This pork bao tastes just like the ones in Taiwan and it’s SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS. Pork bao has been one of the most-Steamed Pork Bao (鮮肉包): How to Make Juicy Taiwanese Bao at Home
If you’ve ever had a fresh, steaming pork bao in Taiwan, you know exactly what we’re chasing here—soft, fluffy dough, savory pork filling, and that first bite that releases hot, juicy broth.
This Steamed Pork Bao (鮮肉包) recipe tastes just like the ones I grew up eating in Taiwan. It’s one of the most-requested recipes I teach, and for good reason: these bao are pillowy, juicy, deeply comforting, and totally achievable in a home kitchen.
I’ve been making these pork baos for years—bringing them to potlucks, family gatherings, even cooking them outdoors while camping. Every single time, they disappear before I can take photos. Every. Time.
This recipe includes a step-by-step folding instruction video, so you don’t have to guess your way through it.
What Is a Bao (包)?
Chinese can be beautifully complex. The word bāo (包) can mean:
- to wrap or fold something in
- a bag
- or, in this case, steamed bread
What most people are referring to is Baozi (包子)—a general term for steamed buns with fillings, shaped just like the classic pleated buns you see in dim sum shops and Taiwanese breakfast stalls.
Baozi are named by their fillings, for example:
- Red bean bao (紅豆包, hóngdòu bāo)
- Vegetable bao (菜包, cài bāo)
- Black sesame bao (黑芝麻包, hēi zhīma bāo)
Western-style baked bread, on the other hand, is usually called miànbāo (麵包).
The Most Important Ingredient for Steamed Pork Bao: Ground Pork
If there’s one thing you shouldn’t compromise on, it’s the quality of your ground pork.
Taiwanese cooking is all about letting simple ingredients shine, and pork does a lot of heavy lifting in this recipe. Good pork = better flavor, better texture, better juiciness.
I source my ground pork from Moenning’s Meats at the Rochester Farmers Market, where I know how the animals are raised and cared for. That connection matters—not just ethically, but flavor-wise too.
We actually did a side-by-side taste test between Moenning’s pork and grocery store pork (likely from Hormel), and the difference surprised us:
- Local pork: sweeter, juicier, more flavorful
- Grocery store pork: noticeably flatter in taste, and has an undesired “stink”
If you can buy from a trusted butcher or local farmer, do it. Your bao will thank you.
How to Make Pork Bao Filling Extra Juicy (打水 Technique)
If you’ve ever wondered how Taiwanese bao stay so juicy, here’s the secret: 打水 (dǎ shuǐ).
Literally translated, it means “beating water.”
This technique involves slowly beating water or broth into the ground pork a little at a time, mixing until the meat fully absorbs the liquid. When the bao cooks, that moisture stays trapped inside, creating the juicy filling everyone loves.
This same method is used for:
- Taiwanese pork and cabbage dumplings
- Many traditional meat fillings across Asia
Once you try it, you’ll never skip it again.
Dough Technique: The “Three Clean” Rule (三光)
When making bao dough, I follow a rule that applies to almost every dough recipe on this site: 三光 (Sān Guāng)—the Three Clean.
Your dough is ready when:
- 盆光 (Pén Guāng) – the bowl is clean
- 手光 (Shǒu Guāng) – your hands are clean
- 麵光 (Miàn Guāng) – the dough is smooth and clean-looking
If all three are true, you’re on the right track.
How to Fold Pork Bao (包子)
I could describe the folding process, but honestly—video is better.
The secret to a beautiful bao is simple:
- Practice
- Start with less filling
- Don’t rush it
Your first few may look messy. That’s normal. Folding bao is something you learn with your hands, not just your eyes.
Feel it. Play with it. You’ll get there.
Want to Go Deeper? Learn Dumplings!
If you loved this recipe and want to truly understand dough, fillings, and folding techniques, you might love The Dumpling Club—my online dumpling masterclass.
It’s where I teach:
- Dumplings from scratch
- Dough troubleshooting
- Juicy fillings (including 打水)
- Cultural context behind the food
👉 Members also get access to exclusive recipes and direct Q&As.
And if you’re just getting started, grab my FREE Dumpling Book—it’s packed with foundational techniques, ingredient guides, and tips I wish I had when I started.
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Steamed Pork Bao | 鮮肉包
This pork bao tastes just like the ones in Taiwan and it's SERIOUSLY DELICIOUS. Pork bao has been one of the most-requested recipes. You can make authentic, hot, steamy, juicy, delicious pork bao in your own kitchen following this recipe. Folding instruction video is included.
