Momofuku Pork Belly Buns

Momofuku Pork Belly Buns

One of the many things I miss about living in New York is the Momofuku Pork Belly Buns. I haven’t found anywhere in Florida that can even come close to this dish so I set out in finding the recipe. As my luck would have it with any food I fall madly in love with, the recipe was featured on Food 52 and on Food & Wine. This recipe may seem intimidating but is extremely easy but laborious to make. If you’re like me and you enjoy street and restaurant food, you’ll make it no matter how long it takes. The really great news is that the dough in this recipe will yield you 50 bao buns. If you’re not going to consume all of that you can simply freeze them in a freezer bag and re-steam later or feel free to make bao bar at your next get-together. I just made this for my husband’s 40th birthday party this weekend and it was a hit!

Momofuku Pork Belly Bao Buns

Ingredients

Pork Belly and Quick-Pickled Cucumbers

• 6pounds skinless pork belly
  
• 1/2cup plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/2cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 2thick Kirby cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch-slices
  

Pork Buns

• 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  
• 4 1/4cups bread flour
  
• 6tablespoons sugar
  
• 3tablespoons nonfat dry milk powder
  
• 1tablespoon kosher salt
  
• 1/2teaspoon baking powder, rounded
  
• 1/2teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/3cup rendered pork fat, bacon fat or vegetable shortening, at room temperature
  
• Vegetable oil
  
• 1cup hoisin sauce
  
• 1/2cup thinly sliced scallions (green and white parts)
  
• Sriracha, for serving

Prepare

Pork Belly and Quick-Pickled Cucumbers

1. Put the pork belly in a roasting pan that holds it snugly, fat side up. Combine 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl and rub all over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, and no longer than 24.
2. Heat the oven to 450ºF. Discard any liquid that has accumulated in the roasting pan and put the pork belly in the oven. Cook for 1 hour, basting it with the rendered fat halfway through, until it’s golden brown.
3. Turn the oven temperature down to 250ºF and cook until the pork is tender, another 1 hour and 15 minutes or so. Transfer the pork to a plate, decant the fat and the meat juices from the pan and reserve it for the buns. Allow the pork to cool slightly.
4. When it’s cool enough to handle, wrap the pork in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put it in the fridge until it’s thoroughly chilled and firm. (You can skip this step if you’re pressed for time, but the only way to get neat, nice-looking slices is to chill the belly thoroughly before slicing it.)
5. Combine the cucumbers with the remaining sugar and salt in a small mixing bowl and toss to coat. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Use right away or refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
6. When you’re ready to make the buns, cut the pork belly into 1/2-inch-slices about 2 inches long. Warm them in a pan over medium heat for a minute or two, until soft and heated through. Use the pork right away.

Pork Buns

1. Stir together the yeast and 1 1/2 cups room temperature water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and fat and mix on the lowest speed setting for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should gather together into a ball on the hook. Lightly oil a large bowl and put the dough in it, turning it over to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with a dry kitchen towel and put it in a warm place and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
2. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Using a sharp knife, divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 5 equal pieces. Gently roll the pieces into logs, then cut each log into 5 pieces, making 50 pieces total. They should be about the size of a Ping-Pong ball and weigh about 25 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball and set them on baking sheets. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise for 30 minutes. While they’re rising, cut out fifty 4-inch squares of parchment paper.
3. After 30 minutes, use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a 4-inch-long oval. Brush lightly with vegetable oil, lay a chopstick horizontally across the center of the oval and fold the oval over onto itself to form a bun. Gently pull out the chopstick, leaving the bun folded, and transfer it to a square of parchment paper. Put it back under the plastic wrap and form the rest of the buns. Let the buns rest for 30 to 45 minutes: they will rise a little.
4. Set up a steamer on top of the stove. Working in batches so you don’t crowd the steamer, steam the buns on the parchment squares for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment. You can use the buns immediately or allow them to cool completely, then put them in plastic freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat frozen buns in a stove top steamer for 2 to 3 minutes, until puffy, soft, and warmed all the way through. Freeze half the buns in airtight bags for another time.
5. Open a warm bun and spread about 2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce on the inside. Add 2 pieces of pork belly, then a couple slices of pickle. Add a scattering of scallion and a squirt of sriracha if you like. Repeat with the remaining buns, and eat!

The post Momofuku Pork Belly Bao Buns appeared first on Florida Girl Cooks.

If you’d like to watch a video like I did to make sure I was making them correctly then I highly recommend this one. The lady is super cute and definitely knows her Asian cooking.

Chinese Barbecue Pork Buns

Filling

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsps oyster sauce
2 tbsps ketchup
5 tsps granulated sugar
4 tsps cornstarch
1 tbsp dark soy sauce (this is not the same as regular soy sauce)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
pinch white pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsps peanut oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced (1/4-inch)
1 1/2 cups char siu pork, fine dice (I did 1/4-inch)
1 tbsps Shaoxing Chinese sherry
1 1/2 tsps sesame oil

Prepare

1. Whisk the chicken broth, oyster sauce, ketchup, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl.
2. Heat the peanut oil over high flame in a wok or heavy-bottomed saucepan.
3. When the oil is hot, add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook (stirring often) until golden brown – about 6 minutes.
4. Turn the heat to high and add the pork, stir-frying for about 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour the sherry in from the edges of the wok (or drizzle in a circle over the saucepan as I did) and stir together.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the broth mixture into the center of the wok or pan.
7. Stir together until the filling is thickened. This takes only a few minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Let cool and refrigerate the filling. Filling can be refrigerated for a few days before using. Do not freeze dough.

Dough

1/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup warm water (105°F – 115°F)
1 tbsp yeast
6 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp shortening

Prepare

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water and add the yeast. Let the yeast stand for about ten minutes or until it becomes foamy, floating to the top.
2. Sift the flour (I never sift anything) into a large bowl.
3. Add the baking powder, shortening, and the yeast liquid. Mix well. If the dough is dry, add a little water. If the dough is too wet, add more flour.
4. Knead the dough until smooth (took me ten minutes by hand).
5. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for a couple of hours until it has tripled in size.
6. Cut 24 squares of parchment or wax paper, 2 1/2-inches a side.
7. Knead the risen dough until it is smooth and elastic. Again, if it is too dry, wet your hand(s) and knead it – if it is too wet, add some flour and knead it in. Because I work on a finite area cutting board (i.e. not a long counter), I found it easiest to cut the dough into quarters and make a log from each quarter. Keep the unused dough under plastic or a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
8. Cut each log into 6 equal pieces and flatten each piece with your hand to make a disc.
9. Use your fingers to pinch the outer inch of the disc thinner than the center. Then shape a sort of well in the thicker center of the dough. Spoon a tablespoon (or more, if you can handle it) of the pork filling into the center of the dough.
10. Pleat the edges together, with the intent of gathering the edges to form a sort of bowl from the dough (use your thumb or spoon to push the filling down). If you care about the presentation (hey, some people don’t) then wipe your fingers clean of any filling on a wet cloth before twisting and pinching the pleats together at the top. If there is excess dough, pinch it off. Set the bao on a square of parchment. Repeat for the rest and let them stand for about 10 minutes.
11. Place the buns in a steamer with at least 2 inches between them as they will expand during steaming. You will not be able to fit them all in your steamer unless you have 1) a giant steamer or 2) a million layers – so be patient and don’t cram them together, just steam in two or three batches. If you have a wok, bring 2 inches of water to a boil and set your steamer over the wok (make sure the steamer doesn’t actually sit in the water – that would be called boiling and we don’t want that!). If you don’t have a wok (I don’t) then this is what I did: I found a stockpot that fits my generic bamboo steamer perfectly. The fit doesn’t have to be perfect, just don’t use such a large pot that the steam escapes. I filled the stockpot with 2 inches of water and then placed a small metal rack (you can find these in random Asian grocery stores) in the center.
12. Bring the water to a boil, place the steamer on the pot and steam for 10 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 24.

Storage:Once cooled, you can seal these in an airtight container or ziploc bag and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, either steam them again for a few minutes.

