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.

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!

Heat a large bamboo steamer over a medium-high heat. Steam the buns for 8 mins or until puffed up (you'll need to do this in batches). The buns are best served straightaway. The pork will keep in an airtight container for up to three days or frozen for up to a month.

Char Siew Pau can be part of a weight loss diet if consumed responsibly. Opting for versions with less sugar in the filling and perhaps smaller portions can help manage calorie intake while still enjoying this flavorful bun.

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.

Once the buns are looking puffy, it's time to steam them. I'm using a bamboo steamer which I pop on top of a pot of boiling water, but you can use a regular steamer too. Whatever you do, remember to line your steamer! Fill your bao, and enjoy.

The red color of char siu traditionally comes from red fermented bean curd, or lam yuh. It doesn't give a very bright, vibrant red, but more of a natural redwood-looking hue. To get a very vibrant red color, most Chinese BBQ stalls add red food coloring.

Make sure there is enough space in between the buns as they'll expand after steaming. Leave them to proof for about 30 minutes. They will raise a little during this process. They become visibly plumper but won't double in size.

Pick it up: Hold the bun with one hand and gently squeeze it to create an opening. Add condiments: Some people like to add condiments like hot sauce or soy sauce, depending on their preference. Take a bite: Take a bite of the bun, ensuring you get a combination of the fluffy steamed bun and the flavorful pork filling.

Traditionally, this dish would be served up sliced over rice with a side of steamed greens, but you can also serve with noodles or in steamed buns. Don't forget to read our tips further down, including marinating the pork the day before, to allow time for the sauce to penetrate better into the meat.

How far in advance can you steam bao buns? ›

Buns can be made up to a day in advance and steamed to re-heat before serving.

do you eat bao buns hot or cold? Bao buns are best enjoyed hot, straight out of the steamer, to maintain their fluffy texture and fresh flavours. If reheating is needed, steaming or microwaving ensures they remain soft and delicious. However, some bao varieties can also be eaten cold.

Buns from the Bakery / Small Buns (Bao)

Choose wholemeal bread over white bread. Avoid picking out the sweeter breads altogether, instead, opt for high-protein options such as tuna or chicken mayo / chicken bun.

We always serve these buns with thinly sliced carrot and/or cucumber, fresh cilantro or mint, avocado, chiles, and sesame seeds. A few pickled jalapeños or the banh mi pickles from this recipe would also be excellent here.

Most Chinese restaurants will use bleached cake flour for char siu baos, which will make them white and fluffy. While bleaching flour can make the product lighter and hold in more air bubbles, it does affect the nutrient levels and structure of the flour.

To Summarize. In summary, bao buns are made from fermented yeast dough, while dumplings are only made from wheat flour without the yeast. Since bao dough contains yeast, it needs more time to rise and results in thinner skin than dumplings. In terms of cooking, baos are usually steamed, baked, and sometimes pan-fried.

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!

Baozi (Chinese:), or simply bao, is a type of yeast-leavened filled bun in various Chinese cuisines. There are many variations in fillings (meat or vegetarian) and preparations, though the buns are most often steamed. They are a variation of mantou from Northern China.

Etymology. Gua (Chinese: 割/刈; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: koah) means to cut by drawing the knife around in Taiwanese Hokkien. Bao means "bun", so the name bao bun is redundant, and bao in the Chinese language without any qualifiers is generally used to refer to baozi.