Steamed BBQ Pork Buns Recipe (Char Siu Bao)

Char Siu Bao, or Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, typically take days to prepare—but we’re making them in just a few hours! This recipe skips the mother dough and ammonium bicarbonate, making it quicker and simpler. Stick around to see how!

Recipe

Serves: 8 pieces
Prep time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Rest time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

For the dough:
2 cups cake flour (260 g) and 2 tablespoons for dusting
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon instant (rapid rise) yeast
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
¼ teaspoon lye water
1/3 teaspoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
½ cup (118 g) lukewarm water (around 100 °F or 38°C) (water level slightly more or less, depending on the humidity level)

For the filling:
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fermented red bean curd sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
1 ½ cups diced Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu)

1. Make the dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake flour, powdered sugar, instant yeast, and aluminum-free baking powder. Pour in the extra light olive oil and water.
• First, use a pair of chopsticks to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Then use your hands to knead the mixture until it comes together into a ball of dough. (If it’s too sticky, add another tablespoon of cake flour; if it’s too dry, add another tablespoon of water, and knead again. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.)
• Cover the dough with a bowl. Rest for 10 minutes.
• On a flat working surface, knead the dough until smooth for 5 minutes. Dust some flour if needed.
• Cover the dough with a bowl. Rest for 30 minutes.

2. Make the filling:

• In a bowl, mix in the ingredients: fermented red bean curd sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, chicken stock, and cornstarch slurry (1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of water).
• In a pan over medium heat, add the extra light olive oil and onion. Stir-fry until aromatic for 2 minutes. Pour in the sauce. Stir until it’s thickened.
• In a large bowl, transfer the char siu and the sauce. Mix. Wait until cool.

3. Make the wrappers:

• Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it becomes round and flat.
• Roll up the dough into a log, about 20 inches in length.
• Cut off the 2 ends. Then cut it into 8 equal pieces. Work on a piece at a time. Cover the rest with plastic wrap.
• Dust some flour on the working surface, first press down the dough, then roll it into a disc, about 5 inches in diameter (it should be thicker in the center and thinner around the edges). Do the same with the rest of the dough.

4. Wrap the Char Siu Bao:

• Place about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper.
• Pinch together the 2 sides of the wrapper. Also, pinch together the other 2 sides. Seal the rest of the edges. Gather the 4 pointy ends of the buns and pinch them together. Make it into a round bun.
• Place the bun on a square parchment paper. Put the bun on a bamboo steamer. Do the same with the rest of the buns.
• Cover the lid. Rest for 30 minutes until they become bigger and fuller.

5. Steam the Char Siu Bao:

• In a large steamer over high heat, bring it to a boil. Transfer the bamboo steamer inside， cover the lid, and steam for 10 minutes.
• Serve!