Thanks Jessy!!! I just bought a pork butt - can you tell I'm excited to try this? Tonight will be char siu, using Cook's Illustrated's recipe. Then I'll give bao a shot with the leftovers and your linked recipes. Yum, can't wait!

[I remember the first time Linda C called me Stumpy. It kind of annoyed me because general the tone of her post was sarcastic, but now I accept it as endearing!]

i am planning to try this dough recipe, although we have many dim sum places, i like to make my own char sui bao, here is a filling i use 2 cups cut up char sui pork,1 teasp veg oil,1-2 cloves minced garlic,1 T minced green onions,1 T shaoshing wine or dry sherry,2 T hosin sauce,2T oyster sauce,1 teasp sugar,1T cornstarch in 1/4 cup chicken stock.lightly saute the diced char sui pieces in the oil add garlic stir around for about 30 seconds,add hosin,oyster sauce and wine.add cornstarch slurry and cook until thicken, if too thick add more broth a tablespoon at a time taste if you would like it sweeter add the sugar,add green onions.cool to room temp then use to fill dough.
you can purchase char sui from chinese market or make your own which i usually do. let me know if you need recipe for char sui pork, and i will post what i use

(I'd like the recipe, SFfog!)

Jessy:
I put that in the CF a long while ago, about using Baking powder with Yeast Dough.
Almost the same recipe.
Lou

Use a pork tenderloin and marinate it in teriyaki sauce, one of the sweeter ones. Roast or grill it, and it's an easy stand-in for Chinese char siu.

This sounds so good. I recall going to a very special dim sum restaurant in Toronto's China town which served the most amazing pork filled buns, sui mai and shrimp dumplings. I've done OK with the later but never came close on the pork buns.

FOAS and ssfog would love your char sui recipes. I feel a wonderful stay at home take out coming on!

oh gawd Sharon my mind went 'vitural char siu boa dinner' bad Jessy, baaaaaad grrlll....

Thanks all!

(Baking soda!!)

yes baking soda, do not omit it

Figured I owe a follow-up. I made char siu last week, recipe below, with intentions of making bau over the weekend with the leftovers. Well life got in the way and it never seemed a great time to start playing with the yeast dough and my new steamer. So last night I simply diced up the pork and used the ingredients list from the LA Times recipe to make a sauce and served it over rice. The pork was really good, both meals.

Of course I definitely want to try making bao though. Maybe I'll make it with the "Golly Gee" chicken recipe from LA Times just to mix it up a bit. Either way, I'll post again, with pictures, when I get around to it.

Char Siu
Cooks Illustrated

Serves 6

To facilitate cleanup, spray the rack and pan with vegetable oil spray. The pork will release liquid and fat during the cooking process, so be careful when removing the pan from the oven. If you don't have a wire rack that fits in a rimmed baking sheet, substitute a broiler pan, although the meat may not darken as much. Pay close attention to the meat when broiling-you are looking for it to darken and caramelize, not blacken. Do not use a drawer broiler--the heat source will be too close to the meat. Instead, increase the oven temperature in step 5 to 500 degrees and cook for 8 to 12 minutes before glazing and 6 to 8 minutes once the glaze has been applied; flip meat and repeat on second side. This recipe can be made with boneless country-style ribs, but the meat will be slightly drier and less flavorful. To use ribs, reduce the uncovered cooking time in step 4 to 20 minutes and increase the broiling and glazing times in step 5 by 2 to 3 minutes per side. This dish is best served with rice and a vegetable side dish. Leftover pork makes an excellent addition to fried rice or an Asian noodle soup.

Ingredients
4 pound boneless pork butt (Boston butt) , cut into 8 strips and excess fat removed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (from 4- to 6-inch piece)
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup honey

Instructions

1. Using fork, prick pork 10 to 12 times on each side. Place pork in large plastic zipper-lock bag. Combine sugar, soy, hoisin, sherry, pepper, five-spice powder, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in medium bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup marinade and set aside. Pour remaining marinade into bag with pork. Press out as much air as possible; seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

2. While meat marinates, combine ketchup and honey with reserved marinade in small saucepan. Cook glaze over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack on sheet.

4. Remove pork from marinade, letting any excess drip off, and place on wire rack. Pour 1/4 cup water into bottom of pan. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping edges tightly to seal. Cook pork for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until edges of pork begin to brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

5. Turn on broiler. Broil pork until evenly caramelized, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove pan from oven and brush pork with half of glaze; broil until deep mahogany color, 3 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip meat and broil until other side caramelizes, 7 to 9 minutes. Brush meat with remaining glaze and continue to broil until second side is deep mahogany, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut into thin strips and serve.

Thanks for the recipes FOAS and ssfog.

I can't wait to give them a try. I'm going to have to cook up a reason for a party so I can do an all out Chinese menu.