Steamed Chinese BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Steamed Chinese BBQ Pork buns are one of my favorite dim sum appetizers of all time. It holds a special place in my heart because I used to eat these for breakfast before I went to work on the weekends as a teenager. Yes, I worked as a teenager because my parents wanted to instill in me hard work and the value of a dollar at an early age. So, whenever I eat these delicious little snacks, it brings me back to my childhood memories. I did rounds of recipe testing to get the fluffiness and tastiest Char Siu Baos so hope you enjoy!

Want to make the filling from scratch? Start with my char siu pork recipe. Make it a full dim sum spread with my shu mai and steamed rice paper har gow.

Why you'll love this recipe

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns are so delicious because they combine the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors in their succulent Chinese BBQ pork filling. The tender and juicy pork is enveloped in a pillowy, soft steamed bun that just melts in your mouth, creating an irresistible blend of textures and tastes. Each bite offers a delightful contrast between the fluffy, slightly chewy dough and the flavorful, caramelized pork, making these steamed buns a beloved treat in my household.

Ingredients

For the bao buns:

• Cake Flour: This flour is perfect for buns because they have lower protein content so it forms a soft, loose gluten that allows the baos to be fluffier. If you can't find cake flour, you can substitute 1 cup of cake flour with 1 cup of all-purpose flour (less 2 Tbsp) + 2 tablespoon corn starch.
• Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness and provides a source of food for the yeast.
• Baking Powder: A little bit here helps the bao rise and become fluffy.
• Instant Dry Yeast: A crucial ingredient that ferments the dough.
• Cooking Oil: Helps to keep the baos shiny and moist.
• Milk: Interacts with the flour and yeast and is a key component of the recipe.

For the BBQ pork filling:

• Cooking Oil: A bit of oil to saute the onions to develop flavor and retain moisture
• Onion: Adds sweet and pungent flavors to the filling.
• Chinese BBQ pork: The main star of the filling with sweet and sweet flavors.
• Soy sauce: Adds umami, depth, and complexity to the sauce.
• Oyster sauce: This adds deep, savory, umami flavors to enhance the filling.
• Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to balance the sauce.
• Hoisin sauce: This sauce adds a bit of sweetness and umami to the sauce. You can find this condiment at your local Asian grocery store or online.
• Cha Siu Sauce: A key component to enhance the Chinese BBQ flavors of the filling
• Water: A bit here makes the filling more saucy.
• Toasted sesame oil: Adds aroma and nuttiness that is so irresistible!
• Cornstarch: Helps thicken the filling sauce

How to Make Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

1. For the dough, in a large bowl, mix together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, instant dry yeast, and milk powder. Add cooking oil and lukewarm water and mix until dough forms. Add to a stand mixer and knead for 8 mins until dough is smooth and springy (adjust with additional tablespoon of water as needed). If kneading by hand, knead for 10 mins. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
2. While dough is resting, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, hoisin sauce, cha siu sauce, water, sesame oil, and cornstarch together and mix to combine. In a wok or medium pan, add oil and onions and saute until fragrant, about 1 min. Add BBQ pork meat and sauce mixture then let simmer on low heat until sauce is thickened but still runny, about 1-2 mins. Remove from heat and let cool down.
3. Punch the dough to flatten. On a floured surface, knead the dough a few times then roll into a cylinder shape then cut down into 6 pieces. Flatten piece of dough with your palm then use a rolling pin to roll the edges until they are a round disc - about 5 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Place 2 tablespoon filling to center then pleat the dough edges up and around the filling to enclose completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with damp towel and rest for 30 mins.
4. In a steamer, place buns with parchment paper lined and steam for 8 mins. Turn off heat and let buns sit covered for another 5 mins before opening to ensure dough is fluffy.

Tips for the Dough

1. Let the dough proof twice in a humid environment like a microwave. I put warm water in there while it proofs so it comes out fluffy
2. Roll the dough up and down towards center so edges are thinner and center is thicker. This ensures the filling won't seep the bottom of the bao and the top is thinner and lighter when folding together.
3. Once the baos are done steaming, don’t open right away or the dough will collapse. Let it steam in there for 5 more mins.

Storage

You can store the baos in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the buns for up to 3 months. If you freeze it, keep them separate so they don't stick together when freezing.

Other Recipes You'll Love

Sticky rice lotus leaf wraps are another dim sum classic you can steam right alongside these buns. Save room for dessert with my coconut peanut mochi (lo mai chi).

Steamed Chinese BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Soft, fluffy steamed buns filled with sweet and savory Chinese BBQ pork, just like the dim sum classic.

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Prep Time: 2 hours hours

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 buns

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Herman Chan

Equipment

• ▢
  Flat Bottom Wok
• ▢
  Rolling Pin
• ▢
  Bamboo Steamer Basket
• ▢
  Parchment Paper

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

US Customary - Metric

Dough

• ▢ 200 g cake flour
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
• ▢ 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• ▢ 100 g warm milk adjust as needed

Filling

• ▢ 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• ▢ ½ cup diced onion
• ▢ 1 cup cooked BBQ pork finely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon char siu sauce
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

• For the dough, add cake flour, sugar, baking powder, instant dry yeast, neutral oil, and warm milk to a stand mixer and knead for 8 minutes until dough is smooth and springy (adjust with an additional tablespoon of water as needed). If kneading by hand, knead for 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  200 g cake flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp instant dry yeast, 1 Tbsp neutral oil, 100 g warm milk
• While dough is resting, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, hoisin sauce, char siu sauce, water, sesame oil, and cornstarch and mix to combine. In a wok or medium pan, add oil and onions and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add BBQ pork and the sauce mixture, then let simmer on low heat until sauce is thickened but still runny, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool down.
  1 Tbsp neutral oil, ½ cup diced onion, 1 cup cooked BBQ pork, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 Tbsp char siu sauce, ½ cup water, ½ tsp sesame oil, 1.5 tsp cornstarch
• Punch the dough to flatten. On a floured surface, knead the dough a few times, roll into a cylinder shape, then cut into 6 pieces. Flatten each piece of dough with your palm, then use a rolling pin to roll the edges until you have a round disc about 5 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Place 2 tablespoon filling in the center, then pleat the dough edges up and around the filling to enclose completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 30 minutes.
• In a steamer lined with parchment paper, place buns and steam for 8 minutes. Turn off heat and let buns sit covered for another 5 minutes before opening to ensure dough is fluffy.

Notes

Chef's Tips:

• Let the dough proof in a humid environment like an oven. I put warm water in there while it proofs so it comes out fluffy.
• Roll the dough up and down towards center so edges are thinner and center is thicker. This ensures the filling won't seep the bottom of the bao and the top is thinner and lighter when pleating.
• Once the baos are done steaming, don’t open right away or the dough will collapse. Let it steam in there for 5 more mins.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg