Beef buns are a variation of the Chinese pork bun, filled with pulled ground beef or pork in a spicy sauce. The dough can be store-bought or made from scratch, and the filling includes ginger, garlic, soybeans, and hoisin sauce. The buns are baked at 350°F for 20 minutes and brushed with an egg and milk mixture for a deep brown color.
A beef bun is a variation of another savory Chinese treat called the pork bun; both come in a package widely known as Cha Siu Bao. Both glisten in a brown coat and look like donuts that could be filled with sweet jellies or creams. What’s inside, however, is pulled ground beef or pork, smothered in a spicy, quintessentially Asian sauce.
The flavor of the beef sandwich depends on a few key facets. A doughy, unbaked bread wrap can lead to structural problems. Without a properly prepared barbecue sauce and meat, the filling won’t be worth creating a pastry. As in any kitchen, the more you spend on ingredients, the better the end result should be.
The beef sandwich breading can be made with store-bought dinner dough, or it can be made from scratch. While the measurements vary slightly, making the breading calls for whisking water, dry yeast, and salt until the mixture becomes frothy. Then, flour, plus sugar and salt are mixed in a separate bowl and finally combined with the yeast solution. Finally, two eggs and a little oil are kneaded into the flour until a doughy, malleable texture indicates the dough is ready to bake.
It’s then time to move on to the meat filling, while the dough rests and rises. The oil, then the ginger root, then the garlic are heated over medium heat; then ground beef, soybeans, paprika, sweet hoisin sauce, and ground pepper combine in the pan until the beef is browned. Some chopped red peppers and green onions can then be tossed into the meat, just before it’s removed from the heat.
In preparation for the oven, the pans are greased and the filling is spoon-filled into hockey puck-sized portions of the dough. The chef must ensure that the dough balls completely envelop the filling. This way the bread bakes evenly and without losses. Many chefs place the beef sandwich seam side down on baking sheets. Beef buns cook at 350°F (177°C) in about 20 minutes.
Just before entering the oven, an egg is usually beaten with a few tablespoons of milk (about 30 ml). This concoction can then be brushed onto the top of each beef bun. The result is a deep brown color that will add texture and flavor to the final product.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
