Pillowy soft steamed buns filled with a sweet, savoury saucy pork filling. Homemade Chinese Pork Buns are truly just like the ones you swipe off the dim sum trolleys. These will blow your mind!
Sunday morning Yum Cha is almost a religious ritual here in Sydney. Large groups descend upon vast restaurants from mid morning, with steaming trolleys piled high with dumplings and buns rattling around the room. The familiar sound of bowls being banged onto tables, the bottomless Chinese tea, and the brisk, borderline rude service.
It’s all part of the experience. Polite service at Yum Cha is almost creepy. It’s just wrong. 😂
The trolley-chasing protocol differs from restaurant to restaurant, but I’m shameless. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And when I need pork buns, I will stalk trolley after trolley until I find it!
Homemade Pork Buns aren’t a quick and easy recipe but they are worth the effort because it will blow your mind how similar they are to Yum Cha / Dim Sum. Plus, if you’re addicted as I am to pork buns, you’ll save stacks because it’s probably 70 – 80% cheaper to make at home.
And they are the ultimate freezer standby. 1 minute in the microwave from frozen = pork buns that you’d swear just came out of a bamboo steamer.
HOW TO MAKE PORK BUNS
There are 4 main steps to making steamed pork buns.
1. THE FILLING
Made with Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu), chopped then coated in a simple sweet and savoury sauce. Use either store bought or homemade Char Siu. Full blown home made Char Siu requires at least 24 hours marinating time, so if time is of the essence, refer to the recipe notes for a quick homemade Char Siu.
2. DOUGH FOR PORK BUNS
Just like making any yeast bread or rolls, the dough is pretty standard and effortless if made using a stand mixer!
The dough is soft and elastic dough, very easy to work with. The recipe video is helpful to see the dough consistency.
3. STUFF ‘EM!
OK, so there’s no denying this is the part that takes some practice and I’m no Pork Bun Goddess. But it doesn’t matter. Even if you just bundle it up like a money bag and get that filling sealed inside, it’s still going to taste just as good!
The recipe video is the best way to learn how to wrap pork buns, but here’s a brief step by step description:
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Roll out pretty thin rounds, making the edges thinner so you don’t end up with a huge thick wad of dough when you pinch it together;
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Place it on your hand and top with Filling. Pinch the dough around the edges (#6 below) to make pleats – around 8 times;
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Moving around the edge, gather together the pleats, bringing them together so you end up sealing the bun at the top (#7 and #8 below);
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Pinch to seal and give it a good twist (#9).
Voila! You’re a Pork Bun Master!
4. Steam!
I use a bamboo steamer set over simmering water in a wok. Any steamer will do, but if you want the truly authentic pork bun experience, it’s worth getting a bamboo steamer because it imparts a subtle fragrance into the buns.
They aren’t expensive and you can find them at most Asian stores. Then you can make Chinese Steamed Fish, Shumai – Japanese Steamed Dumplings and Steamed Chinese Dumplings!
Nifty tip: How to make the paper liner for the bamboo steamer. Fold baking paper, line up with centre and trim off end (#1), then cut little diamonds along the edge (#2), unfold (#3) then plonk into your steamer!
ALL CREDIT TO WOKS OF LIFE
I want to be very clear about giving credit for this recipe because it is not an original recipe by me.
This is a recipe that was meticulously researched and created by Judy and Bill from Woks of Life – their Steamed BBQ Pork Buns. Really good people, excellent taste, exceptional cooks and a very high standard of quality. I trust their recipes completely.
Judy and Bill – we salute you!
It’s worth every minute of effort. Tastiness aside, everyone is always soooooo impressed by homemade Pork Buns.
Let’s be honest. The prospective praise seals the deal.😂 – Nagi x
MORE GREAT DUMPLINGS OF THE WORLD
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Potstickers (Chinese pan fried dumplings)
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Gyoza (Japanese dumplings)
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Shumai (Japanese steamed dumplings on my mother’s site, RecipeTin Japan!)
