Hong Kong Style Baked Char Siu Bao
The ultimate labour of love - these fluffy buns are worth the wait!
Ingredients
For the Char Siu
600g piece of pork neck/ shoulder
½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon five spice
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons tomato paste or puree
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon Shao Xing rice wine
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons honey
For the Bao
400g strong bread flour
25g margarine
70g caster sugar
2g salt
½ teaspoon organic bread / dough improver (optional, but you can find this easily online)
7g fast action dry yeast
200g warm water (around 30-35°C)
Method
Char Siu method
Finely chop the ginger and garlic, then massage all of ‘The Marinade’ ingredients into the pork neck fillets. This dish can be cooked immediately if you’re too hungry to wait, or ideally cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results
Place the meat on a grill tray, reserving the marinade to baste whilst cooking. Preheat the oven to 150°C and roast the pork for 1 – 1 ½ hours until well charred on the outside, turning once and basting intermittently with the sauce to get a good caramelised finish on the meat. The slower the cooking process, the more succulent the meat will become.
If using the Char siu for our baked bao recipe - chop the pork into small pieces and leave to cool before filling the dough.
If barbecuing instead of roasting, get your barbecue temperature as close to 150°C as possible and then barbecue for 1 – 1 ½ hours until well charred on the outside. Baste as you would in the oven for more flavour and caramelisation.
Tip: For a quick dinner, you may also cook this quickly in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes on either side, turning once to char both sides of meat and basting every 10 minutes or so for added depth of flavour.
Bao method
Measure out dry ingredients in the ‘bread dough’ along with the margarine into a dough mixer and with the dough hook attachment and start to mix at a low speed.
Gradually pour in the warm water, until all the flour has come off the edge of the mixer. Turn the speed up to a high speed and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough becomes a little ‘stringy’ in texture- tacky and slightly moist. Once happy with the texture, remove from the mixer and knead by hand for a minute or so before rolling into one large ball and placing back into the mixer. Rub 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil completely around the dough and then cover the mixing bowl with a clean damp tea towel.
Place in a warm, humid environment and allow to rise for 1-1.5 hours.
Divide the dough into 6 balls. Shape into balls then roll out each one to a round disk. Fill the dough with 1tbsp of the cooled char siu filling then shape and seal the dough. Place the filled buns on to a baking tray, brush each bun with egg wash then cover with cling film. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Once hot - place the buns into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes to see if they are golden brown. If they are, then remove from the oven.
Best served warm.
How To Make Baked Char Siu Bao
INSPIRED BY OUR TIPS AND RECIPES?
Why not check out our exclusive School of Wok ranges below - From our popular woks to our fun and inspiring cooking classes, we cater for all of your culinary needs!
For the Char Siu
600g piece of pork neck/ shoulder
½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ teaspoon five spice
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons tomato paste or puree
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoon Shao Xing rice wine
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons honey
For the Bao
400g strong bread flour
25g margarine
70g caster sugar
2g salt
½ teaspoon organic bread / dough improver (optional, but you can find this easily online)
7g fast action dry yeast
200g warm water (around 30-35°C)
Char Siu method
Finely chop the ginger and garlic, then massage all of ‘The Marinade’ ingredients into the pork neck fillets. This dish can be cooked immediately if you’re too hungry to wait, or ideally cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results
Place the meat on a grill tray, reserving the marinade to baste whilst cooking. Preheat the oven to 150°C and roast the pork for 1 – 1 ½ hours until well charred on the outside, turning once and basting intermittently with the sauce to get a good caramelised finish on the meat. The slower the cooking process, the more succulent the meat will become.
If using the Char siu for our baked bao recipe - chop the pork into small pieces and leave to cool before filling the dough.
If barbecuing instead of roasting, get your barbecue temperature as close to 150°C as possible and then barbecue for 1 – 1 ½ hours until well charred on the outside. Baste as you would in the oven for more flavour and caramelisation.
Tip: For a quick dinner, you may also cook this quickly in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes on either side, turning once to char both sides of meat and basting every 10 minutes or so for added depth of flavour.
Bao method
Measure out dry ingredients in the ‘bread dough’ along with the margarine into a dough mixer and with the dough hook attachment and start to mix at a low speed.
Gradually pour in the warm water, until all the flour has come off the edge of the mixer. Turn the speed up to a high speed and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough becomes a little ‘stringy’ in texture- tacky and slightly moist. Once happy with the texture, remove from the mixer and knead by hand for a minute or so before rolling into one large ball and placing back into the mixer. Rub 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil completely around the dough and then cover the mixing bowl with a clean damp tea towel.
Place in a warm, humid environment and allow to rise for 1-1.5 hours.
Divide the dough into 6 balls. Shape into balls then roll out each one to a round disk. Fill the dough with 1tbsp of the cooled char siu filling then shape and seal the dough. Place the filled buns on to a baking tray, brush each bun with egg wash then cover with cling film. Leave to rest for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Once hot - place the buns into the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes to see if they are golden brown. If they are, then remove from the oven.
Best served warm.
How To Make Baked Char Siu Bao
INSPIRED BY OUR TIPS AND RECIPES?
Why not check out our exclusive School of Wok ranges below - From our popular woks to our fun and inspiring cooking classes, we cater for all of your culinary needs!