Siopao Pork Asado Recipe

Prep and brown pork

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Season pork cubes lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Working in a single layer (do in batches if necessary), brown the pork on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per batch. Remove browned pork and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if the pan is dry. Add minced garlic and chopped onion; sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.

Simmer with sauces

Return the browned pork to the pan. Stir in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, and Chinese five-spice. Pour in 1 cup water or chicken stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until pork is tender and sauce has concentrated, about 30–40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a splash more water if it becomes too dry.

Thicken and shred

When pork is tender, remove the lid and increase heat to medium. Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry; stir slurry into the sauce to thicken to a glossy, coating consistency. Simmer 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Shred or finely chop the pork in the pan so the mixture is easy to scoop into buns.

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, combine warm water (1/2 cup of the warm water) with 1 tsp of the sugar and the active dry yeast. Stir and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt.

Form dough

Make a well in the flour mixture and add the foamy yeast mixture, remaining warm water/milk (if using both, add warm milk to reach the total 1 cup and remaining warm water as needed), and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

Knead

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes by hand (or 6–8 minutes in a stand mixer with dough hook). Dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky; add up to 1 tablespoon more flour if excessively sticky.

First rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1¼ hours.

Divide and rest

Punch down the dough and transfer to a work surface. Divide into 12 equal portions (about 2 ounces / 55 g each). Shape each portion into a smooth ball, then flatten into 4-inch discs about 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes to relax the gluten for easier filling.

Fill buns

Place a parchment square on your work surface. Put one dough disc over the paper. Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of the pork asado filling into the center of each disc (enough so you can seal the edges without overfilling).

Seal

Brush the edge of the dough lightly with a few drops of water. Gather the edges up and pleat to seal the filling in the center, pinching tightly so there are no gaps. Place each sealed bun seam-side down on a parchment square. Arrange buns with some space between them for the final proof.

Final proof

Cover the buns with a damp towel and let them rest in a warm spot until puffed and slightly larger, about 20–30 minutes.

Steam

Prepare a bamboo steamer or metal steamer and bring water to a rolling simmer. Line the steamer with parchment and place buns with their parchment squares inside, leaving space between buns. Steam over medium-high heat, covered, for 12–15 minutes. Do not open the lid during the first 10 minutes to prevent collapse.

Rest after steaming

After 12–15 minutes, turn off the heat and let buns rest in the closed steamer for 2–3 minutes to avoid sudden temperature change which can cause sogginess. Transfer buns to a rack and serve warm.