Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns), aka fluffy bread filled with soy-glazed roasted pork, are absolutely amazing steaming hot, right out of the oven. I was obsessed with the ones from Phoenix Bakery in Chinatown as a kid, and this recipe is a great alternative you can make in your own home.
I honestly don’t remember the first time I made these buns, but this recipe quickly became my go-to whenever I feel like baking something comforting and savory, and also want to spend an afternoon using my hands and working with dough. My sister and I always look forward to the whole process (and especially the end result!) so make them with friends!
Ingredients:
(Bread dough)
5 cups bread flour, plus 1/3 cup
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cup milk, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 tsps instant yeast
2 eggs
4 tbsp melted butter
eggwash (1 egg, beaten with a tablespoon of milk)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
(Filling)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots and/or onions
2 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tps dark soy sauce
¾ cup chicken stock
3 tbsp flour
2 cups diced Chinese roast pork (cha siu)
Directions:
(Bread dough) In a medium saucepan, mix 1/3 cup flour with 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup milk until the flour is dissolved. Put the pan over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture resembles a thick paste, about 3-5 minutes. If it looks like vanilla pudding, it’s too thin. If it looks kind of like really thick toothpaste, it’s just right.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 5 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix it all together. Add the flour paste, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and the melted butter. Stir together to form a soft dough, and knead with a mixer and the dough hook attachment for 15-20 minutes.
Form the dough into a ball and place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise for 1 hour.
(Filling) Dice the onion and pork. Heat oil in a large saucepan and add onion. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until it thickens a bit.
Add the chicken stock and flour. Reduce heat to low and stir until thickened. Mix in the pork.
(Assembly) Cover a baking tray with parchment paper.
After the dough has risen, separate the dough into 16 equal pieces. I usually use a kitchen scale for this.
Shape each dough piece into a small circle, and make sure the edges are thinner than the center. Add a couple of tablespoons of filling into each. (make sure to not overfill them!)
Crimp them closed by squeezing the edges together and place the buns seam-side down onto a baking tray.
Let them rise for another hour.
(Bake) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Brush buns with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Put them in the oven and immediately turn the oven down from 400 degrees (about 200 degrees C) to 350 degrees (about 175 degrees). Bake these BBQ pork buns for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Allow the buns to cool & then enjoy!
NOTES:
- Everyone in my family actually goes for the buns that are a bit cracked and are overflowing because those ones have more filling!
- These store perfectly in the refrigerator and are still great after you microwave them.
Source recipe: The Woks of Life
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