Ah beef, it’s what’s for dinner. Well, maybe not. Because today I chose to do a snack, a dim sum.

You see for me, this week wasn’t as much about coming up with a new recipe featuring the flavors as much as a new … technique. Because seriously, how many new recipes can you really come up with for beef (well, at least seven I guess.)?

So instead, I decided to combine two of my favorite dishes, barbecued beef and Char siu bau – pork buns (okay well, technically Char siu bau are steamed but I like my buns baked ;D).

So here’s what I did. The other night I made barbecue beef (actually, I made it a couple of weeks ago, with a Cooking Light recipe using flank steak but I didn’t like how that came out, so I did it again). This time I based it upon one of my favorite recipes that I got years ago from Taste of Home. Really, you can mix this up with anything. Put a little honey in sometimes, or maybe some maple syrup. The chipotle will make it spicy, don’t want it so spicy, leave the chili out but you get the idea.

Barbecue Beef

Ingredients

• 2 large ONIONS, chopped
• 1C ketchup
• 1 1/4C beef broth
• 1/4C cider vinegar
• 1/4C packed brown sugar
• 3T Worcestershire sauce
• 2T mustard
• 2T Molasses
• 2T citric juice (normally I use lemon but this time I used fresh orange b/c I didn’t have lemon)
• 1t salt
• 1/4t chipotle chili powder
• 1 canned chipotle chili, minced
• 1 4lb boneless chuck roast
• 2T canola oil

Directions

In a medium pot sauté the onions in 1T oil until they’re tender. Add everything else to the pot (except the meat), bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown the roast with 1T oil in an oven proof dutch oven. Pour sauce over meat, cover and put in a preheated 325 degree oven. Cook for 2 hours, turn and cook, covered for another 2 hours or until the roast is fork tender. Shred the meat with two forks, return to sauce and serve.

Now this makes a lot, and you only need like two cups (at most) for the buns, so go ahead and have this for dinner on hamburger rolls with some coleslaw.

Now for the buns.

Barbecue Beef Buns

It’s basically a sweet bread dough that you make so here you go.

Ingredients

• 4T sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup warm milk (like 105 – 110)
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2t yeast
• 2 1/4 – 2 3/4 cups flour
• dash of salt
• 1 egg yolk

Directions

I did this all in my kitchen aid. First I primed the mixing bowl. That’s when you put really hot water (from the tap) into it and let it sit for a minute. That way if the bowl is cold, it will warm it up so it doesn’t lower the temperature of liquids.

Next, I put the milk and water in the bowl, and dissolved 2T of the sugar into it. Then I sprinkled the yeast in and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it was foamy. If it doesn’t get foamy, either your yeast is dead or your liquids were too hot or too cold.

Add 2 1/4 cups flour, dash of salt and remaining sugar, mix until smooth and elastic, using the remaining flour as necessary. You can do this by hand, kneading for about five minutes.

Put into a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top, cover and let rise about 30 minutes or until it doubles in size. If you poke it with your fingers, and the indents remain, it's ready.

Take it out, and roll it into a 12” log (wipe your dirty minds!!). Cut into 12, one inch pieces and roll those into balls (again with your dirty minds?). Cover with a moist towel and let it rest for five minutes.

Flatten out a ball with a rolling pin into a four – six inch circle. Put 1T of the barbecue beef (hopefully cooled) into the middle and then stretch the dough over the top, twisting, sealing, pinching whatever. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet (leave space in between), and repeat with 11 remaining pieces (keep those covered while you work so they don’t dry out).

Cover the baking sheet and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Brush with beaten egg yolk (I like to add a splash of water to the yolk before I beat it).

Let rise for 15 minutes.

Bake for 20 or so minutes in a 350 degree oven until they’re golden brown. You can see some leaked; I need to seal them better next time.

Done!