Steamed bbq pork buns

Char siu bao, or 叉烧包, is the one dish that defines dim sum for most people. The bun itself is impossibly soft, almost cloud like, with a smooth surface and a natural crack on top that reveals the sticky, glazed pork filling inside. In Cantonese dim sum houses, they arrive in bamboo steamers stacked 3 high, and they never last more than a minute on the table.

I started making these at home because the restaurant versions near me always used fatty pork that left the filling greasy. I wanted that same saucy, sweet glaze and cloud like dough, but with leaner meat that let the sauce really shine. After testing different flours and wrapping techniques, I finally nailed a version that my colleagues fight over whenever I bring them to a work lunch.

The process has 3 main parts: a simple yeast dough made with low gluten flour, a thick char siu filling cooked on the stovetop, and a specific folding technique that makes the buns crack open during steaming. I use a stand mixer to handle the dough so most of the work is hands off. The buns freeze well, so one batch covers weeknight dinners and last minute entertaining for weeks. I highly recommend making this recipe following my step by step directions and tips below or simply watch my easy to make Char Siu Bao video.

Char siu bao close-up

Ingredients

There are only 3 parts to this recipe: the dough, the filling, and the sauce that brings the filling together. Most of the filling ingredients come straight from my pantry.

Dough: I use warm water, yeast, sugar, low gluten flour (or cake flour), baking powder, and shortening. The low gluten flour is what gives the buns the ultra fine and smooth texture you get at dim sum restaurants.

Filling sauce: I cook chicken stock, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, garlic, and five spice powder together, then thicken it with a cornstarch slurry.

Char siu pork: I use leftover homemade char siu, chopped into small chunks. Store bought BBQ pork from a Cantonese restaurant or even deli roast pork works too.

My Technique Explanation

The wrapping technique is what separates homemade char siu bao from regular steamed buns. I use a 2 step fold that creates a cross pattern on top of each bun.

First, I pinch 2 opposite sides of the dough together, then fold in the remaining 2 sides and press the edges to form a square with a cross on top. Then I gather the 4 pointed corners and press them together loosely, not too tight. That loose seal is what allows the dough to crack open during steaming, giving the buns their signature look.

I also roll the dough thicker in the center and thinner at the edges. This matters because the folding process adds extra layers of dough on top, so starting thicker in the middle gives an even thickness in the finished bun.

How to Make

1. Activate the yeast: Warm the water to 100 to 110°F (38°C). Add the sugar and yeast, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes until bubbly.

activating the yeast in a bowl

2. Knead the dough: Add the flour and baking powder to the mixer bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and stir with a spatula until the liquid is just absorbed. Attach the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 10 minutes until smooth. Add the shortening and knead for another 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and lift cleanly from the bowl.

3. First rise: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until tripled in size, about 2 hours.

rise dough in a bowl

4. Make the filling: Combine the chicken stock, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, garlic, and five spice powder in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, stir into the cooled sauce, then return to medium low heat and stir constantly until thickened. Toss the sauce with the chopped char siu pork.

Char Siu Bao filling in a bowl

5. Shape the wrappers: Punch the air out of the risen dough. Divide into 16 even pieces (about 27 g each). Roll each piece into a disk that is thick in the center and thin at the edges, about 2.5 to 3 inches wide. Keep unused dough covered to prevent drying.

rolling the dough

6. Fill: Place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper.

filling in the center of wrapper

7. Start wrapping: Pinch 2 opposite sides together.

pinching the bun

8. Fold: Then fold in the other 2 sides to form a square with a cross on top.

square bun with a cross on top

9. Finish wrapping: Gather the 4 corners and press them loosely together. Place each bun pleated side down on a parchment square.

Pinch the rest of the edges to seal the bun

10. Second rise: Cover the wrapped buns loosely and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes before steaming.

wrapped buns

11. Steam: Bring water to a boil in your steamer. Place the buns on the rack with at least 2 inches of space between them. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover carefully, and let the buns cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Buns) 叉烧包

Cooking Tips To Consider

Use low gluten flour for the best texture: It gives the buns a smoother surface and finer crumb than cake flour. I find it at Asian grocery stores labeled 低筋面粉. Cake flour works as a substitute but the surface will be slightly less even.

