I’ll show How To Make Steamed Buns with my butaman recipe, sharing step-by-step photos and a video that unveil the small tricks I use to get tender, juicy pork buns any time of year.

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I grew up chasing late night stalls selling 豚まん and I still get a strange thrill making them at home. My latest Steamed Pork Buns Recipe walks you through the pillowy dough and the savory center that made me drop everything for a second bite.

I love watching the steam open the bun and reveal juicy ground pork, it always feels like a small surprise. I test the dough with bread flour for extra chew and I keep messing with the filling until it sings.

Photos and video show every messy, honest step so you can make them year round.

Ingredients

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Bread flour: gives structure and chew, mostly carbs, low fibre, good for fluffy buns.
Sugar: sweetens dough slightly, feeds yeast for rise, simple carbs, use sparingly.
Instant yeast: leavens dough fast, small protein and B vitamins, helps airy crumb.
Ground pork: main protein, gives juiciness and flavor, higher fat boosts richness.
Napa cabbage: mild crunch, adds moisture and fibre, lowers overall richness.
Soy sauce: salty umami, deepens savory profile, adds sodium so taste carefully.
Sesame oil: tiny drizzle adds nutty aroma, mostly fat, strong so use sparingly.
Cornstarch: thickens filling, smooth texture, mostly carbs, helps bind juices.

Ingredient Quantities

300 g bread flour

30 g granulated sugar

5 g instant dry yeast (about 1 packet)

3 g baking powder (about 1 tsp)

4 g fine salt (about 3/4 tsp)

160–180 ml warm water

20 g neutral oil (vegetable or canola)

400 g ground pork (lean to medium fat)

150 g napa cabbage, finely chopped and squeezed dry

30 g green onions, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp mirin or sake

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp granulated sugar (for filling)

1/2 tsp salt (for filling)

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch

2–3 tbsp chicken stock or water

How to Make this

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1. Make the dough: combine 300 g bread flour, 30 g granulated sugar, 5 g instant dry yeast, 3 g baking powder and 4 g fine salt in a bowl, stir to blend, then add 160–180 ml warm water and 20 g neutral oil; mix until shaggy, knead about 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, put in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for 60–90 minutes or until doubled.

2. Prep the filling: finely chop 150 g napa cabbage and squeeze out as much water as you can, then in a bowl mix 400 g ground pork, the squeezed cabbage, 30 g thinly sliced green onions, 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger.

3. Season and bind the filling: add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp mirin or sake, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2–3 tbsp chicken stock or water; stir the filling in one direction until sticky and well combined, chill 10–20 minutes if you can so it firms up a bit.

4. Portion the dough: punch the risen dough down, divide into 10 to 12 equal pieces (about golf ball size for 10), roll into smooth balls, cover and rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

5. Shape wrappers: flatten each ball into a 10 cm round by hand or with a rolling pin, making the center slightly thicker and edges thinner, keep finished wrappers covered so they dont dry out.

6. Fill and seal: place about 35–45 g filling in the center of each wrapper, gather the edges up and pleat around the top while pinching to seal, twist the tip closed so the bun wont open while steaming; dont overfill or wrappers will tear.

7. Proof the buns: set each bun on a small square of parchment or a cabbage leaf on your steamer tray, cover loosely and let them proof 20–30 minutes until puffy.

8. Steam: bring water to a rolling boil, place the steamer over high heat and steam the buns for 10–14 minutes (adjust by size), keep the lid on tight and dont open during steaming; after turning off heat wait 3–5 minutes before removing lid to avoid collapse.

9. No-steamer hack and freezing tip: if you dont have a steamer use a large pot with a metal rack or invert a heatproof bowl and set a bamboo or metal sieve on top, boil water underneath as above; to freeze, flash freeze shaped buns on a tray then bag, steam from frozen about 16–18 minutes, or thaw and steam as usual.

