Chinese pork burger (Rou Jia Mo 肉夹馍)

Method17 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix the 2 cups flour, ½ cup water, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp oil. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer until smooth and firm. If necessary, add only enough additional water to bring the dough together; flour and cup measurements vary. Keep the dough firm enough to roll without dusting flour.

   Uses 2 cups all-purpose flour · ½ cup water · 1 tsp instant yeast · 1 teaspoon sugar · 1 teaspoon cooking oil · Optional additional water, only if needed to form a smooth, firm dough after adding the listed ½ cup

2. 2

   Step 2: Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled. The author gives about 40–90 minutes depending on room temperature; check at 40 minutes and continue until the physical doubling endpoint. Prepare the pork while the dough rises.

   Dough rise: first check at forty minutes · 40 minUses Kneaded flatbread dough · Water as needed to dampen the dough-covering kitchen towel

3. 3

   Step 3: Blanch the raw pork belly (1 lb) in hot water, then lift it out and drain. Discard the blanching water; this is preliminary preparation, not the finished pork-cooking stage.

   Uses 1 lb pork belly · Hot water as needed to blanch the pork; drain and discard afterwards

4. 4

   Step 4: Put the drained pork into a braising pot with the ginger (5 slice), scallion (2 stalks) sections, star anise (1), bay leaf (1), cassia, fennel, optional cloves (2), Sichuan peppercorns (½ teaspoon), dried chillies, both soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, rock or granulated sugar, and salt (½ teaspoon). Add fresh braising water until the meat is completely covered.

   Uses Blanched pork belly, blanching water discarded · 5 slice ginger · 2 stalks scallions, cut into sections · 1 star-anise · 1 bay leaf · 1 piece cassia cinnamon · ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds · 2 whole cloves, optional

5. 5

   Step 5: Bring the braising liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for at least 1 hour, until the pork is fully cooked and very tender, almost melting in the mouth. Start the timer once simmering begins and continue longer if the meat is not yet tender. Reserve the cooked meat and broth for assembly.

   Pork simmer: minimum one hour · 60 minUses Pork, braising water and aromatic seasonings

6. 6

   Step 6: Once the dough has doubled, cut the complete dough into four equal pieces.

   Uses Risen flatbread dough, towel water excluded

7. 7

   Step 7: Take one of the four dough pieces and flatten it into a long oval. Keep the remaining three pieces covered while you shape this one.

   Uses One of four equal dough pieces

8. 8

   Step 8: Roll that oval into a cylinder, then stand the cylinder upright on one end.

   Uses Flattened oval dough piece, remaining three pieces excluded

9. 9

   Step 9: Press the cylinder down and roll it into a round about 4 inches (10 cm) across. Repeat the oval, cylinder and flattening sequence with the remaining three dough pieces to make four flatbreads.

   Uses Rolled upright dough cylinder · Remaining three equal dough pieces

10. 10

    Step 10: Place the shaped breads in a dry frying pan over low heat and cover with a lid. Use batches if necessary so the breads fit without crowding; no pan oil is needed.

    Uses Four shaped flatbreads

11. 11

    Step 11: Watch the first sides and turn each bread once its underside is golden brown.

    Uses Flatbreads cooking on their first side

12. 12

    Step 12: Cover again and cook the second sides until golden and the centres are cooked through with no raw dough. The author’s heavy-pan guide is about 10 minutes for both sides together, not 10 minutes per side; adjust to the pan and heat. Repeat with any remaining shaped breads.

    Uses Turned breads cooking on their second side · Any remaining shaped breads awaiting a later pan batch

13. 13

    Step 13: Let the cooked flatbreads cool only until safe to handle, then cut each open from one side to form a pocket without cutting all the way through.

    Uses Four cooked flatbreads

14. 14

    Step 14: Lift the tender pork out of the braising pot onto a clean chopping board, leaving the whole spices and unused broth behind. Chop the pork, the handful of coriander and fresh chilli to taste into small pieces, not a fine mince. Spoon some of the cooked braising broth over the chopped filling to make it moist.

    Uses Cooked pork lifted from its broth, whole spices excluded · Cooked braising broth for moistening the filling · 1 handful fresh coriander · 4 fresh chili (or to taste)

15. 15

    Step 15: Distribute the chopped pork filling among the four bread pockets and serve warm.

    Uses Four opened flatbread pockets · Chopped pork, coriander and chilli filling with spooned broth

16. 16

    Step 16: If preparing the assembled burgers ahead, cool promptly and refrigerate at 4°C (40°F) or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C (90°F). Wrap each burger individually in microwave-safe wrapping once cooled, following the wrapping product’s directions.

    Uses Assembled burgers selected for later serving

17. 17

    Step 17: Reheat a refrigerated burger using microwave-safe wrapping and the microwave and wrapping product’s directions. The author suggests about 40 seconds at full power as an initial guide, but check the filling and continue as needed until it reaches 74°C (165°F) throughout before serving.

    Uses Refrigerated wrapped burger selected for reheating