Steamed BBQ Pork Buns

Ingredients

• 1 package (about 1 lb) store-bought steamed bun dough (or pork bun dough), thawed
• 1.5 cups shredded or pulled cooked pork
• ½ cup BBQ sauce
• 2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. 1

   If using frozen bun dough, remove from freezer and let it sit at room temperature in a covered bowl for 15 minutes until fully thawed and soft to the touch.

2. 2

   Pour the BBQ sauce into a medium bowl, add the shredded pork, 2 tablespoons chopped scallions, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil; stir with a spoon until the pork is evenly coated with sauce.

3. 3

   Taste the filling and stir in 0.25 teaspoon salt, or add more if it tastes bland — this filling will be eaten inside a bland bun, so it should taste slightly salty and flavorful.

4. 4

   Dust a clean countertop lightly with flour to prevent sticking, then gently pull the thawed dough into a rectangle shape about 0.5 inches thick using your fingertips.

5. 5

   Using a 2.5-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, press straight down through the dough to cut out 8 circles, then lift each circle with a spatula and set aside on a parchment-lined tray.

6. 6

   Place 1.5 tablespoons of BBQ pork filling in the center of one dough circle, then fold the dough in half over the filling and press the curved edges together firmly with your fingertips until sealed; repeat with remaining circles.

7. 7

   Fill a steamer pot with water to just below the steamer basket level, then cover and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat — you should hear vigorous bubbling and see steam rising, about 3 minutes.

8. 8

   Carefully place the filled buns seam-side up on a parchment-lined steamer basket in a single layer (they should not touch), then slide the basket over the boiling water.

9. 9

   Cover the steamer, reduce the heat to medium, and steam for 8 minutes until the buns puff up and the surface looks smooth and opaque — do not lift the lid during cooking or they may collapse.

10. 10

    Carefully remove the steamer basket from the pot using tongs or oven mitts, then slide the buns onto a serving plate with a spatula.

Tools you’ll need

• medium mixing bowl
• spoon
• cutting board
• 2.5-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass
• spatula
• parchment paper
• steamer pot with bamboo or metal steamer basket
• tongs or oven mitts

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