Sauce Pork Steamed Buns (Jiang Rou Bao)
酱肉包 · northern cuisine
The author's child loves these buns and asks for them constantly. A useful tip: any extra stir-fried sauce pork keeps well in the fridge and makes an excellent noodle topping (zha jiang mian). Also, don't over-stir the filling — once all the seasonings are in, take it off the heat right away or it will turn out dry. The author also suggests a variation with wood ear mushrooms and celery in a separate recipe, 'The Upgraded Sauce Pork Bun'.
Tasha GreenleafVegan baker converting skeptics one chickpea brownie at a time. Allergic to boring vegetables. Aquafaba evangelist, sorry in advance.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:SoyWheat
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
17.64 oz — ground
17.64 oz
yeast酵母
0.21 oz
8.99 oz — source range 250-260 g; use as needed to form a soft dough
0.35 oz — about 2 spoonfuls
5.0 slice — finely chopped
1.41 oz
0.35 oz — about 2 spoonfuls
0.07 oz
0.07 oz
salt盐
to taste — add a small amount at the end, according to your taste
0.71 oz — about 3 spoonfuls
0.35 oz
Techniques you'll use
- Stir-frying ↗
Cook small pieces in stages, then bring them together while their textures are distinct.
- Steaming ↗
Cook with moist vapor for tender, clean-tasting results.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Gather and prepare all the ingredients.
✅ Done when: All ingredients are measured and within reach before you start cooking.
- 2
Step 2
Finely chop the ginger and the white parts of the scallions.
✅ Done when: The ginger and scallion whites are evenly minced with no large pieces.
Heat a wok with a small amount of oil, add the ground pork, and stir-fry to cook off the moisture. Once the liquid has evaporated, add in sequence the cooking wine, ginger, scallion, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, five-spice powder, and white pepper, stirring as you add each one. Add the sweet bean sauce and stir-fry for 20 seconds, taste and add a little salt if needed, then remove from heat.
✅ Done when: The pan liquid has cooked off and the filling is fragrant and evenly coated with the sauce.
- 4
Step 4
This is what the filling looks like after stir-frying.
✅ Done when: The cooked filling is dark, glossy, and free of visible liquid.
- 5
Step 5
Add the chopped scallion greens.
✅ Done when: The scallion greens are evenly distributed in the filling.
- 6
Step 6
Mix well and refrigerate the filling until the oil firms up slightly, which makes the buns easier to wrap. Alternatively, you can make the filling during the time the dough is proofing.
✅ Done when: The filling is chilled and the fat has started to set.
- 7
Step 7
Make the dough and let it ferment until it has risen to 2.5 times its size; when torn open, it should show a honeycomb structure.
✅ Done when: The dough has tripled-plus in volume and a torn piece reveals honeycomb-like air pockets.
- 8
Step 8
Roll out the wrappers, sized according to your steamer.
✅ Done when: The wrappers are rolled out to a size that fits your steamer.
Wrap the buns, then rest them for about 20 minutes. While they rest, bring water to a boil. Steam the buns over high heat with boiling water for 12 minutes, then wait 2 minutes before opening the lid. Let them cool slightly and serve.
✅ Done when: The buns are puffed and cooked through after 12 minutes of steaming over high heat.
- 10
Step 10
The finished buns are perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
✅ Done when: The buns are steamed through, fragrant, and ready to eat.
- 11
Step 11
These are the same sauce pork buns with wood ear mushrooms and celery added — also delicious; see the companion recipe 'The Upgraded Sauce Pork Bun' for details.
✅ Done when: The variation buns are fully cooked and delicious in the same way as the original.