Bao buns are soft, fluffy steamed buns that are folded in half before cooking, so you can easily pull them open and stuff them with fillings. In this case, they’re paired with sticky, sweet, glazed pork and fresh veggies. The mildly sweet chewy buns are a delicious accompaniment to the rich meat and toppings.
On Ingredients:
Pork belly vs. pork loin. When choosing between these cuts of meat, there are a few things to consider. Pork loin is a wide, rectangular cut of meat taken from the back of the pig, running from the shoulder to the hind, between the fat and ribs. Pork belly, as the name indicates, is taken from the belly of the pig and is the same piece of meat that bacon is made from. It has a high-fat content and is suitable for slow cooking. One thing to consider is flavor, as pork belly’s fat content gives it a succulent and rich flavor. Pork loin is much leaner meat and therefore doesn’t have as rich of a taste. However, if you consider the pork’s healthiness, the loin has a higher advantage. The leaner cut has far less saturated fat and more nutritional vitamins and minerals. For this recipe, we encourage you to choose whichever cut you feel would be best for your priorities. However, if you’re choosing pork loin, please reduce the simmering time to 30 minutes.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions:
For this recipe, be sure you have a large steamer available. It should be at least 8″ in diameter, with a good seal. If you want a vegetarian version, use the same glaze recipe, but use firm tofu cubes instead or pork (no need to simmer the tofu like the pork). For a vegan version of the buns, replace the milk with a dairy-free alternative, such as almond milk, and the butter with vegan butter, such as Miyoko’s.
Bao Buns with Pork
5
servings45
minutes15
minutes3
minutesBao buns are soft, fluffy steamed buns, which are folded in half before cooking, so you can easily pull them open and stuff them with fillings. In this case, they’re paired with sticky, sweet, glazed pork and fresh veggies.
Ingredients
- Buns
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
2 tsp or 7oz instant dry yeast
3 tbsp whole milk
3/4 - 1 cup warm water
3 tbsp butter (melted)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Slow-Cooked Pork
2 lb pork belly or pork loin
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp minced ginger
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tbsp sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
- Pork Glaze
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
4 tbsp brown sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
3 tbsp soy sauce
- Toppings
fresh cilantro
red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
scallions (sliced into thin strips)
sesame seeds
roasted peanuts (thinly sliced)
Directions
- To make the dough, mix together the flour, sweetener, and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Add the milk, butter, and 3/4 cup warm water and begin to mix.
- When it starts to come together as a dough, decide if you should add the remaining 1/4 cup of water based on how dry it seems. You want a soft but not too sticky dough.
- Knead the dough by hand for ten minutes, or use a standing mixer with a bread hook. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it’s doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, start the pork by putting the meat in a medium saucepan. Add the chicken broth, ginger, garlic, rice wine, and sweetener. Bring the broth to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 2 hours if using pork belly OR 30 minutes if using pork loin.
- When it’s done, drain the stock (you can save it and use it for soup later, as it’s pretty delicious). Set the pork aside, let it cool, and chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- When the dough has proved, move it to a lightly floured surface and divide it into ten balls. Roll each ball into an oval about 6x4 inches.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the ovals with a little vegetable oil, then fold them in half crosswise (you can use a chopstick to guide you by placing it in the center of the oval and folding the dough around it, then removing the chopstick).
- Place the half ovals on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, cover them with a damp towel, and let them prove for 1 hour.
- Put a large steamer on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Work in batches to steam the buns for 15 minutes.
- While the buns are cooking, glaze the pork. Combine the glaze ingredients in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork and sauté, stirring regularly, until the pork looks dark and sticky. Remove from the heat.
- Once the buns are cooked, open them at the fold and stuff them with pork and fresh veggies, topped with peanuts and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
