Crispy BBQ Pork Buns

These Crispy Pork Buns Pack a Real Crunch

In the 1970's, BBQ pork buns evolved from a street snack to a dish sold at restaurants. In the late 90's, the chefs at Prince Restaurant in Hong Kong created a new kind of BBQ pork bun that was especially soft, calling it the "best BBQ pork bun in the world". This bun stood out because of its soft exterior, miniature size, and ample filling. Later, the dish was refined to include a crispy crust, making the crispy BBQ pork buns we have today. It maintains the great taste of the traditional BBQ pork buns, but the addition of the crispy crust makes it crunchier and adds extra dimensions to the eating experience.

Servings : 8 pcs

Total Time : 2 hours

Ingredients

1.98 pounds (900 grams) char siu bao dough

BBQ Pork Bun Juice

1 slice of ginger
3/4 cup (150 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons (56 grams) oyster sauce
a dash of pepper
a dash of orange-red powdered food coloring
0.67 ounces (19 grams) scallions
2 ½ tablespoons (38 milliliters) light soy sauce
1 ⅓ tablespoons (19 milliliters) sesame oil
1/3 cup (38 grams) corn starch
1 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
2 teaspoons (11 milliliters) dark soy sauce
2 ½ cups (600 milliliters) water
1/3 cup (38 grams) potato starch

Filling

13.2 ounces (375 grams) BBQ pork
1/2 onion, diced and fried with butter until aromatic
15.8 ounces (450 grams) BBQ Pork Bun Juice (see above)

Crispy Crust

2 cups (300 grams) flour
1 heaping teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda
1 ½ egg whites
2 ½ cups (300 grams) lard
2/3 teaspoon (3 grams) baking powder
1/2 scant cup (56 grams) powdered milk
1 ⅓ cups (300 grams) peanut oil
1 ⅓ cups (266 grams) sugar
1 heaping teaspoon (6 grams) ammonium carbonate

Please see measurements in grams to be more exact for all ingredients and seasonings.

Cooking Directions

How to make BBQ Pork Bun Juice

Mix 3/4 cup (190 milliliters) water from the 2 ½ cups (600 milliliters) water in the BBQ Pork Bun Juice ingredient list with corn starch and potato starch, stirring evenly until you create a syrup.

Heat pan. Add 3 scant tablespoons (38 milliliters) oil. Fry ginger and scallions until aromatic. Add 1 ¾ cups (410 milliliters) water and orange-red powdered food coloring. Boil until ginger and scallions are aromatic. Scoop out ginger and scallions. Add BBQ Pork Bun Juice ingredients and bring to rolling boil. Add starch syrup from step 1 and stir quickly with spatula until BBQ Pork Bun Juice boils and produces bubbles.

How to make the filling

Cut BBQ pork into slices the size of a fingernail. Add minced onions and thoroughly cooled BBQ Pork Bun Juice. Set aside for later.

How to assemble crispy BBQ pork buns

Divide BBQ pork bun dough into 39 pieces approximately 0.81 ounce (23 grams) each. Use rolling pin to press them approximately 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter and 4 millimeters thick. Add 0.67 ounce (19 grams) filling and wrap up, sealing openings. Place parchment paper on baking pan, and place buns on parchment paper with opening side facedown. Let ferment for 1 hour.

Put it all together

Preheat oven until heat coming from the top is 392°F (200°C) and heat coming from the bottom is 212°F (100°C). Place buns in oven. Bake for 4 minutes. Lower top heat to 120°C (248°F) and bake for another 3 minutes. Serve.