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Barbecue pork buns

⏱ ~85 min (est.)MediumPorkVietnamese
Barbecue pork buns

A fuss-free Vietnamese pork built around white bread mix and bacon — roughly 85 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 12 steps.

You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 12 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.

What you'll need

Servings4

Shopping list (2)

Pantry staples (you likely have these)

🔁 Unit converter
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How to make it

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas.
  2. Mix the sugar into the bread mix in a large bowl, then add water as instructed on the pack.
  3. Bring the dough together with a wooden spoon, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 mins until smooth.
  4. Put into a large bowl, cover with oiled cling film then leave in a warm place until doubled in size.
  5. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan, then fry the bacon until crisp, about 5 mins. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 1 min until soft, then tip in the soy, honey and tomato purée and stir well. Can be made up to 3 days ahead.
  6. Turn out the dough and knead briefly, then pull into 12 even-sized balls.
  7. Flatten with your hands, then put a teaspoon-size blob of the filling in the middle.
  8. Draw the dough up and pinch it closed like a purse, then turn the bun over and sit it on a large baking sheet.
  9. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for about 30 mins until the dough feels pillowy.
  10. Brush with egg and bake for 20 mins until golden.
  11. Serve warm with dipping sauce.
  12. Can be frozen after second rise for up to 1 month or baked up to a day ahead and re-warmed.

You'll use: Oven · Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Baking sheet

Watch how it's made

Hosted on YouTube — pressing play loads content from YouTube.

Ingredient substitutions

Soy Sauce
tamari (gluten-free) · coconut aminos
Honey
maple syrup · agave

What to serve with Barbecue pork buns

Tips & common questions

How long does Barbecue pork buns take to make?

About 85 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 12 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of soy sauce?

Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

How should I store leftovers?

Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.

Recipe data for Barbecue pork buns via TheMealDB (open database). ▶ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.