Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (2024)

Home Recipes Dim Sum Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (1)

by: Judy

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Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (2)

Our baked cha siu bao is to this day one of the recipes that consistently stays at the top of our “most popular” list––a strong indication of just how much people love these tasty BBQ pork buns but you must try these steamed bbq pork buns.

For this reason, steamed BBQ pork buns or Char Siu Bao, also called steamed roast pork buns have been on our to-do list for a long, long time. We’ve had lots of questions from readers on how to make steamed buns, and for good reason. This great variation is a super star on dim sum tables, enjoyed by people of all ages.

But I wasn’t going to just throw it together; we have high standards here. Like ourMilk Bread recipe, I’ve been on the hunt for a perfect steamed bun recipe for a long time. The perfect steamed BBQ Pork bun is snowy white and cracked open at the top. Check out our Chinese Roast Pork Cha Siu recipe to make your own filling!

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (3)

The dream would be having a friend who worked at a Chinese Bakery or dim sum restaurant who could tell me how it was done, but that would be too easy. After much research, I finally found a steamed bbq pork buns recipe in Chinese that worked after some testing and tweaking. Now I know that the key to a pull-apart, snowy white bun is actuallycornstarch, and that baking powder helps crack open the tops.

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (4)

Unlike other steamed buns, which usually start with cold water and are steamed over medium heat, these buns require you to pre-boil the water in the steamer, forcing the buns to rise quickly so the top cracks. Pretty cool stuff, I have to say! How satisfying it is to be able to finally crack open the secret to a mystery.

For the steamed pork bun dough:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (you can also just use a regular mixing bowl and knead by hand), dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Sift together the flour and cornstarch, and add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to the lowest setting and let it go until a smooth dough ball is formed.

Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hours. (I haven’t forgotten about the baking powder. You’ll add that later!)

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (5)

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (6)

While the dough is resting, let’s make the meat filling for thesesteamed bbq pork buns. We’re using a recipe similar to theBBQ pork filling recipe we madefor the baked version of these buns. The quantities are adjusted for the amount of dough in this recipe.

For the char siu bao filling:

Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute. Turn heat down to medium-low, and add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until the mixture starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour, cooking for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork (char siu). Set aside to cool. If you make the filling ahead of time, cover and refrigerate to prevent it from drying out.

After your dough has rested for 2 hours, add the baking powder to the dough and turn the mixer on to the lowest setting. At this point, if the dough looks dry or you’re having trouble incorporating the baking powder, add 1-2 teaspoons water. Gently knead the dough until it becomes smooth again.

Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for another 15 minutes. In the meantime, get a large piece of parchment paper and cut it into ten 4×4 inch squares. You can also use paper cupcake liners, flattened out. Prepare your steamer by bringing the water to a boil.

Now we are ready to assemble the buns: roll the dough into a long tube and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Press each piece of dough into a disc about 4 1/2 inches in diameter (it should be thicker in the center and thinner around the edges).

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (7)

Add some filling and pleat the buns until they’re closed on the top. (Check out our video of this pleating technique in our Carrot Ginger Pork Bun Post).

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (8)

Place each cha siu bao bun on a parchment paper square, and steam. I steamed the buns in two separate batches using a bamboo steamer (be sure the boiling water does not touch the buns during steaming process).

If you need a steamer rack, multi-level metal steamer, or better yet, a nice set of Bamboo steamers, check out some recommendations on our Chinese Cooking tools pageand buy the same tools we use in our kitchen! You should also see our post onhow to set up a steamerif you’re not familiar with steaming foods in Chinese cooking.

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (9)

Once the water boils, place the buns in the steamer and steam each batch for 12 minutes over high heat.

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (10)

Serve your steamed bbq pork buns hot!

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (11)

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (12)

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4.88 from 178 votes

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

This Chinese Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) recipe unlocks the secret to the perfect steamed pork bun just like you get at the dim sum restaurant.

by: Judy

Course:Dim Sum

Cuisine:Chinese

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (13)

serves: 10 buns

Prep: 3 hours hours

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Total: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

For the steamed cha siu bao dough:

  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-2 teaspoons water (optional)

For the steamed bao filling:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1/3 cup shallots or red onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups diced Chinese roast pork (you can buy it ready-made, or see our Chinese BBQ Pork recipe)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (you can also just use a regular mixing bowl and knead by hand), dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Sift together the flour and cornstarch, and add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar and oil. Turn on the mixer to the lowest setting and let it go until a smooth dough ball is formed. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 2 hours. (I haven't forgotten about the baking powder. You'll add that later!)

  • While the dough is resting, make the meat filling. Heat the oil in a wok over medium high heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for a minute. Turn heat down to medium-low, and add the sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dark soy. Stir and cook until the mixture starts to bubble up. Add the chicken stock and flour, cooking for a couple minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the roast pork. Set aside to cool. If you make the filling ahead of time, cover and refrigerate to prevent it from drying out.

  • After your dough has rested for 2 hours, add the baking powder to the dough and turn the mixer on to the lowest setting. At this point, if the dough looks dry or you're having trouble incorporating the baking powder, add 1-2 teaspoons water. Gently knead the dough until it becomes smooth again. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for another 15 minutes. In the meantime, get a large piece of parchment paper and cut it into ten 4x4 inch squares. Prepare your steamer by bringing the water to a boil.

  • Now we are ready to assemble the buns: roll the dough into a long tube and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Press each piece of dough into a disc about 4 1/2 inches in diameter (it should be thicker in the center and thinner around the edges). Add some filling and pleat the buns until they're closed on top.

