Hi guys!
Today I’m gonna hare my Japanese Pork Buns recipe, Butaman!
Usually Japanese pork buns called Nikuman (Meat buns) but the one I had in Love, Japan was called “Butaman”!
Niku means meat and Buta means pork.
I do have Chinese BBQ pork buns recipe, so if you are wondering about Chinese style, go ahead and check it out!
Japanese pork buns, Butaman, it all starts from the buns.
I do have my own original steamed bun recipe and it’s a great recipe!
But today… I’m going to share different steamed bun recipe!
I hate to admit but this recipe is better than my original steamed bun recipe and is the best so far I tried!! So I really wanted to share with you!!
The original recipe is from kitchme.com
Mix together yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a standard mixer. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
In to the yeast mixture, mix remaining warm water, flour, salt, sugar and oil. Knead the dough on medium-low speed until the dough became as a one piece and the surface is smooth and elastic.
Take out the dough and shape as a circle.
Grease the same mixing bowl we made the dough and place the dough.
Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise 3 hours or until tripled in size.
Sprinkle flour and baking powder evenly on the work surface and bring the dough.
Knead for 5 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Shape and roll each into a ball in between your palms. Place each ball on a parchment paper lined bakings heet. Cover with a slightly damp towel and let stand until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, let’s make the pork buns filling!
In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork, chopped onion, chopped only white & light green part of leek, chopped garlic, soy sauce, sake, sugar, salt and pepper! Mix well.
Now, bring one ball at a time to work surface, slightly flatten it with your palm. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into 3” circle, but make sure center is slightly thicker then its edge.
Put 3 to 4 Tablespoons of filling into center and bring edge to top with your index finger and thumb to seal while your left thumb is pushing filling inside. Stretch and pinch until it shaped completely.
Place Japanese pork buns on a parchment paper lined steamer and repeat with rest of the ingredients.
Give pork buns about 1 1/2-inch room from reach other, when they steam they will extend their size.
Let the pork buns rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
I’m using my bamboo steamer and it’s my FAV! 😀
Bring water to a boil in a wok. Bring a steamer rack with pork buns to wok. Make sure water is not touching the steamer or the buns.
Cover and steam for 15 minutes or until pork buns are fluffy and fully cooked.
Remove the lid before turning off the heat, otherwise water will drip back onto bun surface and produce yellowish “blisters” on bun surfaces. Continue steaming batches of buns until all are cooked.
Enjoy sweet and savory Japanese Pork Bun, Butaman!
How to Freeze
If you want to freeze the pork buns, as soon as it’s done cooking, transfer to a ziplock bag or air tight container. Either pack them single or make sure a piece of parchment paper is in between then buns. Freeze immediately.
When you are ready to eat
1. Microwave 30 to 60 seconds in the original bag/container.
2. Take our the pork bun from the bag/container, re-steam for 5 minutes or until all the way warm.
3. Take our the pork bun from the bag/container, place in your rice cooker as “warm” position, about 1hr. You could do this with rice inside but If your rice cooker is empty, add some water on the bottom and place a small wrack.
Print
Japanse Pork Buns
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 8 buns 1x
Description
Ingredients
For the Dough (Recipe originally inspired by kitchme.com)
- 1 Tbsp Active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (use blenched flour if you want complete white buns)
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (use blenched flour if you want complete white buns)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 Tbsp oil (I used avocado oil. You can use any oil that has light color and flavor ex. vegetable, canola or sunflower seeds)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the Filling
- 1/2 medium size onion, chopped
- 1/2 large leek only white & light green part, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 4 oz ground pork
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sake
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Asian mustard or sriracha to your taste
Instructions
- Mix together yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 1/4 cup warm water in a standard mixer. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- In to the yeast mixture, mix remaining warm water, flour, salt, sugar and oil. Knead the dough on medium-low speed until the dough became as a one piece and the surface is smooth and elastic. Take out the dough and shape as a circle. Grease the same mixing bowl we made the dough and place the dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and let it rise 3 hours or until tripled in size.
- Sprinkle flour and baking powder evenly on the work surface and bring the dough. Knead for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Shape and roll each into a ball in between your palms. Place each ball on a parchment paper lined bakings heet. Cover with a slightly damp towel and let stand until doubled, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, let’s make the filling!
In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling and mix well. - Now, bring one ball at a time to work surface, slightly flatten it with your palm. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into 3” circle, but make sure center is slightly thicker then its edge.
- Put 3 to 4 Tablespoons of filling into center and bring edge to top with your index finger and thumb to seal while your left thumb is pushing filling inside. Stretch and pinch until it shaped completely. Place sealed pork bun on a parchment paper lined steamer and repeat with rest of the ingredients. Give pork buns about 1 1/2-inch room from reach other, when they steam they will extend their size. Let the pork buns rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bring water to a boil in a wok. Bring a steamer rack with pork buns to wok. Make sure water is not touching the steamer or the buns. Cover and steam for 15 minutes or until pork buns are fluffy and fully cooked. Remove the lid before turning off the heat, otherwise water will drip back onto bun surface and produce yellowish “blisters” on bun surfaces. Continue steaming batches of buns until all are cooked. Enjoy!
Notes
How to Freeze
If you want to freeze the buns, as soon as it’s done cooking, transfer to a ziplock bag or air tight container. Either pack them single or make sure a piece of parchment paper is in between then buns. Freeze immediately.
When you are ready to eat;
1. Microwave 30 to 60 seconds in the original bag/container.
2. Take our the bun from the bag/container, re-steam for 5 minutes or until all the way warm.
3. Take our the bun from the bag/container, place in your rice cooker as “warm” position, about 1hr. You could do this with rice inside but If your rice cooker is empty, add some water on the bottom and place a small wrack.
- Cook Time: 15 mins
9 comments
Hi
Can I use instant dry yeast instead of the active? If so, does it have the same measurement or not?
Real talk, Your filling recipe for the Nikuman is on point. I had amazing nikuman /butaman at a place called 551 horai somewhere in Kyoto. Your nikuman recipe is closer to that taste+texture than any other recipe I have followed. The “less pork more leek” approach really helped me point to the correct direction. From someone still looking to replicate those buns, i give you my most sincere thanks. God bless what you’re doing!
I made these buns these past weekend and they were so good!!!! The dough was super fluffy and slightly sweet and the meat filling was just amazing! My sister has requested me to make these again multiple times since we had them. Im looking forward to trying your char sui bao sometime aswell!!! (Also don’t be intimidated by this recipe because you have to make the dough from scratch! It was super easy and totally worth it!)
This was amazing! It was my first time making bao, and before I stumbled upon your YouTube channel I didnt even know what bao was! Thank you so much for the recipe and I’m excited to make your char sui bao next!!!
This was soooo good! Thank you for the recipe and I will definetly be making it again!
If I make this dough ahead of time can I do so and cook the following day? TIA!
In that case, make sure the rising process of the dough happens in the fridge overnight.
This is an amazing recipe. It’s become a family favourite. Just a warning to everyone, total time of 15 minutes is the steam time only. You may want to allot the morning to prepare the dough. Overall time is 4 hours and 15 minutes. It’s worth it though.