The fairytale of new pork

Sous Vide Shoulder of Pork with a Steamed Bao Bun is a delicious, tender dish featuring slow-cooked pork shoulder that is cooked using the sous vide method for an incredibly juicy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The pork is paired with a fluffy, steamed bao bun, creating a flavorful and satisfying meal with a perfect combination of textures. The addition of flavorful sauces, pickled vegetables, or fresh herbs adds an extra layer of depth to the dish.
Cooking Time
490
Portions
8

Ingredients

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Ingredients For the Sous Vide Shoulder of Pork with a Steamed Bao Bun:

  •   1 whole boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (Gloucester old spot)
  • g Essential Cuisine mexican seasoning
  • g dark brown sugar
  • g salt
  • g whole yellow mustard seed
  • g freshly ground black pepper
  • g granulated garlic powder
  • g dried oregano
  • g whole coriander seed
  •   8 bao buns

For the Pickled Vegetables

  •   Beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, cucumbers, green beans, asparagus, red onion, cauliflower florets, bell peppers, fennel bulbs, cabbage, chard stems
  •   1 tbsp coriander seeds
  •   2 tsp fennel seeds
  •   1 tsp mustard seeds
  •   6 to 10 cloves garlic, sliced thickly
  •   1/2 onion, sliced
  • g vinegar – white, red wine, rice wine, apple cider
  • g water
  •   2 tbsp salt
  •   4-6 tbsp sugar

For the Black pudding, cheese and potato hash brown

  •   4 Maris Piper potatoes
  •   1 egg white
  •   4 slices black pudding rare breed
  • g Welsh mature cheese
  •   2 tsp chives, chopped
  •   2 tsp parsley, chopped
  •   2 tsp icing sugar
  •   1 pinch sea salt
  •   1 tbsp oil
  • g Sosa gelespessa
  •   4 sprigs flat leaf parsley

For the Pear Caramelised Chutney

  • g demerara sugar
  • ml cider vinegar
  • ml Grandes Distilleries Peureux La Cigogne Poire William 45%
  •   1 star anise
  •   1 tsp ground cumin
  •   2 red onions, chopped
  •   1 tsp grated ginger
  •   10 firm pears, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  •   red chillies, halved (and deseeded if you prefer)

For the Harissa Mayonnaise (egg-free)

  • g olive oil
  • g sunflower oil
  • g vinegar
  • g water
  •   Seasoning to taste
  •   4 tbsp harissa paste
  • g Sosa natur emul paste
  • g Sosa guar gum

For the Black garlic puree

  • g black garlic, peeled
  • ml water
  • g Sosa gelespessa
  • g salt
  • g white wine vinegar
  • g caster sugar

Method

  • 1

    Step 1

    For the Bao Bun: Set the temperature on your sous vide water to 74°C for pull-apart tender pork, or for 63°C for pork that is tender but still sliceable.
  • 2

    Step 2

    While the sous vide bath heats, create a rub, working in batches, combine Mexican seasoning, brown sugar, salt, mustard seed, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, coriander seed, in a spice grinder and reduce it all to a fine powder.
  • 3

    Step 3

    Before applying the rub, set aside 35g of the mixture - you'll use that to re-rub the shoulder before finishing. Rub the remaining mixture generously all over the shoulder.
  • 4

    Step 4

    Seal the bag either using a vacuum-sealer or, if using, a zipper-lock bag. Drop the sealed pork into the water bath, set a timer for 18 hours.
  • 5

    Step 5

    Finishing steps: Get rid of excess moisture by removing the pork and patting it down thoroughly with paper towels. If desired, take the juices in the sous vide bag, add them to your favourite barbecue sauce and reduce it over the stovetop to give your sauce extra porky flavour.
  • 6

    Step 6

    Place the pork on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack placed in it. Set it in a pre-heated 150°C oven and cook until the exterior achieves a dark, mahogany bark, about 1½ hours.
  • 7

    Step 7

    Break up the meat with your fingers or slice with a knife.
  • 8

    Step 8

    Place the bao buns in a Chinese steamer for around 8 minutes before serving hot with the marinated pork filling.
  • 9

    Step 9

    For the Pickled Vegetables: Wash the vegetables well and slice, quarter, or cut into spears.
  • 10

    Step 10

    Bring the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil in a small pot and, in the meantime, pack the jars with the prepped veggies.
  • 11

