Five Spice Pulled Pork with Bao Buns

This recipe is dedicated to my sister Shannon. She was a chef who especially loved cooking and eating asian food and I remember her advice to me was to add fish sauce to everything. She was an amazing chef and everything I cook now is made with her in mind.

5-spice Pulled pork on Bao Buns

Makes: 10 bao buns, about 5 servings at 2 buns a head

Recipe for pork by: Tierney Larson

Bao bun recipe adapted from: Yi Jun Lo

Pulled Pork:

1 tbl canola oil, or any neutral oil

2-2 1/2lb picnic roast

1 1/2 6oz cans of pineapple juice (or enough to cover the pork roast 1/4 of the way)

1 onion peeled and halved

1 head of garlic with the top sliced off so cloves are exposed, all loose papery skin removed

2 inch piece of ginger sliced in half vertically

1 tsp of Chinese 5 spice

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 anise stars

2 tsp siracha (or more if you want more heat)

kosher salt

Bao Buns:

1/2 cup (120g) lukewarm water

1 1/4 tsp (4g) active dry yeast

2 cups (250g) all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup (70g) granulated or caster sugar plus 1 tsp divided

1 tsp shortening or neutral oil

Toppings:

1 red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup of rice wine vinegar

1 tbl sugar

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

half a bunch of cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped

for the pork:

Season your pork generously with kosher salt on all sides. Preheat your slow cooker on low while you sear the meat. Heat a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When oil is shimmery and almost smoking add the pork and give it a nice sear on every side, about 6-8 minutes per until golden brown. Remove the pork and place in the slow cooker fattiest side up. Add the head of garlic, onion, ginger, 5-spice, siracha and star anise. Pour the pineapple juice until 1/4 of the way up the side of the pork. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until it pulls apart very easily with a fork.
If you want to intensify the flavor of the cooking liquid further and thicken it a bit, after the pork is done, remove it to a plate and set aside to rest. Pour the liquid into a medium skillet, discarding the onion, garlic and ginger, and bring to somewhere between a boil and a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes stirring frequently to reduce the sauce about half way. The sauce should thicken slightly, and will coat the back of a spoon. Shred the pork and return to the slow cooker, pour the sauce over and stir to combine.

Pickled onions for the topping:

Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt in a glass jar or bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Place the sliced onion in and press down so they are all covered. Cover and chill until ready, for at least an hour.

For the Bao Buns

Pour the water into a small bowl and add the yeast and 1 tsp of sugar. Give it a whisk and let sit while you mix the dry ingredients. If doing in a stand mixer, measure all the remaining dry ingredients (Leave out the shortening for now) into the stand mixer bowl and whisk to combine. (If you want to do by hand use just a large bowl).
When the yeast mixture looks bubbly, (about 5 min) add to the dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until a shaggy dough forms. Add the shortening or oil and mix to combine. If the dough looks a little dry and isn’t picking up all the flour after a minute or so, add some more water about 1/2 tsp at a time until it comes together. Once your dough has come together, mix on low for 5-7 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
(you can also knead by hand for about 10 min.)

Shape into a ball and let the dough rest for 1-2 hours until doubled in size, in a lightly greased bowl covered with a tea towel. In the mean time, cut out 10 pieces of parchment paper about 4x4”.
Once fully rested, degas the dough by folding itself over onto itself a few times. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces, about 45-50g a piece. Working with one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface, press the ball into a rough rectangle and roll it out leaving the ends rounded to about 6x3”. Fold it in half and place it on one of the squares of parchment. Repeat with all the dough places the parchment squares on a sheet tray. Cover lightly with a tea towel or reusable plastic bag and let them rise again for 30-45 min or until slightly puffy.
Near the end of the rest time, bring about 1 quart of water to a boil in a pot fitted with a steamer basket. When ready, place as many buns (leaving them on the parchment) as you can fit in the basket leaving about 2” of space between them. Cover and steam for 12min. They will look shiny on top that’s ok. Using tongs and a spatula, lift them out and place back on a sheet tray to cool slightly before using.

Assembly:

Carefully peel apart your bao bun and place a few tbl of pork into the bun, some pickled red onion, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. Top with more siracha if you want :).