Pillowy soft steamed buns filled with a sweet, savoury saucy pork filling. Homemade Chinese Pork Buns are truly just like the ones you swipe off the dim sum trolleys. These will blow your mind!
Sunday morning Yum Cha is almost a religious ritual here in Sydney. Large groups descend upon vast restaurants from mid morning, with steaming trolleys piled high with dumplings and buns rattling around the room. The familiar sound of bowls being banged onto tables, the bottomless Chinese tea, and the brisk, borderline rude service.
It’s all part of the experience. Polite service at Yum Cha is almost creepy. It’s just wrong.
The trolley-chasing protocol differs from restaurant to restaurant, but I’m shameless. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And when I need pork buns, I will stalk trolley after trolley until I find it!
Homemade Pork Buns aren’t a quick and easy recipe but they are worth the effort because it will blow your mind how similar they are to Yum Cha / Dim Sum. Plus, if you’re addicted as I am to pork buns, you’ll save stacks because it’s probably 70 – 80% cheaper to make at home.
And they are the ultimate freezer standby. 1 minute in the microwave from frozen = pork buns that you’d swear just came out of a bamboo steamer.
SteamPlace frozen Buns into a lightly oiled steamer and cover.Steam the Buns over boiling water for approx. 15 minutes. Buns are cooked when the meat inside is steaming hot.
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Place frozen Buns into a lightly oiled steamer and cover.
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Steam the Buns over boiling water for approx. 15 minutes. Buns are cooked when the meat inside is steaming hot.
MORE GREAT DUMPLINGS OF THE WORLD
- Potstickers (Chinese pan fried dumplings)
- Gyoza (Japanese dumplings)
- Shumai (Japanese steamed dumplings on my mother’s site, RecipeTin Japan!)
- Wontons
- Browse the Yum Cha recipe collection
HOW TO MAKE PORK BUNS
There are 4 main steps to making steamed pork buns.
Made with Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu), chopped then coated in a simple sweet and savoury sauce. Use either store bought or homemade Char Siu. Full blown home made Char Siu requires at least 24 hours marinating time, so if time is of the essence, refer to the recipe notes for a quick homemade Char Siu.
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FAQ
How do you heat store bought steamed buns?
How do you steam pork buns if you don’t have a steamer?
How do you steam pork buns?
Follow these simple steps to steam your pork buns to perfection: 1. Prepare the Steamer Fill a pot or wok with about an inch of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a steamer rack or bamboo steamer in the pot, making sure it sits above the water level.
How do you keep pork buns from sticking to a steamer?
To prevent the pork buns from sticking to the steamer, line the steamer with parchment paper or cabbage leaves. Alternatively, you can also lightly brush the steamer with oil before placing the buns to steam. This will create a non-stick surface and ensure the buns release easily once they are cooked.
How do you cook buns in a steamer basket?
When your steam basket is set inside the pot, the water level should be below the bottom of the basket. Bring the water to a boil, then set the buns inside the basket and cover the pot for about 30 seconds. Remove them from the steamer basket with hot tongs. Oven: Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you cook a cold bun in a steamer?
Pour a small amount of water into a pot and bring it to a simmer. Place a steam rack or bamboo steamer basket above the water level. If refrigerated, carefully arrange cold buns on the rack without overcrowding (they should not touch). Cover with a lid and steam for around 5 minutes. Check occasionally to prevent overcooking.