, then add water as instructed on the pack. Bring the dough together with a wooden spoon, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 mins until smooth. Put into a large bowl, cover with oiled cling film then leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan, then fry the bacon until crisp, about 5 mins. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 1 min until soft, then tip in the soy, honey and tomato purée and stir well. Can be made up to 3 days ahead.
• Turn out the dough and knead briefly, then pull into 12 even-sized balls. Flatten with your hands, then put a teaspoon-size blob of the filling in the middle. Draw the dough up and pinch it closed like a purse, then turn the bun over and sit it on a large baking sheet. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for about 30 mins until the dough feels pillowy. Brush with egg and bake for 20 mins until golden. Serve warm with dipping sauce. Can be frozen after second rise for up to 1 month or baked up to a day ahead and re-warmed.