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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese

Keyword Bread, Pork

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings buns

Calories 287kcal

Author Suzanne Nuyen

Add bread flour, granulated sugar and yeast into the bowl of a stand mixer
With the hook attachment on medium, begin mixing dough while adding egg, butter and milk
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
Transfer dough into an oiled bowl and cover to let rise for about an hour

Heat pan on medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onions and begin to sweat until just soft, about 2 minutes
Add diced bbq pork and warm through, about 2 minutes
Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil and coat the pork and onions, about a minute
Add water and corn starch together in a separate bowl to create a slurry. Mix well and pour into pork mixture
Heat mixture and stir constantly until liquid has thickened and the filling looks shiny

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Divide the dough ball into 12 equal pieces
Roll one dough ball flat into a circle about the size of your palm.
Fill dough with an equally portioned scoop of filling and pinch the sides of the dough together to form a seal
Repeat with the rest of the dough balls. Let buns rise for an extra 20 minutes
Brush the tops of the buns with some beaten egg and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and shiny.