*filling from Fine Cooking issue #109
dough from Chinese Snacks by Huang Su-Huei

Chinese Barbecue Pork Buns

2015-12-28 13:23:03

Serves 24

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Prep Time

3 hr 20 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

3 hr 40 min

Prep Time

3 hr 20 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

3 hr 40 min

Ingredients

1. Filling
2. 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
3. 2 tbsps oyster sauce
4. 2 tbsps ketchup
5. 5 tsps granulated sugar
6. 4 tsps cornstarch
7. 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (this is not the same as regular soy sauce)
8. 1/2 tsp kosher salt
9. pinch white pepper, freshly ground
10. 2 tbsps peanut oil
11. 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced (1/4-inch)
12. 1 1/2 cups char siu pork, fine dice (I did 1/4-inch)
13. 1 tbsps Shaoxing Chinese sherry
14. 1 1/2 tsps sesame oil
15. Dough
16. 1/4 cup sugar
17. 1 3/4 cup warm water (105°F – 115°F)
18. 1 tbsp yeast
19. 6 cups flour
20. 1 tbsp baking powder
21. 2 tbsp shortening

Instructions

1. Filling
2. Whisk the chicken broth, oyster sauce, ketchup, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl.
3. Heat the peanut oil over high flame in a wok or heavy-bottomed saucepan.
4. 3. When the oil is hot, add the onion, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook (stirring often) until golden brown – about 6 minutes.
5. Turn the heat to high and add the pork, stir-frying for about 2-3 minutes.
6. Pour the sherry in from the edges of the wok (or drizzle in a circle over the saucepan as I did) and stir together.
7. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the broth mixture into the center of the wok or pan.
8. Stir together until the filling is thickened. This takes only a few minutes.
9. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Let cool and refrigerate the filling. Filling can be refrigerated for a few days before using. Do not freeze dough.
10. Dough
11. In a medium bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water and add the yeast. Let the yeast stand for about ten minutes or until it becomes foamy, floating to the top.
12. Sift the flour (I never sift anything) into a large bowl.
13. Add the baking powder, shortening, and the yeast liquid. Mix well. If the dough is dry, add a little water. If the dough is too wet, add more flour.
14. Knead the dough until smooth (took me ten minutes by hand).
15. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for a couple of hours until it has tripled in size.
16. Cut 24 squares of parchment or wax paper, 2 1/2-inches a side.
17. Knead the risen dough until it is smooth and elastic. Again, if it is too dry, wet your hand(s) and knead it – if it is too wet, add some flour and knead it in. Because I work on a finite area cutting board (i.e. not a long counter), I found it easiest to cut the dough into quarters and make a log from each quarter. Keep the unused dough under plastic or a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
18. Cut each log into 6 equal pieces and flatten each piece with your hand to make a disc.
19. Use your fingers to pinch the outer inch of the disc thinner than the center. Then shape a sort of well in the thicker center of the dough. Spoon a tablespoon (or more, if you can handle it) of the pork filling into the center of the dough.
20. Pleat the edges together, with the intent of gathering the edges to form a sort of bowl from the dough (use your thumb or spoon to push the filling down). If you care about the presentation (hey, some people don’t) then wipe your fingers clean of any filling on a wet cloth before twisting and pinching the pleats together at the top. If there is excess dough, pinch it off. Set the bao on a square of parchment. Repeat for the rest and let them stand for about 10 minutes.
21. Place the buns in a steamer with at least 2 inches between them as they will expand during steaming. You will not be able to fit them all in your steamer unless you have 1) a giant steamer or 2) a million layers – so be patient and don’t cram them together, just steam in two or three batches. If you have a wok, bring 2 inches of water to a boil and set your steamer over the wok (make sure the steamer doesn’t actually sit in the water – that would be called boiling and we don’t want that!). If you don’t have a wok (I don’t) then this is what I did: I found a stockpot that fits my generic bamboo steamer perfectly. The fit doesn’t have to be perfect, just don’t use such a large pot that the steam escapes. I filled the stockpot with 2 inches of water and then placed a small metal rack (you can find these in random Asian grocery stores) in the center.
22. Bring the water to a boil, place the steamer on the pot and steam for 10 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 24.
23. Storage:Once cooled, you can seal these in an airtight container or ziploc bag and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, either steam them again for a few minutes.
24. Filling from Fine Cooking issue #109
25. Dough from Chinese Snacks by Huang Su-Huei

By Teresa Gonzalez

Adapted from Filling from Fine Cooking issue #109, Dough from Chinese Snacks by Huang Su-Huei

Adapted from Filling from Fine Cooking issue #109, Dough from Chinese Snacks by Huang Su-Huei

Florida Girl Cooks http://floridagirlcooks.com/

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