Steamed BBQ Pork Buns

Also known has char siu bao! Instead of chinese bbq roast pork, I made the buns with an american style bbq pulled pork from my slow cooker

BBQ Pulled Pork

This process is rather difficult to describe because I pretty much played it by ear.

Ingredients

7 pounds of pork shoulder

Spice rub: chili pepper, dried oregano, ghost pepper salt (got it from chelsea market), cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, clover, kosher salt

1 1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup of white granulated sugar

probably 1 1/2 tablespoons of worcester sauce

1 cup of ketchup

1/2 cup of vinegar

2 tablespoons of siracha rooster sauce

1 beer

1 chicken bullion cube with 1/2 cup of water or 1 can of chicken broth

Directions

1. Hack up the pork into manageable pieces and get down and dirty with the rub.
2. Mix up the rest of the ingredients with the exception of the beer and chicken broth.
3. Place the pork into a 6 quart slow cooker and then pour the sauce on top.
4. Add the cooking liquid (beer & chicken broth).
5. Cook on low for 10-11 hours.
6. Live life
7. Remove all the fat that's floated up to the top, and then place the pork in a serving/baking dish. Pour the de-fatted sauce on top of the meat.
8. Wait another 2 hours for the meat and the sauce to come together and then shred.

I used this recipe for the steamed buns:

Ingredients (the amounts are separated for the different steps you mix them in)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flower

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 table spoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Mix together yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 1/4 cup warm water. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.
2. Mix in 1/2 cup warm water, flour, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vegetable oil. Knead until dough surface is smooth and elastic. Roll over in a greased bowl, and let stand until triple in size, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
3. Punch down dough, and spread out on a floured board. Sprinkle baking powder evenly on surface, and knead for 5 minutes. Divide dough into 2 parts, and place the piece you are not working with in a covered bowl. Divide the dough into balls the size of small clementines. Let the balls rise for 20 minutes before you shape each ball into a disk and place the pork in the center. Put each bun on some sort of leafy green, preferably cabbage, but we used collard greens.
4. Place steam-plate on a small wire rack in the middle of the pot, wok, rice cooker, etc. Don't forget to put water into the pot - you know, steamed buns. Steam the buns for 15 minutes then CHOW DOWN. yay.