Crispy Baked BBQ Pork Bao
雪山叉燒包·(syut-saan cha-siu-bao)
Chapter 1: The Wrappers & Doughs
Twelve minutes in a 400°F oven proves this isn't a shortcut sweet roll. This bun is a masterclass born in the frenetic, street-level kitchens of Hong Kong, demanding a rigorous water-roux dough, a fiercely gelatinized diced char siu filling that won’t blow out the bun, and a fragile, piped cake-flour crust that shatters into delicate flakes over the soft dough. Clear the counter, line the half-sheet pan, and start scaling your flour to catch the exact window where the crust blisters.
Before you start
Build the aromatic base for the filling.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat, then add the minced onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until deeply translucent and caramelized.
Warm the pork and coat it in the mother sauce.
Add the diced char siu and toss briefly to release the fats. Whisk the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl, pour it over the pork, and let the sugars bubble and coat the meat for 1 minute.
Thicken the filling with a starch slurry to force a gelatinization.
Whisk the cornstarch and tapioca starch into 150ml of water and pour into the wok. Stir continuously until the cloudy liquid suddenly turns thick, dark, and highly viscous, cooking for 1 further minute to eliminate the raw starch flavor.
Chill the filling overnight to solidify the gravy.
Transfer the filling to a shallow container, spreading it flat, and press a layer of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate overnight; this non-negotiable step solidifies the gravy into a firm jelly, making it possible to wrap it inside delicate dough without disastrous leaks.
Prepare the tangzhong water roux.
In a small saucepan, whisk 15g of bread flour with 75ml of water until smooth. Place over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens into a paste that leaves trails when a whisk is dragged through it, then remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- yellow onion50 g
- char siu150 g
- oyster sauce1 1/2 tbsp
- dark soy sauce2 tsp
- light soy sauce1 tsp
- granulated sugar1 1/2 tbsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- water150 ml
- cornstarch1 tbsp
- tapioca starch1/2 tbsp
- bread flour15 g
- water75 ml
- bread flour250 g
- instant dry yeast4 g
- granulated sugar35 g
- fine sea salt3 g
- milk powder10 g
- whole milk75 ml
- large egg30 g
- unsalted butter30 g
- unsalted butter50 g
- powdered sugar30 g
- cake flour50 g
- large egg20 g
Method
- 01
Mix and rigorously knead the milk bread dough.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the cooled tangzhong, 250g bread flour, yeast, 35g sugar, salt, milk powder, whole milk, and 30g beaten egg. Knead on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium and knead for 5 minutes.
- 02
Incorporate the butter and push for a windowpane.
Add 30g of softened butter a tablespoon at a time. The dough will look like a greasy, separated disaster—do not panic and do not add flour. Knead on medium-high for 8 to 12 minutes until the dough clears the sides of the bowl and forms a translucent, paper-thin membrane when stretched gently between your fingers.
- 03
Bulk ferment the dough.
Form the dough into a taut ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 04
Beat the snow mountain crust batter into an emulsion.
Aggressively beat 50g of very soft butter and the powdered sugar until pale and completely smooth. Gradually stream in 20g of beaten egg, mixing constantly so the emulsion holds, then gently fold in the cake flour with a spatula just until no dry flour remains.
- 05
Transfer the crust paste to a piping bag.
Move the thick, sticky paste to a piping bag fitted with a medium round tip, or prepare to snip a 1/4-inch opening. Set aside at room temperature.
- 06
Portion and bench-rest the dough.
Punch down the proofed dough to degas it, divide it into 8 equal 50g portions, and roll each into a tight ball. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
- 07
Wrap the chilled char siu filling inside the dough.
Flatten a dough ball into a 3.5-inch disc, rolling the edges thinner than the center so the gathered top won't be overly thick. Place a cold 30g puck of filling in the center, gather and pleat the edges upward, and pinch the top firmly to seal. Any weakness in this seal will result in a blowout in the oven.
- 08
Proof the shaped buns.
Place the buns seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover gently with plastic wrap, and let them proof for 45 to 60 minutes until they reach 1.5 times their original size and feel like soft marshmallows.
- 09
Pipe the snowy crust onto the proofed buns.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Starting from the top center apex of each bun, pipe a continuous spiral outward, covering half to two-thirds of the surface area. Do not pipe all the way to the bottom, or the topping will melt and form a burnt foot.
- 10
Bake the baos until the crust fractures and sets.
Bake on the middle rack for 14 to 16 minutes. Watch as the butter melts, the topping drapes the bun, and the cake flour matrix sets and fractures into a beautiful, snowy crackle. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Respect the starch science of a true dim sum gravy.
Do not skip the tapioca starch if you can help it. While 100 percent cornstarch will thicken the sauce, it lacks the elasticity and chew characteristic of high-end dim sum. Tapioca starch provides freeze-thaw stability and a gorgeous bounce to the filling.
Sourcing the right char siu.
Procure your char siu at a Chinese BBQ deli—ask for a cut with some fat, like pork collar or shoulder, avoiding dry pork loin. If you must substitute, thick-cut bacon cooked down with a touch of Chinese Five Spice works in a pinch, though it strays from the canon.
Choreographing a three-hour cart-service experience at home.
Dim sum is about flow. Bake these baos first; they take 15 minutes in the oven and need 15 minutes to cool and set. While they bake, fire up your bamboo steamers over boiling water. By the time your dumplings are translucent and whisked to the table, the baked baos will be perfectly warm and crackling alongside them.
Reheating leftovers without destroying the crust.
Never microwave these buns, or the fragile snowy crust will devolve into a soggy paste. Reheat them in a 300°F oven or a toaster oven for 5 to 8 minutes to re-crisp the exterior while gently warming the pork inside.
From Cook Dim Sum at Home.