Ah, childhood. When options have been primary (Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network?) and one’s largest issues have been within the vein of operating residence quickly sufficient from the elementary faculty to capture the ice cream truck and the 3:30 PM escapades of Arthur the aardvark on PBS. When your fogeys appeared to recognise everything there was to recognise about everything, and also you saw the complete global from a foot or NULL decrease to the ground. Eating Chinese BBQ Pork Buns or baked Cha Siu Bao was also phase of that childhood!
My specific model of childhood concerned much of sinking Titanic reenactments in my good buddy Reema’s above surface pool (we have been very melodramatic children), studying at recess, stable lobbying for a household pet acquisition, the collected cinematic works of John Hughes, my see-through purple Gameboy Color, and a slow familiarization with something having to do with horses. It also concerned much of Saturday morning vehicle rides into Queens and Chinatown, once we might go to my grandparents or cousins, seize dim sum, and inevitably cease by way of way of a Chinese bakery for some warm bread.
There have been all of the time the traditional suspects…the pillowy comfortable butter buns, the sweet, crumbly pineapple buns, the vastly-appealing-to-Chinese-American-kids “hot dog” buns (my attraction with this specific pastry has…ebbed over the years. [update] – THAT IS, UNTIL I MADE THEM MYSELF! Here’s the Chinese hot dog bun recipe.), and of course, the “cha siu baos,” or baked BBQ red meat buns, that are crammed with a savory, barely candy filling of Cantonese roast pork. Chinese BBQ Pork buns, dim sum and Chinese bakery favorites are of course, the topic of today’s post.
(If you might quite have a steamed bun, then peruse our recipe for Steamed Char Siu Bao red meat buns. It’s most simply the actual deal and also you won’t be disappointed!)
Out of all of the bakeries in and round Beijing–the Paris Baguette‘s, Bread Talk‘s, Holliland’s, and Wei Duo Mei‘s packing the city, no person appears to have this “quintessentially Chinatown” pastry. Until now!
You know, simply due to the fact we do.
These take some time, but are quite primary to lay together, especially in the event you happen to can get the roast red meat equipped made out of your native Chinese grocery store’s hot bar. If not, you possibly too can simply make your personal roast pork, with this fantasmagorical Chinese BBQ Pork (cha siu) recipe we posted simply a pair of days ago. In any case, the bread dough is quite truthful as well. It comes to one crucial, lifeless primary step on the beginning, which comes to creating a fast five-minute roux/paste with flour, water, and milk. The paste, referred to as a “tangzhong,” is then blended with the relaxation of the dough ingredients, and also you knead the heck out of it till it’s smooth. Easy.
Let’s get started.
For the Chinese baked red meat buns:
UPDATE: You can nonetheless use this recipe for the bread dough, but you furthermore mght have the approach to make use of our new Milk Bread recipe, that's somewhat simpler (and, reality be told, softer). Find the recipe here. As is the case with equally dough recipes, you possibly can fill the dough with cha siu red meat filling after it’s proofed once, after which permit them rise a moment time after they’ve been filled.
5 cups bread flour or all objective flour, plus 1/3 cup
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cup milk, divided
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons immediate yeast
2 eggs
4 tablespoons melted butter
eggwash (1 egg, overwhelmed with a tablespoon of milk)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
For the filling:
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons darkish soy sauce
¾ cup chook stock
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups diced Chinese roast red meat (cha siu)
In a medium saucepan, blend 1/3 cup flour with 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup milk till the flour is dissolved. Put the pan over medium warmth and stir constantly till the combination resembles a thick paste, about 3-5 minutes. If it appears to be like vanilla pudding, it’s too thin. If it appears to be type of like truly thick toothpaste, it’s simply right. You too can measure the temperature with a thermometer, if you’re the Alton Brown type. It’s about proper when it’s reached 149 tiers F/65 tiers C. Set aside.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
In a enormous blending bowl, combine 5 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix all of it collectively along with your hands.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Add the flour paste (aka the tangzhong), 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and the melted butter. Stir collectively to variety a comfortable dough, and knead (by hand or with the dough hook attachment of your mixer) for 15-20 minutes. Because our KitchenAid Stand Mixer didn’t make the ride from NJ to China, I did this all by way of way of hand–in entrance of the TV, so I wouldn’t get bored. It wasn’t truly that bad.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Form the dough correct into a ball and vicinity correct into a evenly greased bowl. Cover with a moist cloth, and permit rise for 1 hour.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
While that’s happening, make the filling. Chop up some onion, cube the red meat into small cubes, and take out some chook broth (or in our case, some Organic Better than Bullion blended with some water).