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Browse the Yum Cha recipe collection
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Chinese Steamed Pork Buns
Ingredients
Yeast Activation:
- 1 tsp active dry yeast powder
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml warm water
- 1 tbsp white sugar
Dough:
- 1/2 cup /125 ml warm water
- 4 tbsp /70g white sugar
- 2 cups / 300g plain flour (all purpose)
- 1 cup / 155g cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
Pork Filling:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup finely chopped escalot or white onion (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce , regular or light (not dark)
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (can sub Hoisin)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 1 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups Chinese Barbecue Pork , diced (Note 2)
Instructions
Dough:
- Yeast Activation: Place yeast, sugar and water in a small bowl. Mix, then set aside for 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
- Place flour, cornflour and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix briefly to combine.
- Add yeast mixture, oil and water. Mix on low speed for 3 minutes until a smooth ball of dough forms. It should be soft and elastic, not so sticky it gets stuck all over your hands. Adjust with a touch of flour/water if required to get the dough consistency right.
- Cover with cling wrap and place in a warm dry place for 2 hours until it doubles in volume. (Note 3). Meanwhile, make Filling.
- Remove cling wrap, scatter over baking powder. Return to stand mixer and mix on low for 2 minutes.
- Turn dough out onto work surface, sprinkle with flour. Knead lightly to form a smooth round disc.
Making Buns (watch video):
- Cut dough into 4 pieces. Take one piece, roll into an even log, cut into 3 pieces (so 12 pieces in total).
- Take one piece of dough, cover remaining with cling wrap or tea towel.
- Roll into round 4.5" / 11 cm in diameter, making the edges thinner.
- Place dough in hand, put 1 1/2 tbsp of Filling in the centre.
- Pinch 8 pleats around the edges. Then gather the pleats together one by one to seal the bun. Pinch the top the twist.
- Repeat with remaining dough - make 12 in total.
- Cover buns loosely with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Steaming:
- Line a large bamboo steamer (or other steamer) with parchment paper punctured with holes (Note 4).
- Place 6 to 8 buns on paper, cover with steamer lid.
- Pour about 4 cm / 1 1/2 inches in a wok / pot (steamer should not touch water) and bring to rapid simmer over medium high.
- Place steamer in wok, then cook for 12 minutes. Check water halfway through, top up if required.
- Buns are ready when they spring back when touched, and the buns have formed a smooth skin.
- Remove steamer from wok, serve warm!
Filling:
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add eschalots and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and water. Mix.
- While stirring, slowly pour cornflour mixture in. Mix until smooth.
- Stir in pork. Cook until sauce is thickened, 1 - 1 1/2 minutes (see video for consistency). Set aside to cool (thickens when cools).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
MOVE! I can’t change the channel!
Loved this recipe, still working on my dough technique, but they turned out really well. I used char siu duck breast ( I did cheat, and purchased the Char Siu sauce/marinade) instead of pork – so delicious.
This is an easy recipe to follow and the results are fantastic. Better than any I have been able to buy in the U.K. Once you have made then a few times it is very fast, well worth the effort.
I made these with your bbq pork inside. It was a busy afternoon but it was all a big hit!
Hi Nagi,
I wonder what you use cornflour in the dough? I have tried you recipe and I like it.
Jackie
I made these once when I was 15 and it took my boyfriend and I forever but they were so worth it. Used this recipe today (now 23) and they were even better than I remember, quite the process making the pork and everything from scratch but absolutely delicious!
Thanks Nagi
Have made them before…YUM…dough rose quite well but sure I didn’t use baking powder.
Anyway I’ll do so this time & see what happens
Love your Asian recipes. More please 🤣😋
Head to the Asian section under the Cuisine list – the Asian section is probably the biggest on the blog! https://www.recipetineats.com/category/asian-recipes/ N x
Could you show alternative bun folding techniques. As the one show in the video was hard for some like me, that has never made pork buns before..
