I have always enjoyed dumplings, wontons and well pretty much any type of dough with something hidden inside… they are like little packages with a surprise…

I remember when I was young a friend of mine and I would go to China town in Montreal and buy these amazing steamed bbq buns and I loved them… and I bet I would still love them if they didn’t have a ton of red food colouring in them…

Last winter, I had a bit of pork left over from a batch of pulled pork I had made and after having eating leftovers, I decided to change things up a bit and added some hoisin and garlic black bean sauce and chinese five spice… it was such a delicious mix! I made my dough for buns and was about to make a normal batch of hamburger buns when I go the idea to stuff them with the mix…

What I ended up with was such a treat!!

These are absolutely amazing! They are easy and pretty quick to make, they are fun to eat and the kids love them and they are great to bring with you the next day for a lunch and can even be eaten cold..

 Stuffed Buns

First make the insides of the buns… this can be anything…  bbq pork? shredded chicken? the meat mixture from my meat and sweet potato pie? curried potatoes?

My favourite?

  • 1 lb of either ground pork or ground beef
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup hoisin
  • 3 tbsp garlic black bean paste
  • 1 tsp chinese five spice mix
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Sauté the onions in a bit of oil and then add and brown the meat. Drain and then add the spices and the hoisin and bean paste. Adjust seasonings if needed. Set aside and let cool.

For the dough (I use the same dough for hamburgers and hotdog buns):

  • 1 1/4 cup of warm water + 1/4 cup of warm water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 2 1/4 tsp yeast
  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups of flour
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt
First, proof the yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water.
In a large bowl (can be by hand, on food processor or stand mixer), add the water, the brown sugar, the oil and the proofed yeast and mix. Add 3 1/2 cups of flour mixing in the salt with the flour at the same time and then start mixing. add flour until the dough comes together and then either knead by hand for 10 min, mix in the mixer for 5min or process for 45 sec.
Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces.
Flatten a piece of the dough and place it in the palm of your hand.
Place two spoonfuls of the mixture in the dough and then fold over and starting at one end start pinching the sides to close it.
Pinch it closed and turn over and place on a lined cookie sheet.
Making stuffed Buns
Start the oven and preheat to 350,  and let the buns rise for about 20 minutes.
Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds…
Ready for the oven
Bake for 15-17 minutes…
Out of the oven
I hope you love these as much as we do!