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium excessive heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and darkish soy.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Stir and cook dinner till it begins to bubble up.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Add the chook inventory and flour. Reduce the warmth to medium low and cook, stirring, for a pair minutes till thickened. Remove from the warmth and stir within the roast pork. Set apart to cool.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
After it’s risen, separate the dough into 16 same pieces.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Shape every piece correct into a small circle, the position the heart is barely thicker than the edges. This prevents the ideal of the bun from being too thin and bursting open mid-bake. That might be bad.
Put a pair tablespoons of filling into each!
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Crimp them closed, making certain they’re tightly sealed. It’s a same methodology to creating Shanghai soup dumplings. But no ought to unnecessarily complicate things. Just make certain it’s closed, and closed tightly.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
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Lay them out seam aspect down on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and permit rise for one other hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Brush with egg wash…
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
And sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using). The sesame seeds upload a bit of aesthetic somethin’ extra, I think.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Beeeeyoooteeeful!
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
Put them within the oven and at this time turn the oven down from 400 tiers (about 200 tiers C) to 350 tiers (about 175 degrees). Bake those BBQ red meat buns for about 25 minutes, or till golden brown.
And then don’t at this time seize one, chew into it, burn your tongue, after which nearly drop it on the surface when nursing a moment level mouth burn. I, uh…let them cool off for simply a pair of minutes earlier than now not doing that.
Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu bao) - thewoksoflife.com
These Baked Chinese BBQ red meat buns (cha siu baos) are a joy to make and to eat. Whether they convey you again in your childhood, or are a completely new experience, we wish you get pleasure from them. Post any questions or feedback down below, the position you’re guaranteed a first-class and/or witty reply from considered one of us.
Try considered one of our different favourite recipes which you simply possibly may have steamed or pan fried – Carrot Ginger Pork Buns, Two Ways (Bao Zi, 胡萝卜肉包子)!
Print Recipe
4.87 from 29 votes
Chinese BBQ Pork Buns (Baked Cha Siu Bao)
Chinese BBQ red meat buns or cha siu bao are crammed with a savory, barely candy filling of cha siu roast pork. Chinese BBQ red meat buns are a Chinese bakery favorite.
Prep Time
2 hrs 35 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
3 hrs
Course: Chinese bakeryCuisine: ChineseKeyword: bbq red meat bunsServings: 16Calories: 299kcalAuthor: Sarah
Ingredients
FOR THE BUNS:
5 1/3 cups bread flour (or all objective flour, divided)
2/3 cup water
1 1/3 cup milk (divided)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons immediate yeast
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter (melted)
eggwash (1 egg, overwhelmed with a tablespoon of milk)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
FOR THE FILLING:
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup shallots (or red onion, finely chopped)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons darkish soy sauce
¾ cup chook stock
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups Chinese roast red meat (char siu, diced)
Instructions
In a medium saucepan, blend 1/3 cup flour with 2/3 cup water and 1/3 cup milk till the flour is dissolved. Put the pan over medium warmth and stir constantly till the combination resembles a thick paste, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
In a enormous blending bowl, combine 5 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the flour paste (tangzhong), 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, and melted butter. Stir collectively to variety a comfortable dough, and knead (by hand or with the dough hook attachment of your mixer) for 15-20 minutes. Form the dough correct into a ball and vicinity correct into a evenly greased bowl. Cover with a moist cloth, and permit rise for 1 hour.
While that’s happening, make the beef filling. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium excessive heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and darkish soy. Stir and cook dinner till it begins to bubble up. Add the chook inventory and flour. Reduce the warmth to medium low and cook, stirring, for a pair minutes till thickened. Remove from the warmth and stir within the roast pork. Set apart to cool.
After it has risen, separate the dough into 16 same pieces. Shape every piece correct into a small circle, the position the heart is barely thicker than the edges. Fill every with meat filling, and crimp them closed, making certain they’re tightly sealed. Lay them out seam aspect down on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and permit rise for one other hour. Preheat the oven to 400 tiers (200 tiers C).
Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using). Put them within the oven and at this time turn the oven down from 400 tiers (about 200 tiers C) to 350 tiers (about 175 degrees). Bake for about 25 minutes, or till golden brown.
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