Pork Belly Buns Momofuku Style...

[Squirrel]

Howdy all!

I started my pork belly bun adventure last night.

This is the second time I've made them and I made a few changes from the original recipe. I've adapted this recipe from http://www.zencancook.com/2009/10/pork-belly-buns/

Here's the list of ingredients. I doubled this recipe and used a 6 lb. pork belly. Her recipe called for whole cloves, I left them out this time because I felt they were a bit over powering. I added in ginger instead.

• For the spice-cured pork belly:
• 3 whole star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 3 pounds boneless pork belly (2-inches thick chunks)
• • For the aromatic broth:
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, parsley stems)
  • For the buns:
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 1/3 cup warm water (about 110′F)
  • 3 tablespoons lard, melted
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • To assemble:
  • 1/2 cup hoison sauce
  • 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
  • 3 radishes peeled and sliced
  • 3 scallions, sliced
  • Cilantro
  • fleur de sel (optional)

Here's what I've done so far. Giving credit to the above mentioned website, I copied the instructions.

• • For the spice-cured pork belly:
• Put the star anise, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, coriander, fennel seeds, and cloves in a skillet and toast until fragrant. Crush the spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Stir the spices with the salt, sugar, and garlic.
• Rub the spice mixture on both sides. Put in a baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 48 hours.

I love pork. And it loves me.

Here's a picture of the first one I did. They were pretty good. If you look at the picture of Zen's you'll notice how pretty and delicate hers looks while mine are a wee bit bigger. I'm in the south baby, go big or go home!

If the good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll get these finished tomorrow. Yay!

 

[Mama]

GOODNESS! That looks sooooooo good!

That's a lot of meat....does it freeze well?

I see you use lard in your buns!!!!! They look so soft and light!

 

[Sass Muffin]

Squirrel, that has got to be the most beautiful and delicious looking creation.
Everything about the recipe ingredients, right down to the pics are knock out!!
Brilliant!!

 

[Squirrel]

Thanks so much Mama and Sass! I do use lard that I render down myself. On my last jar actually so next week will be fat rendering.

It does seem like a lot of meat, but there's so much fat in the bellies. Last time I only used a three pound piece and me and a couple buddies ate it all at one sitting.

 

[Cooksie]

I've never had pork belly, but I could really dig into that! And, lol at "go big or go home," you have a wonderful sense of humor .

 

[UncleRalph]

I think I love you.

Wow, that is just awesome, thanks for sharing, I am so gonna be giving this a go! One of my ALL TIME FAVORITE meals, ever!

 

[QSis]

Ohhhh, I'm SO going to try pork belly!

Beautiful, Squirrel!

Lee

 

[Squirrel]

Well, I forgot the part about the meat having to be chilled over night, but I got it all cut up and cooked for three hours in the aromatic broth. Smells yummy. I guess because it's fall apart tender that if I tried to add it in the finishing sauce it would turn to mush. No mush for you!

So, I fired up the Primo XL to go ahead and prepare tonight's dinner, as well as cook the egg roll filling I plan to serve with the buns. I also went ahead and made the fried rice so I can finish these babies for lunch tomorrow.

Here's the cabbages cooking on the grill. It takes on a bit of smokiness and makes the egg rolls delicious.

Here's the finished filling. It has ground pork, two cabbages, green onions, carrots, a little soy sauce and Chinese 5 spice. It too needs to be cooled thoroughly so all this worked out for the best. I did make the rice while I was at it, mainly so I could eat some with MY SECOND ENTRY IN TO THE CONTEST!

I cooked this pork tenderloin because I wasn't going to have the buns for dinner and this was in the fridge. I added a couple of chunks of cherry wood to the coals. It was Yummo.

So, hopefully tomorrow for lunch I'll have the pork buns finished. My house smells like a Chinese brothel. Love you long time.

 

[UncleRalph]

NOM NOM NOM

 

[Squirrel]

Well I got them done! Woohoo! Man, these things are really yummy. So next up I made the buns. I cut this recipe in half. The dough doesn't save well.

• For the buns:
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/3 cup warm water (about 110′F)
• 3 tablespoons lard, melted
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar

• In a bowl, mix together yeast, water, and lard. Let it sit 5 minutes.
• In the bowl of a mixer combine the flours, salt, and sugar. Add the yeast mixture and mix with the dough hook until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes. Put the dough in a large bowl (oil it first) and cover with a wet towel. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hour.
• Turn the dough into about 20 to 25 golf ball size balls. Place on a tray, cover with the towel and let it rise for 30 minutes more.
• Press the balls flat to make 4-inches wide rounds. Brush each rounds with oil and fold in half and place each one on individual piece of parchment paper. Let it rise again for 20 minutes (cover).
• When ready to eat, set up a steamer over boiling water and place buns in the basket. Steam for 7 to 8 minutes (in batches), until puffed.

I wanted these to be a little thinner than last time so I tried to do a better job rolling them out. They still don't look as pretty as Zen's but I'm thinking she used a cutter.

On to the wok for a little steam bath.

Here's the meat just outta the fridge. Not very pretty. I'm going to skim all the fat off, reheat, strain and save that gelatinous pork broth. I see homemade ramen in my future.

Here's the meat heated through with the sauce.

All done! Worth the effort. Thanks for sharing in my pork bun adventure!

 

[Adillo303]

OMG does that look great.

 

[Cooksie]

and thank you for sharing your pork bun adventure!

 

[luvs]

those would be delicious, i think. i needed to chuckle @ the name of 'em.

 

[medtran49]

We love pork belly buns. I've always made them with the recipe from https://food52.com/recipes/28063-momofuku-s-pork-buns , which is dry oven roasted, but I think I'll try this way next time. We've got a couple of slabs of pork belly in the deep freeze. One is destined for porchetta, but the other one can be for pork belly buns. Those little buns are absolutely delicious. I got some "bun" flour at the Oriental market recently and I may use some of that in my flour mix as well.

 

[Squirrel]

Hey thanks Medtran! Man, I haven't been around here in a while. Talk about synchronicities, I recently purchased two small bellies and was planning on making the pork belly buns. I've probably made them 100 times by now and still tweaking. First I have to render the 10 pounds of leaf lard I got too. Thanks for sharing the dry oven recipe. I like that idea too. Have a blessed day!