  • Place each bun on a parchment paper square, and steam. I steamed the buns in two separate batches using a bamboo steamer (be sure the boiling water does not touch the buns during steaming process). Once the water boils, place the buns in the steamer and steam each batch for 12 minutes over high heat.

nutrition facts

Calories: 687kcal (34%) Carbohydrates: 41g (14%) Protein: 78g (156%) Fat: 22g (34%) Saturated Fat: 5g (25%) Cholesterol: 207mg (69%) Sodium: 410mg (17%) Potassium: 1385mg (40%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 7g (8%) Calcium: 64mg (6%) Iron: 3.3mg (18%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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@thewoksoflife

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Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (18)

About Judy

Judy is the mom of The Woks of Life family. Born in Shanghai, she arrived in the U.S. at age 16. Fluent in both English and three separate Chinese dialects, she's our professional menu translator when we're eating our way through China. Dedicated to preserving disappearing recipes and traditions, her specialty is all things traditional, from mooncakes to home-style stir-fries.

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Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between steamed buns and bao buns? ›

Bao Buns (pronounced “bow”), but also known as a 'steamed buns' or 'baozi' 包子, are a delicious, warm, fluffy treat of stuffing wrapped inside a sweet, white dough. Made with a mix of flour, yeast, sugar, baking powder, milk and oil, the bao is a tad sweeter than its closely related cousin, the dumpling.

What is Char Siu Bao made of? ›

Ingredients for baking mainly include flour, meat, eggs, flour, lard and some typical spices depending on how each family's family is made. To make delicious cakes, people often marinate pork tenderloin with minced garlic, fivespice, oyster oil, honey and then baked until it turns golden brown and is fragrant.

What is the difference between steamed and baked BBQ pork buns? ›

Baked pork buns are larger and more filling than the steamed pork bun, so you'll definitely be satisfied. Also, if you're craving something sweet AND salty, this bun is the bun for you.

How to eat barbecue pork bao? ›

These BBQ Pork Buns are almost a meal in themselves! You can serve them just as they are as a snack, or turn it into a more substantial meal by serving steamed Chinese greens on the side. Some chilli sauce or Sriracha is a must for me.

Are bao buns Chinese or Japanese? ›

Bao or Baozi are said to have been invented in China during the 3rd century by a military strategist called Zhuge Liang [181-234]. They were first named Mantou but over time they began to be referred to as baozi or bao meaning to wrap in Mandarin.

Are Bao buns Vietnamese or Korean? ›

A gua bao, also known as a pork belly bun, bao, or bao bun, is a type of lotus leaf bun originating from Fujianese cuisine in China. It is also a popular snack in Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, and Nagasaki Chinatown in Japan.

What is a BBQ pork bun called in China? ›

Baked char siu bao (also sometimes spelled cha siu bao), or Chinese BBQ Pork Buns, consist of soft milk bread and a savory filling of Chinese BBQ Pork. They're a Chinese bakery favorite!

Is char siu Chinese or Japanese? ›

The Japanese name “chashu” actually comes from the Chinese food item with a similar name, “char-siu”. There's plenty of classic Japanese food items with roots in other countries. However, over the years, they manage to transform those dishes to be something uniquely Japanese.

Is pork char siu unhealthy? ›

Arguably Char Siu may be carcinogenic. Despite the charred chunks, many may easily chomp down when the meat is carved and served in thin or thick slices on a plate, all because it is too delicious to resist the temptation. There are also many health enthusiasts who would not lay an eye on anything charred.

Can you steam pork buns without a steamer? ›

You can replicate a steamer with very little effort by placing your buns in a common kitchen sieve or colander, then suspending it over boiling water. Creating a tower from plates and tea towels will stop the steam from escaping, causing your buns to steam cook!

How do you steam store bought pork buns? ›

Steam
  1. Place frozen Buns into a lightly oiled steamer and cover.
  2. Steam the Buns over boiling water for approx. 15 minutes. Buns are cooked when the meat inside is steaming hot.

Are steamed buns healthier than baked buns? ›

Asian-style steamed bread has a lower glycemic index (GI) than western-style baked bread, A*STAR researchers have found1. This preparation method could be more widely adopted as a useful weapon in the battle against diseases such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes, they suggest.

What sauce goes with bao buns? ›

Soy-ginger sauce: This simple dipping sauce is quick to make. I mix soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos), finely chopped ginger and sesame seeds. The ginger will infuse the soy sauce. So sometimes I make this ahead of time so the ginger flavor will be stronger.

What sauce to eat with pork buns? ›

While the buns are steaming, make the hoisin dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the hoisin, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water and the vinegar. Serve with the buns.

Do you eat bao buns hot or cold? ›

They should stay warm like this for ~10 minutes. When having them for dinner, I usually actually cook all the bao ahead of time and then re-heat a couple at a time by steaming for 1-2 minutes before eating. That way you always have hot ones to eat.

Is bao the same as bun? ›

Bao is also known as baozi, bao bun, or steamed buns. It is a main dish originating in the Northern Chinese city of Xi'an. Today, bao buns are available in Chinese restaurants in China, Taiwan, Asia, and many countries worldwide.

What is a Chinese steamed bun called? ›

Mantou (traditional Chinese: 饅頭; simplified Chinese: 馒头), often referred to as Chinese steamed bun, is a white and soft type of steamed bread or bun popular in northern China.

Are steamed bao buns healthy? ›

A standard steamed bao typically contains about 200-250 calories, positioning it as a moderate-calorie food option. Additionally, bao serves as a source of protein and dietary fiber, particularly when made with whole grain flours or filled with vegetables or lean meats.

What is the difference between steamed buns and xiao long bao? ›

Steamed buns made with raised flour are seen throughout China and are what is usually referred to as mantou. Steamed xiaolongbao made with partially raised flour are more commonly seen in the south. This means that their skin is tender, smoother, and somewhat translucent, rather than being white and fluffy.

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