Sugared Pork Buns Recipes

CHINESE PORK BUNS (CHA SIU BAO)

Steps:

• Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 3/4 cups warm water, and then add the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening and the yeast mixture; mix well.
• Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover it with a sheet of cling wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has tripled in bulk.
• Cut the pork into 2 inch thick strips. Use fork to prick it all over. Marinate for 5 hours in a mixture made with 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 teaspoon sweet soy sauce. Grill the pork until cooked and charred. Cut roasted port into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 1/2 tablespoons water; add to the saucepan, and stir until thickened. Mix in 2 tablespoons lard or shortening, sesame oil, and white pepper. Cool, and mix in the roasted pork.
• Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead it on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a long roll, and divide it into 24 pieces. Flatten each piece with the palm of the hand to form a thin circle. The center of the circle should be thicker than the edge. Place one portion of the pork filling in the center of each dough circle. Wrap the dough to enclose the filling. Pinch edges to form the bun. Let the buns stand for 10 minutes.
• Steam buns for 12 minutes. Serve.

LISA'S ALL-DAY SUGAR & SALT PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup sea salt and granulated sugar; rub onto all sides of roast. Place in a shallow dish; refrigerate, covered, overnight., Preheat oven to 300°. Using a kitchen knife, scrape salt and sugar coating from roast; discard any accumulated juices. Transfer pork to a large shallow roasting pan. Rub with barbecue seasoning; sprinkle with pepper. Roast until tender, 6-8 hours., Increase oven temperature to 500°. Combine brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. sea salt; sprinkle over cooked pork. Return pork to oven and roast until a crisp crust forms, 10-15 minutes. Remove; when cool enough to handle, shred meat with 2 forks. Serve warm on fresh buns or rolls. Freeze Option: Freeze cooled meat with some of the juices in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.

APPLE JACK PULLED PORK BUNS

Steps:

• Cut pork shoulder into 2-inch chunks. Transfer to a stew pot. Add onion, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Pour in bourbon whiskey, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice. Stir to combine.
• Place over high heat and bring to a simmer; stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer until meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
• Use a spider strainer to transfer meat mixture to a bowl and set aside.
• Turn heat back to medium-high and reduce cooking liquid to about 75%, skimming the fat off of the top if desired.
• Reduce heat to low, stir in reserved pork, and use a potato masher to break pork into smaller pieces. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, to heat through and make sure pork absorbs sauce, 2 to 4 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• For best results, refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight.
• Meanwhile, combine cabbage, peppers, green onions, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and cayenne for slaw in a large bowl. Mix very well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
• Reheat pork the next day over medium heat, stirring often. Stir in chopped chives.
• Mix mustard slaw well and drain off any excess moisture. Serve pork with mustard slaw on sesame seed buns.

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.