Chinese BBQ Pork Bun Pie

Y2, Week Six: Melting Pot Pie

I know what you’re thinking — it’s the Fourth of July, here in the great United States of America, and this week’s pie is based on Chinese food? Where’s the apple pie? Where’s the hot dog pie? Where’s the tradition, darn it!

Well, I happen to think this week’s theme is très American. This week’s pie is my salute to the great American melting pot.

After all, most of us came here, either directly or through our ancestors, from other lands, bringing traditions and foods and ideas that all mixed together to make us the great country we are today. My great grandparents came over from Russia, my sister’s adopted from Korea, and I work at the University of Wisconsin were I meet amazing people from all over the world every day. If for no other reason than the food, I’m so glad America has had a history of welcoming all to our shores.

Ok, ok, I know, this is a food blog. It’s Independence Day, and I get excited.

Happy, happy birthday America! Go participate in some democracy, watch some fireworks and eat some pie!

Local foodstuffs:

• Pork shoulder from Pecatonica Valley Farm in Hollandale, WI. I bought the meat at the Wednesday Farmer’s Market on Martin Luther King Blvd here in Madison, and even got a small discount because I “looked like a nice lady.” Although, I was wearing my very dorky sun hat at the time, and he might have felt sorry for me.

CHINESE BBQ PORK BUN PIE

(adapted from thekneadforbread.com BBQ Pork Buns)

Char Siu (Cantonese BBQ Pork)

This step is optional, Char Siu can be purchased already made from a Chinese grocery or restaurant.

(adapted from whats4eats.com)
2 lbs pork butt (shoulder roast), boneless
3/4 cup Hoisin sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine or dry sherry
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp fresh ground ginger

Slice pork butt into strips about 1-2 inches wide. In a large bowl, mix together the hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, honey and sugar. Add the pork strips and marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Add a rack to a roasting pan and fill the pan with water to come just below the rack. Wipe any excess marinade from the pork and line the strips up neatly in the roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and roast for another 30-40 minutes, turning and basting every 10 minutes with the remaining marinade or with peanut or sesame oil.

Dough

1 1/4 cups warm water
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 1/2 tbsp oil
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to 2 cups extra for kneading
5 3/4 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl mix together warm water, instant yeast, oil and sugar. Stir in 2 cups flour and salt. Transfer to a floured surface and knead, adding remaining flour a little at a time, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place into a oiled bowl, cover and let proof for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. A good visual of the dough-making can be found here.

Filling

2 lbs BBQ pork (diced small)
1/2 lb Chinese Sausage (diced small), optional
2 tsp sesame oil
2 carrots, diced small
1/2 red onion, diced small
3 cups napa cabbage, shredded
2 tbsp chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp corn starch

In a large skillet add oil, sauté the carrots for approx 5 minutes. Add onions and sauté until clear, but not browned. Add the pork and sausage. The meat is already cooked, so you don’t have to cook it for very long, about 2 minutes. Add in the wine, hoisin sauce and corn starch. Cook for few minutes. Add the cabbage, cook for another couple of minutes. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool.

Assembly

1 egg, beaten
Everything you’ve prepared so far

1 9” quiche or spring form pan, preferably at least 2-3” deep, greased and floured

After dough has risen, transfer to a floured surface. Roll dough into a 15″ circle, being careful not to roll dough too thin (it should be thicker than you would roll a pie pastry). Gently transfer to pan, fill with pork mixture. Bring overhang up over top and seal edges together, trimmed excess as necessary. Brush top with egg. Cover with plastic and set aside to rise for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove plastic from pie and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 30-45 minutes, remove from pan and serve with rice.