Bao Buns with Orange Marmalade and Vinegar Pork
Slow cooked to perfection, this pork tastes like candy on top of fluffy bao bun goodness!
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 4 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fast action dry yeast
- 50 ml milk
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp baking powder
Orange Marmalade & Vinegar Pork
- 4 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
- 3/4 cups orange marmalade
- 1/4 cups red-wine vinegar
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 cloves garlic
- sea salt, for serving
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pork. Place the pork inside a crockpot and turn it on to start cooking. In a medium bowl, whisk the rest of the ingredients besides the sea salt. Pour the marmalade mixture over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4 hours).
- Start the Buns by mixing flour, sugar, salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook, dissolve yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a tablespoon of warm water and wait 5 minutes until bubbles form on top. Then mix in flour mixture, with milk, vegetable oil, rice vinegar and 200 ml of water. Once incorporated, knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a towel. Let it rise for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a work surface and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Knead for 5 minutes. Then roll into a log and cut into 18 pieces. Flatten each piece into a circle, then oil the surface with a brush and fold one side over the other.
- Cut 18 pieces of parchment paper and place each bun on top of a piece of parchment. Transfer to a baking tray and cover with a clean towel. Let the buns prove in a warm place for an hour. Or until they double in size.
- Heat a large steamer over medium-high heat. I used my pasta cooker. Steam buns for 8 minutes until puffed up.
- When pork is done cooking, take the pork out of the slow cooker and strain the liquid, getting rid of the bits. Place the liquid in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Once it simmers, turn the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until it reduces and thickens.
- Shred the pork, cover with the reduced sauce and place on a bun with some coleslaw and parsley for garnish.
Notes
Kid-Friendly Adaptation: Got a picky eater? I know orange pork might not be their favorite, so maybe just a good ol' fashioned chicken nugget in the middle of these puffy buns.