Chinese BBQ Pork Buns (Cha Siu Bao) Recipe – Foodwieser

320 You’re making Chinese BBQ Pork Buns, aka Cha Siu Bao, a Cantonese classic! To start, combine heavy cream, milk, egg, and sugar for the dough. Then, add cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt to form a smooth dough. Let it rise for 2 hours, then divide and roll into balls. Prepare the filling by shallots, adding char siu, soy sauce, and sugar. Assemble the buns, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle sesame seeds. You’ll need patience and practice to master this recipe, but with these basics down, you’re ready to take your buns to the next level – and discover the subtleties that will set them apart.  

Ingredients

Ingredients for Chinese BBQ Pork Buns To make Chinese BBQ Pork Buns, you need two types of ingredients: dough preparation and filling ingredients. Dough Preparation Ingredients For the dough, you need a mix of wet and dry ingredients. The wet ingredients are:

• Heavy cream
• Milk
• Egg

These provide moisture and richness to the buns. The dry ingredients are:

• Sugar
• Cake flour
• Bread flour
• Active dry yeast
• Salt

These give the dough structure and flavor. Filling Ingredients For the filling, you need a combination of savory and sweet ingredients. These include:

• Vegetable oil
• Shallots
• Chinese roast pork (char siu)

These add depth and umami flavor. You also need:

• Sugar
• Light soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Sesame oil
• Dark soy sauce

These balance out the flavors. Don’t forget to have:

• All-purpose flour

This is used to thicken the filling mixture.

Instructions

Make the Dough To begin, combine the wet ingredients Рheavy cream, milk, and egg Рin a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Then, gradually add the dry ingredients, including sugar, cake flour, bread flour, yeast, and salt, until a smooth dough forms. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes elastic and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rise for 2 hours in a warm, draft-free place. Prepare the Filling To make the filling, saut̩ shallots in oil until fragrant. Then, add sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and chicken stock, and stir until the mixture thickens. Combine the mixture with diced char siu and set aside. Assemble and Bake the Buns

• Divide the risen dough into equal pieces.
• Roll each into a ball and flatten into a disc.
• Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each disc.
• Gather the dough around the filling and seal the bun.
• Place the buns in a baking pan.
• Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake until golden brown, then brush with a sugar glaze.

 

Tips and Variations

Tips and Variations Freeze for Later Freezing the shaped buns allows you to bake them at a later time. Just add a few minutes to the baking time to ensure they’re fully cooked. This technique is perfect for busy days when you need a quick snack or meal. Uniform Buns When portioning out the dough, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to guarantee evenly sized buns. This method ensures uniform baking and a professional-looking finish. Steaming Option Want to try a more traditional approach? Consider steaming your buns instead of baking. This method gives the buns a soft, fluffy texture and a delicate flavor. Check out our separate recipe link for Steamed Char Siu Bao. Take Your Buns to the Next Level Whether you choose to bake or steam, these tips will help you make delicious, authentic-tasting Chinese BBQ Pork Buns like a pro. With a little practice and patience, you’ll be a master bun-maker!  

Nutrition Information

Understanding the Nutrition in Chinese BBQ Pork Buns To understand the nutritional profile of these Chinese BBQ Pork Buns, we need to analyze the ingredients used. The buns likely contain: Carbohydrates from the bread flour Protein from the eggs and pork Fat from the oil and milk Higher amounts of sodium due to the soy sauce and other seasonings in the filling Making Healthier Choices To make these buns healthier, consider these ingredient substitutions: Use whole wheat flour instead of bread flour to increase fiber content Use leaner protein sources like chicken or turkey to reduce fat content Reduce the amount of soy sauce and sugar in the filling to decrease sodium and sugar content