What is pork Floss?
A popular dried meat originated from China often consumed in the Chinese Culture of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Pork floss (also called "Ruosong" ) is made from cuts of pork (or beef) and is stewed in soy sauce until they are tender enough to be shredded then baked and dried. Because of the absence of any water, like beef jerky, pork floss can last from 3 years to 5 years!
What do you eat with pork floss?
As a kid, I eat them on their own! Pork floss are so versatile, they are sometimes added to congee for flavour, added in sandwiches, tossed in plain rice and in this post, made in to a sweet and salty savoury Asian style bread rolls.
What does pork floss taste like?
Imagine beef jerky with a sweet and salty taste to it but a fluffy texture and less dry.
RECIPE
This recipe makes 5 x rolls
Equipment and Tools needed: 39cm Lenght x 26 cm Width x 1.5cm in depth baking pan
Bread
150 g Bakers Flour
90 g Plain Flour
125 g Water
45 g Full Cream Milk
20 g Castor Sugar
20 g Butter
3 g Salt
4 g Instant Yeast
Fillings & Toppings
Qs. Mayonnaise (Kewpie)
Qs. Black Sesame Seeds
1 Stalk Spring Onion
Qs Pork Floss
Egg Wash
50 ml Full Cream Milk
50 g Eggs
Method:
Before you proceed making the bread dough, make sure that you bring the butter to room temperature.
1. Heat water and milk together gently until it reaches approximately 32°C.
2. Place all the ingredients into a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook attachment. Start mixing on low speed for 2 minutes, scrape down the sides and bottom if necessary then proceed to mixing on medium speed (I use kitchen aid) for 8 minutes or until it passes the window test.
Note: This dough is quite sticky and to do the window test without it sticking to your hands, simply dust your hands with some flour.
3. Once the dough is ready, transfer the dough on to a lightly floured bench and start kneading (dust some flour if necessary) and form it in to a tight round ball. The dough will feel sticky at first but as you knead and fold it in to a ball you can feel that it is starting to develop some elasticity.
Note: Do not be tempted to dust too much flour though at this point as this can cause the dough to become quite dry and hard to work with later on. I always just dust my hands with flour and lightly on the work bench than on to the dough itself.
4. Lightly oil a bowl large enough for the dough to at least double in size, then transfer the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Leave to bulk ferment or until it increases in 2/3 of the original size. This process takes roughly around 30 minutes to an hour.
Note: Check the dough in 30 minutes, if it still looks quite slack, fold the dough in to a tight ball again and leave to further bulk ferment. Try not to knock out too much air at this point.
5. When the dough have increased in size, lightly grease a non stick baking pan, transfer the dough on to the tray and with the tip of your fingers, press the dough gently down and stretch it until it covers the size of the full pan (In this post I am using a 39cm x 26 cm x 1.5cm in depth baking pan) . Make sure that you spread them out as even in thickness as possible.
6. Cover with a damp cloth to let it proof for the final time or when the dough feels soft and increases in 1/3 of the thickness.
Brush egg wash evenly all over the bread, sprinkle spring onions and black sesames.
7. Bake at a preheated oven at 180°C for roughly about 12 to 20 minutes or until the top is light golden brown in color.
8. Remove the bread sheet from the oven, and immediately place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the bread and flip it over.
9. With the whiter side facing upwards, spread mayonnaise then sprinkle with pork floss. Roll the bread sheet in to a log and secure with the parchment paper then leave it to sit until it holds its shape. If the ends unravels, brush the ends with some mayonnaise to help it stick.
Note: Make sure that you roll the bread sheet while it is still slightly warm to avoid it from cracking.
10. Remove the parchment paper then cut the in to 5 x 4 cm length equal portions. Brush each ends of the portioned roll with mayonnaise then dip both ends with pork floss tossed with some sesame seeds.
Step-by-step
