How to Cook Steamed Pork Buns

Makes: 12

Preparation time: 12 hours 

Cooking time: 75 mins

Ingredients needed to make Steamed Pork Buns:

For the bun:

• 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 package + 1 tbsp yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm

For the filling:

• 1 ½ lb pork shoulder, sliced into semi-thin strips
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 fresh ginger slices, each ¼’’ thick
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 5 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp bean sauce
• ½ tsp five spice powder
• 2-3 drops red food coloring
• 1 tbsp sugar

Cooking instructions for Steamed Pork Buns:

• To make the filling, arrange the pork strips in a greased baking dish and set aside.
• Whisk rest of the ingredients for the filling, except honey, in a bowl until properly blended.
• Drizzle the whisked marinade over the meat and set it aside overnight to marinate.
• Drain the meat and set the marinade aside for future use.
• Whisk the honey into the reserved marinade until properly mixed and set aside.
• Warm up your oven to 350 degrees F and pour a shallow roasting pan with water until it is nearly filled; place it at the bottom oven rack.
• Arrange the marinated pork strips on a roasting rack and and place it on the pan.
• Roast the meat for half an hour and brush it with the marinade.
• Roast it again for another 15 minutes or until it turns golden brown.
• Remove the meat from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• To make the buns, add yeast in water and stir in the sugar until it dissolves.
• Let it rest for about 5 minutes and give it a nice stir.
• Set the bowl aside in a warm place until it rises double its volume.
• Pour the warm milk into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the yeast mixture.
• Add the flour in batches while stirring the mixture with the other hand until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough.
• Place the dough on a working surface and knead until it becomes smooth and pliable.
• Grease a bowl with small amount of oil and place the dough in it.
• Wrap it up in a moist cloth and set aside in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.
• Punch the dough, cover it again and set aside again for another hour.
• Dust the working surface with flour and place the dough on it.
• Split the dough into two equal halves and knead them slightly.
• Shape each of them into a cylinder, about 2’’ thick.
• Slice them into 1’’ portions and shape each of them into a circle.
• Roll it into a 4’’ wide disk and place 2 tbsp of the roasted pork filling into the middle.
• Gather up the open ends and twist them together to seal; make rest of the buns similarly.
• Arrange the buns in a steamer and set aside for about 45 minutes.
• Heat water in a larger vessel and place the bamboo steamer on it.
• Steam them for about 15 minutes or until they are cooked through.
• Remove from heat and serve right away.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons