Steamed BBQ Pork Buns Recipe (Char Siu Bao)

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns, or Char Siu Bao, are a dim sum favorite—pillowy soft on the outside and filled with juicy, flavorful Chinese BBQ pork inside. Traditionally, making these buns takes days and includes complex ingredients like mother dough and ammonium bicarbonate. But today, we’re skipping all that! This simplified recipe gets you fluffy, delicious bao in just a few hours. Let’s get started!

Recipe

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

For the dough:
2 cups cake flour (260g), plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon instant (rapid-rise) yeast
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon lye water
1/3 teaspoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1/2 cup lukewarm water (100°F/38°C, adjust slightly for humidity)

For the filling:
1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
1/2 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 (slurry)
1 1/2 cups diced Chinese BBQ pork (char siu)

Instructions

1. Make the dough:

• In a large bowl, combine cake flour, powdered sugar, instant yeast, and baking powder.
• Add olive oil and water. Stir with chopsticks, then knead with hands until a dough forms. Adjust with flour or water as needed for a soft but not sticky dough.
• Cover the dough with a bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead on a flat surface for 5 minutes until smooth. Cover again and rest for 30 minutes.

2. Make the filling:

• In a bowl, mix fermented red bean curd sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, chicken stock, and the cornstarch slurry.
• In a pan over medium heat, add olive oil and chopped onion. Sauté for 2 minutes until aromatic.
• Pour in the sauce and cook until thickened.
• Transfer sauce and diced char siu to a bowl. Mix and cool completely.

3. Make the wrappers:

• Roll the dough into a flat round and then into a 20-inch log.
• Trim the ends, then cut into 8 equal pieces. Keep the unused dough covered.
• Dust your surface. Press each piece down and roll into a 5-inch disc (thicker in the center).

4. Wrap the Char Siu Bao:

• Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each wrapper.
• Pinch opposite edges together, then gather and seal all remaining edges to form a round bun.
• Place each bun on a square of parchment paper and into a bamboo steamer.
• Cover and rest for 30 minutes until buns are fuller and puffed.

5. Steam the Char Siu Bao:

• In a large steamer over high heat, bring water to a boil.
• Place bamboo steamer inside, cover, and steam for 10 minutes.
• Remove and serve warm!

Tips & notes

• No lye water? Skip it! Your buns will still turn out fluffy.
• Make ahead: You can freeze assembled, uncooked buns. Just steam them straight from the freezer for an extra 3–5 minutes.
• Leftovers: Store cooked buns in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat by steaming or microwaving with a damp paper towel.
• Filling variations: Try other proteins like minced chicken, mushrooms, or tofu for delicious twists!