Fresh Pork Baozi

鲜肉包

Fresh Pork Baozi — Steamed BunShandong home cooking.

Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
• active dry yeast
• ground pork shoulder (coarsely minced)
• ginger
• light soy sauce
• sesame oil
• scallion

Instructions

1. Proof yeast: Warm 120 ml whole milk to 35°C (95°F). Stir in yeast and 5 g sugar. Let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy and doubled in volume. (Creamy, bubbly foam covering surface)
2. Make dough: In a large bowl, mix flour and 5 g salt. Pour in yeast mixture and 180 ml warm water (35°C). Stir with chopsticks until shaggy, then knead 12 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic. (Dough pulls away cleanly from bowl and feels soft but taut)
3. First rise: Cover bowl with damp cloth. Let rest in warm spot (25–28°C) until doubled—about 90 minutes. Gently punch down and divide into 12 equal pieces (≈75 g each). Cover and rest 15 minutes. (Dough puffs visibly; finger indentation holds slowly)
4. Make filling: Combine pork, ginger, light soy sauce, sesame oil, scallions, 5 g white pepper, and 10 g sugar. Stir vigorously in one direction for 3 minutes until sticky and glossy. (Filling clings tightly to chopsticks and glistens)
5. Assemble: Flatten each dough piece into 10 cm circle. Place 40 g filling in center. Pleat and pinch closed with 18 folds, twisting top to seal. Place seam-side down on parchment. Rest uncovered 20 minutes. (Buns swell slightly; surface looks taut and moist)
6. Steam: Bring water in bamboo steamer to rolling boil. Arrange buns with 3 cm space. Steam on high heat 12 minutes. Turn off heat—wait 3 minutes before lifting lid. (Buns plump and gleam with subtle sheen)