Homemade Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Buns)

5 from 1 rating

Homemade Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Buns)

Char Siu Bao or Chinese BBQ Pork Buns are something I've had since I was a kid. They are fluffy, unbelievably tasty, and can be eaten at every meal. In this blog post, I break down how to make this yummy Chinese pastry at home from how to get the fluffiest bao texture to comparing which steamer is the best one to use. (Yes I tested both!)

Prep Time1

Cook Time24

Proofing Time1

Total Time2 24

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: bbq pork buns, char siu bao, char siu bao recipe, steamed bbq pork buns, steamed char siu bao

Servings: char siu baos

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Becca Du

Equipment

Ingredients

Char Siu Bao Dough

1 package active dry yeast 21 g
3/4 cup water 178 g
2 cups all purpose flour 240 g
½ cup corn starch 60 g
1 tbsp baking powder 12 g
5 tbsp granulated sugar 64 g
2 tbsp vegetable oil 20 g

Char Siu Filling

2 shallots minced, ~1/3 cup
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
½ cup chicken broth
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp water
1 ½ cups char siu minced

Other Ingredients

1 tsp white vinegar for steaming

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepping the dough

Combine ¾ cup of warm water (100-110 degrees F) with 1 packet of active dry yeast and 1 tsp of granulated sugar. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes until the surface gets foamy.
Add 2 cups of all purpose flour, ½ cup of corn starch, 1 tbsp of baking powder, 5 tbsp of granulated sugar, and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to a stand mixer bowl fitted with the hook attachment. Pour the yeast mixture into the stand mixer bowl.
Run the mixer on low (speed 2) until the dough is combined then increase to 6 to knead for 15-20 minutes until a smooth dough forms. The dough will still be a little sticky, but that's normal! The wetter the dough, the fluffier the bao. If you feel it is too sticky, add another tablespoon of flour.
Cover and let it rise in an oiled bowl for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.

Making the filling

While the dough is proofing, make your filling. Saute 2 minced shallots in 1 tbsp of oil.
Add ¼ tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of granulated sugar, 1 tbsp of light soy sauce, 1 tsp of dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp of oyster sauce, 1 tsp of sesame oil, and ½ cup of chicken broth. Stir until the liquid starts to simmer.
Mix together 1 tbsp of corn starch and 1 tbsp of water. Pour into the pan and cook until the mixture thickens.
Finally, add 1 ½ cup of minced char siu and cook for 1-2 minutes. Set aside.

Forming the char siu baos

Once the dough is proofed, punch out the air. Roll out it out into a 20 inch log and divide it into 10 equal pieces (2 inch long each). Note the dough may stick to the bowl a bit, but that's okay.
Now it's time to put it together. Roll each dough piece into a ball and then flatten it into a 4 1/2 inch disc. Scoop ~2 tbsp of filling into the center. Envelop the filling with the outer edges of the dough. Fold and crimp the dough until it completely covers the filling. Place each bao on a piece of parchment paper. Repeat this process until you have 10 completed pork buns.

Steaming your baos

Place baos in a steamer. Prep your steamer by bringing water to a simmer with 1 tsp of white vinegar in a large pan. Place baos in bamboo steamer and put the steamer in the water. I like to do this in 2 batches because the baos will expand. If using a steamer pot, add the steamer insert and place baos on top.
Steam for 12 minutes until baos are cooked through.
Once done, remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the buns and enjoy!

Notes

For detailed tips and tricks including a guide on how I like to pleat my baos, refer to the blog post.
Note that this is a wet dough because the wetter the dough, the fluffier the bao. If you feel at any point it's too wet or sticky, add a little more flour.

Nutrition