Char siu bao, or Chinese barbecue pork buns, are my absolute favorite dim sum item. Biting into the soft pillowy dough to reveal the bright sticky pork filling is overwhelmingly satisfying. After an order (usually two buns) quickly disappears, I’m always tempted to get more…and more… So after making my own char siu, I knew I had to go the next step and make these buns. As you can see from the photo, mine didn’t turn out nearly as pretty as the restaurant buns (I haven’t mastered the pleating and pinching to shut the buns), but they were every bit as tasty! Plus this recipe makes a goodly amount – 24 buns. Although that does make it a bit dangerous (I will not be held responsible for any overconsumption). Combine these buns with Chinese broccoli with five-spice sauce, sticky rice, and scallion pancakes, and you can have your very own dim sum!



Char Siu Bao (adapted from Use Real Butter)

Yield: 24 buns

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

1 3/4 cup warm water

1 Tbsp active dry yeast *

* 6 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

2 Tbsp bacon fat **

** 1/2 cup stock

2 Tbsp oyster sauce

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp kosher salt

pinch white pepper

2 Tbsp peanut oil

1/2 onion, diced

1 1/2 cups char siu , diced

1 Tbsp shaoxing cooking wine

1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

*At my house, we buy active dry yeast in bulk; a five-pound bag is a much better deal than the .75 ounce packets or even the 4 ounce jars. The yeast can be stored at room temperature and will last a year.

**Or shortening.

***When I made char siu, I immediately diced up about half of it and froze it so that I could easily pull it out of the freezer and make these buns.

Method:

