Texas Twinkie Steamed Bao

Jalapeno Popper with brisket, also known as Texas Twinkies are oh, so good! An ultra flavorful fusion filled bun seemed like a great excuse to cook something new with leftover brisket and enjoy the spicy cheese goodness of a jalapeno popper.

An Asian steamed bao is an enclosed sandwich or one bun meal (if you can stop yourself at just one). This combination is so delicious, I the family is stuffed. Ironically, “stuffed” is this week’s Supper Challenge and one year anniversary. I can happily share “stuffed” Texas Twinkie bao or buns. And for those of you that know, I’m finally happy with this perfected steamed bao or perfected Mantou recipe. Phewph!

Taste: Winner winner! The steamed bun is appropriately seasoned with the burst of flavor on the inside. Meat and cheese and spice and BBQ sauce. Its sooooo good!
Texture: Tender steamed bun on the outside with tender meat and cheese filling on the inside

Want to learn more about Steamed Bao? Follow the link!

Texas Twinkie Steamed Bao

Asian fusion of Texas Twinkies and Steamed Bao – jalapenos, cheese, bacon, brisket and BBQ sauce in an enclosed sandwich? Yes please!

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 Jumbo Bao

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

Bao/ Mantou Dough

• 1 ½ teaspoon instant yeast
• ¾ cup /175g warm water 110F
• 2 ¼ cup 348g white unbleached flour
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ cup /39g cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Texas Twinkie/ Jalapeno Popper Brisket Filling

• 1 jalapeno peppers roasted with skins and seeds removed
• 1 poblano peppers roasted with skins and seeds removed
• 2 oz cream cheese cut into ¼” cubes
• 2 oz Monterey Jack cheese cut into ¼” cubes
• ¼ lb /115g cooked brisket
• 1 ¼ cup / 140g cooked unseasoned shredded cabbage/ coleslaw mix (I pan fried to cook)
• 1/3 cup cooked bacon bits/ crumble
• 1/3 cup BBQ sauce I like Blues Hog Original

Equipment

• Food Processor
• Instant read thermometer
• Steamer

Method

 

Prepare Bao / Mantou Dough

1. In a measuring cup, add warm water and instant yeast together to start. Yeast will start to foam in about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large food processor or stand mixer with dough hook, pulse or mix together flour, white sugar, table salt, baking powder and cornstarch.
3. Pulse canola oil into the dry ingredients in the food processor.
4. While food processor/ stand mixer is running, slowly pour in the yeast water mixture, ensuring all contents are added mixed in.
5. Wet sticky dough should form. Knead in food processor or stand mixer for 5 minutes.
6. Place dough into a large bowl in a warm area of the kitchen, cover and allow to proof 1 hour.
7. Once the dough has doubled in size, place dough onto floured surface and divide dough into 8 equal pieces (for jumbo bao/ buns) or 12 or 16 equal pieces.
8. Place each dough piece onto a small parchment square, cover again and allow to proof 1 hour.

Prepare Texas Twinkie Filling

1. Cut Monterey Jack Cheese and cream cheese into ¼” cubes and place into freezer.
2. In the same food processor bowl used for the dough, add cooked cabbage and roasted jalapeno and poblano peppers. Pulse into finer texture.
3. Add brisket to the cabbage and pepper mix in the food processor and pulse. Texture can be a fine or coarse as desired.
4. Pour brisket mixture into large bowl.
5. Stir in bacon bits/ crumble and BBQ sauce. Set aside in the fridge.
6. When bao is proofed, stir in frozen or partially frozen Monterey Jack cheese into the brisket mixture.

Bao Folding and Steaming

1. Gently flatten dough and roll out edges, allowing the middle section to be slightly thicker than the edges (1/8” thick).
   
2. Place flattened dough in the palm of your less dominant hand.
   
3. Place a spoonful of the filling into the center of the bao, pinch the center bottom edges together.
   
4. Bring outer edges to the middle to pinch downwards into the middle.
   
5. Continue to pinch outer edges to the middle in downwards motion.
   
6. Seal the top of the bao in towards the center downwards.
   
7. Place filled bao onto parchment and into steamer.
8. When steamer basket is full, steam for 20-25 minutes or until the dough registers 195F on an instant read thermometer.