    Step 11

    In two medium size mason jars, divide the garlic and whole spices. Begin adding the vegetables, leaving about an inch at the top of the jar.
  • 12

    Step 12

    Using a funnel, carefully pour the hot liquid into the jars, making sure to submerge all the vegetables, pressing down on them with the end of a wooden spoon.
  • 13

    Step 13

    Cover and let sit on the counter to cool, and after an hour or two, place in the fridge. These will taste good after 6-8 hours, but much better after a couple of days.
  • 14

    Step 14

    For the Black pudding, cheese and potato hash brown: Leave the potatoes in their skins and cook in boiling water for 10 minutes so that they are still firm. Drain and peel. Grate the potatoes into a bowl and mix with half the herbs.
  • 15

    Step 15

    Add a pinch of sea salt to the egg white and gelespessa Beat with a whisk and mix with the grated potato and herb mixture; season with sea salt and freshly milled pepper.
  • 16

    Step 16

    Pat out a quarter of the mix in a circle larger than the slice of black pudding. Place the black pudding and 25g of cheese in the middle, fold over the potatoes and pat into a circle. Repeat 4 times.
  • 17

    Step 17

    Deep fry at 160°C degrees until golden brown. Serve with large sprigs of flat leaf parsley.
  • 18

    Step 18

    For the Pear caramelised chutney: Put the sugar, cider vinegar, Poire William, star anise, cumin, red onions and ginger in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
  • 19

    Step 19

    Add the pears and chillies and simmer for 40 minutes until the liquid is syrupy and the pears are just cooked.
  • 20

    Step 20

    Stir in the sultanas, remove from the heat and leave to cool, then spoon into sterilised jars.
  • 21

    Step 21

    For the Harissa Mayonnaise (egg-free): Blend all the ingredients except the oils with hand blender, then slowly pour in the oils to emulsify. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • 22

    Step 22

    For the Black Garlic Puree: Place all the ingredients in a Thermomix set at 60°C and blitz until smooth. Alternatively, place in a blender, but with boiling instead of cold water.
  • 23

    Step 23

    Pass through a fine sieve and set aside to cool.
  • 24

    Step 24

    Assembly: Place the hash brown on the plate, lean the stuffed bao bun on this.
  • 25

    Step 25

    Dot around the harissa mayonnaise, black garlic and sprinkle the pickled vegetables.
  • 26

    Step 26

    Drizzle the pear warm chutney on one side and then place a few airbag pieces for texture.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole boneless or bone-in pork shoulder (Gloucester old spot)
  • 50 g Essential Cuisine mexican seasoning
  • 50 g dark brown sugar
  • 15 g salt
  • 12 g whole yellow mustard seed
  • 4 g freshly ground black pepper
  • 24 g granulated garlic powder
  • 12 g dried oregano
  • 12 g whole coriander seed
  • 8 bao buns
  • Beets, carrots, radishes, turnips, cucumbers, green beans, asparagus, red onion, cauliflower florets, bell peppers, fennel bulbs, cabbage, chard stems
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 6 to 10 cloves garlic, sliced thickly
  • 1/2 onion, sliced
  • 80 g vinegar – white, red wine, rice wine, apple cider
  • 80 g water
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 4-6 tbsp sugar
  • 4 Maris Piper potatoes
  • 1 egg white
  • 4 slices black pudding rare breed
  • 100 g Welsh mature cheese
  • 2 tsp chives, chopped
  • 2 tsp parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp icing sugar
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 10 g Sosa gelespessa
  • 4 sprigs flat leaf parsley
  • 200 g demerara sugar
  • 200 ml cider vinegar
  • 100 ml Grandes Distilleries Peureux La Cigogne Poire William 45%
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 red onions, chopped
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 10 firm pears, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • red chillies, halved (and deseeded if you prefer)
  • 100 g olive oil
  • 125 g sunflower oil
  • 22 g vinegar
  • 200 g water
  • Seasoning to taste
  • 4 tbsp harissa paste
  • 4 g Sosa natur emul paste
  • 2 g Sosa guar gum
  • 190 g black garlic, peeled
  • 85 ml water
  • 15 g Sosa gelespessa
  • 2.5 g salt
  • 15 g white wine vinegar
  • 15 g caster sugar

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The fairytale of new pork