10. Serve and store: serve hot with mustard, soy or your favorite sauce; leftover buns keep in the fridge a couple days or freeze for longer, reheat by steaming until hot.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital kitchen scale, for weighing grams
2. A couple of mixing bowls, one for dough and one for filling
3. Measuring spoons and a liquid measuring cup (ml)
4. Cutting board and a sharp knife for cabbage, ginger, green onions
5. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for mixing the filling
6. Dough or bench scraper for kneading and dividing portions
7. Rolling pin to flatten the wrappers
8. Steamer basket or metal steamer, or a large pot with a steaming rack as a hack
9. Parchment squares or cabbage leaves and a tray to proof the buns

FAQ

My dough is too sticky, what do I do?

If it's sticky but still stretches, lightly flour your hands and work surface and let the dough rest 10 minutes. If it's excessively wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until manageable. Remember 160 to 180 ml water is a range, warmer kitchens need less.

The buns turned out dense, not fluffy. Why?

Most likely underproofing or too much flour. Let the shaped buns proof until puffy and roughly 1.5 times size, usually 45 to 90 minutes depending on room temp. Also don't overwork the dough when shaping.

My filling is watery, how can I fix it?

Squeeze the chopped napa cabbage very well before mixing. Add the cornstarch to bind juices and reduce the chicken stock or water. If already mixed, chill for 20 minutes then drain any excess liquid and add a bit more starch.

Can I use lean pork or turkey instead of ground pork?

You can but fattier pork (about 20 to 30 percent fat) gives juicier buns. If using lean pork or turkey add a tablespoon of vegetable oil or a touch more stock so the filling isn't dry.

How long do I steam the buns and any tips so they don't collapse?

Steam medium buns 12 to 15 minutes over rolling steam. Don't open the lid during steaming and let them sit with lid on for 3 to 5 minutes after turning off heat. Use parchment squares to keep bottoms from sticking.

Can I freeze the buns and how do I reheat them?

Yes. Freeze shaped, uncooked buns on a tray until solid, then bag them. Steam from frozen adding 3 to 5 minutes to the usual time. You can also freeze cooked buns and re-steam 6 to 8 minutes until hot.

Butaman (Steamed Pork Buns) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Bread flour: use all purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten per 300 g to get that chewy bite. If you dont have gluten just use plain all purpose, the buns will be softer but still tasty.
Instant dry yeast: swap for active dry yeast, use about 7 g and proof in warm water for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. Or use fresh yeast, about 15 g crumbled into the mix.
Ground pork: substitute ground chicken or turkey and add a little oil so it stays juicy, or try a pork and beef mix for deeper flavor. For a veg option, use finely chopped shiitake plus mashed firm tofu and boost the soy for more umami.
Oyster sauce: replace with hoisin sauce if you like it sweeter, or use 1 tablespoon soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon mushroom soy or a splash of fish sauce. For a vegan swap pick mushroom oyster sauce or a thick mushroom soy.

Pro Tips

1) Dont skimp on squeezing the napa cabbage. Salt it a little, let it sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze until almost dry or your filling will be watery and the buns will tear or steam soggy. If the mix still seems loose, add another half tablespoon of cornstarch and chill it 10 to 20 minutes so it firms up.

2) Add the water to the dough slowly and judge by touch, not just the numbers. Start at the lower amount, mix, then add more if the dough feels dry. Aim for a soft, slightly tacky dough that cleans the bowl when kneaded, then knead until smooth and a bit elastic. Let it rise covered somewhere warm until doubled.

3) When you shape, make the center thicker and the edges thinner, keep the edges lightly floured or dusted so they dont stick, and dont overfill. Pleat tightly and finish by twisting or pinching the top closed so steam cant open it. Rest the formed buns covered so the gluten relaxes before steaming.

4) For steaming and storage: steam with a tight lid and dont open it while cooking, then let the residual steam finish the job by waiting three to five minutes before you lift the lid. No steamer Use a pot with a rack or an inverted heatproof bowl and a sieve on top. To freeze, flash freeze the shaped buns on a tray, bag them, and steam from frozen adding a few extra minutes until fully heated.