Tianjin Baozi

Name: Tianjin Baozi
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Ingredients: 750 g flour; 500 g lean pork (match fat to lean at 3:7 ratio, grind into meat chunks); 5 g ginger (washed and sliced); 125 g soy sauce; 422 ml water (for dough and filling); 62.5 g scallion (washed and finely chopped); 60 g sesame oil; to taste MSG (monosodium glutamate); to taste old leaven (about 20 kg in winter, about 10 kg in spring/autumn, about 7.5 kg in summer); to taste baking soda (190 g in winter, 135 g in spring/autumn, 130 g in summer)

Tianjin bāozi are a traditional wheat-flour preparation filled with pork, with thin wrappers and generous filling. After steaming, the pleats form a chrysanthemum shape, and the buns are savory and aromatic.

1h 50m

Easy

0 favorites

Ingredients

flour 750 g

lean pork (match fat to lean at 3:7 ratio, grind into meat chunks) 500 g

ginger (washed and sliced) 5 g

soy sauce 125 g

water (for dough and filling) 422 ml

scallion (washed and finely chopped) 62.5 g

sesame oil 60 g

MSG (monosodium glutamate) to taste

old leaven (about 20 kg in winter, about 10 kg in spring/autumn, about 7.5 kg in summer) to taste

baking soda (190 g in winter, 135 g in spring/autumn, 130 g in summer) to taste

Instructions

Mixing the filling

Match pork fat to lean at a 3:7 ratio, remove soft bones and bone fragments, and use a large-grid chopper to grind the meat into uneven chunks. Add an appropriate amount of ginger water while grinding, then add soy sauce to adjust the saltiness, adding it in small portions and pausing briefly after each addition. If a filling mixer is available, water can be added directly; water should also be added in small portions, otherwise the filling will release too much liquid. Finally, add MSG, sesame oil, and chopped scallions and stir well.

Making the dough

The flour-to-water ratio is 2:1. Knead evenly with old leaven and baking soda to avoid uneven alkalinity. When portioning, knead until the surface is smooth. With 750 g of flour and water, divide into 40 portions, each weighing 18.75 g.

Rolling the wrappers

Roll each portion evenly and round with flour, then hold the rolling pin with both hands, pushing and pulling evenly from one end to the other. Apply even pressure to roll into round wrappers of uniform thickness, 8.5 cm in diameter.

Shaping the buns

Hold the wrapper in the left hand, scoop 15 g of filling with the right hand, and pinch 15–16 pleats. Move the thumb forward while pinching open each pleat with the thumb and index finger. Seal firmly so the bun doesn't open or bulge, leaving no dough lumps at the top.

Steaming

Place the buns in the steamer to cook. With industrial boiler steam, this generally takes 4–5 minutes; with a bituminous coal stove, about 5 minutes; with a household briquette stove, about 6 minutes after steam appears. Overcooking causes the buns to deflate and leak oil, ruining both appearance and taste; undercooking leaves them sticky and inedible.