Chinese BBQ Pork Buns / Baked Char Siu Bao (Bánh Mì Ngọt Nhân Xá Xíu)
These BBQ Pork Buns, or Baked Char Siu Bao, are a classic at any Chinese bakery. The round, shiny buns pack perfectly for a quick lunch.
- Prep time
- 2 hr
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 400 g bread flour ((3 cups))
- 100 g granulated sugar ((½ cup))
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- 50 g butter, melted ((3½ tbsp))
- 200 ml milk ((7 oz or just under 1 cup))
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (like canola)
- 1 medium onion, diced ((about 250g or 1¾ cup))
- 250 g char siu/BBQ pork, diced ((1½ cup))
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- 1
Add bread flour, granulated sugar and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer
- 2
With the hook attachment on medium, begin mixing dough while adding egg, butter and milk
- 3
Mix on low until no loose flour remains. Then, increase speed to high and knead for about 10 minutes until dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl and is smooth
- 4
Transfer dough into an oiled bowl and cover to let rise for about an hour
- 5
Heat pan on medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Add onions and begin to sweat until just soft, about 2 minutes
- 6
Add diced bbq pork and warm through, about 2 minutes
- 7
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil and coat the pork and onions, about a minute
- 8
Add water and corn starch together in a separate bowl to create a slurry. Mix well and pour into pork mixture
- 9
Heat mixture and stir constantly until liquid has thickened and the filling looks shiny
- 10
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- 11
Divide the dough ball into 12 equal pieces
- 12
Roll one dough ball flat into a circle about the size of your palm.
- 13
Fill dough with an equally portioned scoop of filling and pinch the sides of the dough together to form a seal
- 14
Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. Let buns rise for an extra 20 minutes
- 15
Brush the tops of the buns with some beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and shiny.