Let the sauce cool before adding the cornstarch slurry: If the sauce is too hot, the cornstarch cooks on contact and forms lumps instead of thickening evenly. I wait 3 to 5 minutes after removing from heat before stirring in the slurry.

Work in small batches: I wrap and steam 3 to 4 buns at a time rather than all 16 at once. This way the first batch has time to rest while I shape the rest, and I do not end up with dried out dough sitting uncovered.

Do not seal the buns too tightly: The loose fold is what makes the buns crack open during steaming. If I pinch the corners too firmly, the top stays sealed and I lose that signature split.

Steam over medium high heat, not full blast: Too much heat causes the buns to collapse when I open the lid. A steady medium high keeps the steam consistent and gives the buns a smooth, even rise.

How to Serve

I bring these to work lunches more than any other recipe I make. I pack 2 or 3 in a container and reheat them in the office microwave for about 30 seconds, and people always ask what smells so good. At home I eat them as a snack between meals or as an appetizer before a bigger spread. They go fast, so I usually double the filling and freeze half the batch unsteamed.

For a dim sum night at home, I prepare a bamboo steamer with these alongside Chinese egg rolls and scallion pancakes. I also like pairing them with wonton soup for a more filling meal. I let my parents grab buns straight from the steamer because they are best when the dough is still warm and the filling is still sticky. So good!

Frequently Ask Questions

What is the difference between low gluten flour and cake flour?

Low gluten flour, or di jin mian fen (低筋面粉), is a blend of wheat flour and wheat starch that produces a very smooth, fine textured dough. I tested both side by side and the low gluten flour gives a slightly smoother surface and more even crumb. Cake flour produces a whiter bun but the surface can be a little uneven.

Can I use regular roast pork instead of char siu?

Yes, I have done this when I did not have leftover char siu on hand. The filling sauce in this recipe is flavorful enough to carry regular deli roast pork. I chop it the same size and toss it with the sauce. I mean, the taste is not identical but it is still really good.

How do I store and reheat leftover char siu bao?

I refrigerate leftover buns in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to a month. To reheat from the fridge, I microwave for 30 seconds or re steam for 3 minutes. For frozen buns, I thaw them completely in the fridge first, then reheat the same way.

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Char siu bao close-up

Char Siu Bao (Steamed BBQ Pork Buns)

By Maggie Zhu
4.67 from 12 votes
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 16 buns
Print
This char siu bao recipe makes the fluffiest steamed buns filled with saucy chunks of Chinese BBQ pork in a sweet savory glaze. These classic dim sum buns use char siu, hoisin sauce, and a pillowy low gluten flour dough that cracks open beautifully on top.

Ingredients 

Dough

  • 125 g (1/2 cup) warm water
  • 7 g (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  • 60 g (4 tablespoons) sugar
  • 250 g (1 2/3 cup) low-gluten flour (or cake flour)
  • 7 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
  • 7 g (1 1/2 teaspoons) shortening

Filling

Instructions

Prepare the dough

  • Add the water into a small bowl and warm to approximately 100-110°F (38°C), about 30 seconds in the microwave. The water should be warm, just a bit above body temperature. Add the sugar and active dry yeast, stir to mix well. Let sit for 5 minutes so the yeast will activate.
  • While the yeast activates, add the cake flour and baking powder into your mixer bowl.
  • Once the yeast is activated, you should see bubbles on the surface of the mixture. Pour it into the mixer bowl. Mix it with a spatula a few times, until the liquid is just absorbed by the dry ingredients.
  • Install the dough hook on your mixer. Start at low speed, then gradually increase to speed setting to 6 out of 10. Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is very smooth. Stop the mixer halfway through and scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the shortening. Knead on level 6 for another 5 minutes. The dough should be soft, smooth, and easily lifted from the bowl without sticking to your hands.
  • Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or oil spray. Transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm part of your room, until the size triples, about 2 hours.

Prepare the char siu filling

  • Combine the stock, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, garlic, and five spice powder in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Turn to medium-low heat and let simmer for 1 minute. Stir occasionally until everything is mixed. Once done, remove the pan from the stove and let the sauce cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • While cooling the sauce, add the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water into a small bowl. Stir to mix until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Pour the cornstarch into the sauce. Stir to mix well. Turn the heat back on, to medium-low. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and stir constantly, until thickened. You should be able to draw lines on the bottom of the pan easily.
  • Transfer the sauce into a medium-sized bowl. Add the char siu meat. Stir to mix well.

Assemble and cook

  • Cut some parchment paper into 3” (7 cm) squares to hold the buns. You’ll need 16 squares.
  • Punch the air out of the dough. Transfer it onto a lightly oiled working surface. Knead a few times to make the dough into a round ball. Divide the dough into 16 even pieces by cutting it into 2 even strips, then further cutting each strip into 8 small pieces. Each piece of dough should weigh 27 grams. Use your hands to roll and shape the dough pieces into dough balls.
  • Wrap the buns one at a time. Flatten a dough ball using your palm. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough ball into a round disc that is thick in the middle and thin on the edges, about 2.5 to 3” (6 to 7 cm) in diameter. Carefully remove it from the surface and place it onto your palm.
  • Place about a heaping tablespoon of the char siu mixture onto the center of the wrapper. Wrap the bun by pinching two ends of the dough together, then pinching the other two ends together. Press the dough edges together so it forms a square bun with a cross on top. Pinch the two opposite edges together, then repeat with the remaining two edges. Now the bun will be round. Check my blog post above to see the step-by-step wrapping pictures.
  • Once done, place the char siu bun onto one of the cut parchment squares, pleated-side-down, then place it on a plate. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. Repeat the process to wrap the rest of the buns.
  • Set a stopwatch (or timer) after wrapping the first bun, to keep track of the resting time. You need to rest the buns for 20 to 30 minutes before steaming them.

Steaming

  • Depending on the size of your steamer, you might need to steam the buns in batches. What I usually do is prepare the steamer after wrapping half of the buns, so some of them are ready to be cooked as I work on the rest.
  • To prepare the steamer, add about 3” (7 cm) of water to the pot and heat it over medium-high heat until the water starts to boil. Place the rested buns onto the steamer rack, leaving at least 2” (5 cm) between them, because the buns will expand a lot as they cook.
  • Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Once done, remove the steamer rack and place it onto a trivet. Uncover the steamer rack carefully. Let the steam out and then transfer the buns onto a serving plate. Let the buns cool for 5 minutes before eating.
  • Cook the rest of the buns using the same method.

Serve and store

  • The char siu buns taste best when they are hot or warm. If you made them in advance, you can warm them up in the microwave or in a steamer.
  • Once the buns have cooled completely, place them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • You can store the cooked buns in the freezer for up to a month. To cook the frozen buns, thaw them completely in the fridge. Then heat them up in the microwave or in a steamer until heated through.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

  1. You can use the leftover pork from my Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork) recipe, or you can purchase char siu pork from a Cantonese restaurant. If neither works for you, try using some not-so-heavily-seasoned roasted pork from your grocery store deli. This recipe makes a very flavorful BBQ sauce so you can still make very good pork buns with regular roast pork.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 125kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 9.1g, Fat: 1.8g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 180mg, Potassium: 150mg, Fiber: 0.7g, Sugar: 7.5g, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating ⭐️ and share your thoughts in the comments further down the page. It really helps others discover the recipe too.

The recipe is updated by May 28, 2020 with a slightly adjusted filling formula. The original recipe creates extra filling you can use, and I’ve got some feedback saying the buns are too salty. We’ve retested the recipe and updated the filling with a more balanced sauce, and it will be just enough for 16 buns.

Lilja Walter was a part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook team and worked closely with Maggie to develop and test this recipe.