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 16 Bao 1x
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 C Warm Water (Warm to touch)
- 1 TBsp Sugar
- 1/2 TBsp Active Dry Yeast
- 2–3/4 C All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 TBsp Vegetable Oil
Filling
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 2 TBsp Corn Starch
- 3 TBsp Soy Sauce
- 1 TBsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp Ground white pepper
- 1/8 tsp Five Spice Powder
- 1/2 inch Ginger (Finely sliced)
- 3/4 C Water
- 1 big bunch of Scallions (About 3 Cups, Chopped)
Instructions
Dough
- Mix 1C of warm water(warm to touch) with 1TBsp sugar and 1/2TBsp Active Dry Yeast- This step helps the yeast dissolve and mix better in the next step.
- Add the rest of the dough ingredients and knead till smooth and elastic. "3 clean" is the goal. Your hand should be clean, the dough looks clean(smooth), and it will pull away from the bowl(bowl's clean).
The dough should pull away from the bowl easily and shouldn't be sticky. If it's too sticky(summer humidity might change the proportion), add 1/4C flour until the dough is soft, smooth and not sticky.
Cover with a wet towel and rest for 10 mins. (Full video can be found on IG TV @CHOOCHOOCACHEW)
You can also do this in a stand-up mixer with a dough hook- about 6 minutes.
Filling
- While the dough rests, make the filling.
- Add sliced ginger to 1C of water and let it rest.
- Beat 1lb of ground pork with a fork until it's sticky, lumping together and not crumbly.
- Mix in 3TBsp Soy Sauce, 2TBsp Corn Starch, 1tsp Salt, 1TBsp Toasted Sesame Oil, 1/8tsp white pepper, 1/8tsp five spice.
- Remove the ginger from the water. Add the ginger-infused water to the pork mixture, roughly 1/4C at a time, beating the pork with a fork. Making sure all the moisture is absorbed before adding the next 1/4C. Repeat until all the water is absorbed.
(You can also use a stand-up mixer with a mix paddle for making the pork mixture) - Add the 3C of chopped scallions to the pork mixture. Keep in the fridge if you're not ready to fold right away.
Making Bao
- Line a steaming basket with parchment liners. If your liners don't have holes in them, make sure you poke some!
- Now we roll and fold. Separate the dough into 16 portions, each one weighing about 45g.
- It's easier to roll a round dough if you start with a round dough. Dust a little flour on the counter to prevent sticking. Flatten a dough and roll with a rolling pin from the outside in, with your left hand turning the dough, roll again and turn. Till the dough has turned into a circular shape with thinner skins around and thick in the center. About 5 inch in diameter.
(It's OK if the dough is not a perfect round!) - Now fold. Hold the dough in one hand, add the filling- how much depends on how well you can fold. Start small and work your way up.
With the other hand, pinch the outskirts of the dough and gather them together. It's honestly easier if you watch the video above. Place the baos in the steamer, with at least 2" gap between each one. (My 10" bamboo steamers fits about 5 baos per tier)
Repeat until you've finished with all the baos. - Put the lid on the baos, and let the baos rest for 20 minutes. (Summer, 75+ degrees) 45h in winter (75 and below)
The longer you rest your baos the bigger they will grow and the more air bubbles. They will grow bigger when they are steamed.
Steaming
- With a pot which you can stack your steamers on, bring 2" water to a rapid boil.
- Stack the rested baos in the steamer on the boiling water.
- Steam: 10 minutes for two stacks, 15 for 3 stacks, 20 for 4 stacks. This is just a rule of thumb, your actual steam time may vary.
Check if your bao is done: poke it. If it springs back, feels bouncy, it's done. If it's soft and leaves a mark, steam them longer!
Storing
- Eat the baos while they're HOT. Keep in the fridge for a week or freeze them for up to 3 months! Reheat the baos by steaming them.
Notes
What to do with extra dough? Make some Taiwanese Gua Bao– Kinda like a taco, but with steamed buns!
The dough actually makes a pretty good pizza dough too, it’s crispy, soft and fluffy when baked.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Breakfast, Pork, Side Dish, Snack
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Taiwanese
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:
Taiwanese Gua Bao | 正宗刈包
Turmeric Rice Dumpling | 薑黃粽子
Grandma’s Taiwanese Meat Roll (Bà Gèng) | 外婆的肉捲
FAQ
Bao (包) refers broadly to wrapping or bread, while baozi (包子) specifically means steamed buns with fillings.
Use the traditional 打水 (dǎ shuǐ) method by slowly beating water or broth into ground pork until fully absorbed.
Yes. You can freeze COOKED bao, then steam directly from frozen.
High-quality ground pork with higher fat content works best. Local or butcher-sourced pork has noticeably better flavor.
Common issues include under-proofing, over-proofing, not steamed for long enough, steam dripping on the bao during steaming, or inactive yeast. It’s the same as making bread.
