Roujiamo with Southern BBQ Pork

Author & Photographer: Isabella Sun

Did you know that the world’s oldest hamburger was created in China? Roujiamo (肉夹馍) is a regional dish from the Shanxi province in China that dates back to the Qin dynasty. Although it is commonly known as the “Chinese Hamburger” in the U.S., it actually originated almost 2000 years before hamburgers from modern fast food restaurants like McDonald’s came into existence. Its name, which literally translates to “meat between buns,” perfectly describes its appearance. Similar to a regular hamburger, roujiamo consists of some kind of meat filling sandwiched between a mo (a kind of Chinese flatbread) that is cut up into two pieces. The versatility of this bun-meat structure makes it a perfect vesicle for a fusion dish. 

The filling of a traditional roujiamo is usually made of pork meat stewed in a variety of traditional Chinese spices, many of which are hard to find in American supermarkets. Thus, I decided to give this traditional dish a Western twist by replacing the filling with a Southern comfort food staple: barbecue pork chops. Like the ordinary roujiamo filling, southern pork chops provide a tangy and smoky taste that accentuates the dulcet flavor of the mo. By substituting the filling, people can make this famed Chinese dish at home without going through the hassle of buying over 20 new spices. It is an amazing way to experience the delightful texture of the mo’s chewy and slightly crispy dough paired with a familiar taste of the American South. 

---

Recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Mo flatbread ingredients

• 1 ½ cup flour

• ⅓ cup water

• 1 tsp instant dry yeast 

• 1 tbsp sugar

• 1 tsp salt 

Pork chop filling ingredients

• 1 Pork chop

• ¼ cup BBQ sauce of choice

• ⅓ chopped onion

• 1 tbsp minced garlic

• 2 tbsp Worcester sauce 

• Hot sauce of choice 

Directions

For the mo flatbreads buns:

1. Warm up water. Make sure it is warm but not hot to the touch. Sprinkle yeast on top and let it rest for 2 minutes. 

2. Whisk together flour with sugar and salt in a large bowl until well combined.

3. Whisk yeast and water together until the yeast is completely dissolved

4. Add the yeast water into the flour mixture, combine with a spatula until small chunks form, then knead with hands until the dough forms into a smooth ball. 

5. Cover and let the dough rise until doubled in size.

6. Separate dough into 6 little balls. Each should be around 45g. 

7. Use a rolling pin, flatten each dough ball into long, ovular strips. Fold the strips in half lengthwise.

8. Roll up each strip, place the roll spiral side up, and press down on the roll with the rolling pin until it becomes a flat bun  with approximately ⅙” thickness. 

9. Let the buns proof for around 30 minutes to ensure a fluffy texture.

10. Place the flatbread buns into a cast iron pan. Cook over medium heat until the buns begin to rise and the bottoms become golden brown.

11. Flip over the buns and heat until the other side becomes golden brown as well.

For the pork chops:

1. Add the sauces and mixed garlic to a bowl and whisk together until well combined.

2. Place the sauce, pork chops, and onions into a plastic bag. Make sure the pork chops are fully submerged in sauce. Let pork chops marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3. Place the marinated pork and onions into a skillet and cook over medium high heat until one side of the pork chops become golden brown. Flip over and cook until the other sides are golden brown as well.

4. Turn the heat down to low. Pour in the remainder of the marinade and let simmer for around 5 minutes until the sauce is absorbed into the meat. 

For assembly:

1. Cut the flatbread bun in half using a knife, leaving the end connected. 

2. Add the pork chop filling and close the flatbread like a sandwich.

3. Repeat until either filling or flatbread buns run out.

4. Enjoy!