Hi Nagi
Making these today
Curious why you have Baking Powder as it already has Yeast as a raising agent
Hi Heather, to make the perfect bao buns, you need both yeast and baking powder to help the buns to rise! I hope you give them a try and love them! N x
Hi
I need a big batch. Could I just double the ingredients or do I need to make 2 single batches separately?
Thanks
Hi Amanda, you can easily double this recipe – no need to make in two batches 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, I was just wondering if the dough used in this recipe can be used to make bao buns as well? By the way, I love your recipes, I am making your chicken kebab recipe tonight, marinating right now! Tomorrow is Chinese dinner
These are superb! I really thought that they would be more difficult to make than they were – thank you for this recipe and all your others. Everything I have made of yours is fabulous and turns out perfectly every time.
Hi Nagi, besides saying wow at all your amazing recipes, I just wanted to thankyou. I love Asian food so much and your recipes look so great and are so well written. i will be making lots of them. Keep up the great work
Do you have any alternative instructions for this one if you don’t have a stand mixer?
Hi Tahni, same instructions but you’ll need to knead by hand to achieve the same consistency as in the video 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi, I thought so…just making sure there’s not some other hack cause I am lazy/looking to save my arms haha. I have made these just kneading before and they turn out beautiful every time. Great recipe 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! My husband and I lived in China for a bit and we’ve been searching for the perfect steam bun recipe to replicate what we ate for breakfast over there and the dough recipe is spot on! We make ours with a different filling-one with ground pork, cabbage, scallions, etc. but after several tries and fails with other recipes, this dough is spot on. Thank you!!!
Nagi! I love love your recipes and the energy of your writing and website. Being Canadian-born Chinese who can’t really speak Chinese, I can pretend I know what I’m doing when I use your website! These buns are something my great aunt always just gave me but I’ve wanted to make them myself for some time. Your recipe turned out PERFECTLY although I did have to add in an extra 1/4 c water for it to come together. Rolled out thin, the dough just puffed up in the steamer! I feel like a pro and now I can make them whenever I want! Thanks again!
I tried this recipe and like another person commented, getting the dough to come together was difficult because it was too dry. I kept checking the recipe because the ratio of flour to water doesn’t seem correct. Should I add more water if I find it dry when mixing?
Also you said instant yeast can be used. Do I still follow the same instruction of foaming the yeast first? Or is this step not required if using instant yeast.
If I don’t want to use the cup of cornstarch, can I use flour instead?
Technically you can use sawdust if you wanted to, but they wont taste like Nagi’s awesome buns 😉
Hi Nagi. One Q here. For this pork bun can I use Instant yeast instead of Active dry yeast? TQ
Hi Alice, yes this works with instant yeast! Enjoy! N x
I made these today and it tasted good. Unfortunately my dough was too dry after the rise and wouldn’t pinch close after forming the bao. I was afraid to add more water as I already added an extra 1/4 cup at the beginning. What am I doing wrong? Will try again but perhaps with a store bought bao mix.
Hi Verna, sorry you had issues here – did you measure the flour correctly? N x
Yes, I always weigh everything if there’s weight measurements given.
hi there….
Firstly love your recipe!! but i am having problem steaming the buns, it has patches of brown on the buns. I tried vinegar in the water, this method doesnt work either. I put a layer of paper towel on before the lid so the steam doesnt run down to the buns , this doesnt prevent the browning on the buns. please advise. thank you
I made these and they were great. I made your Char siu as well. I did think it was missing a little something, so I added a teeny bit of Chinese 5 Spice. It’s in the Char Siu pork, but wanted to be able to taste it a little more.
Hi Nagi from Brussels.. My first try with your receipt was quite a success, thanks for clear and accurate directions. I’ll decrease next time the qty of sugar, too sweet for my taste. Congrats for excellent blog.