Japanese Meat Bun

Japanese Meat Buns are an easy appetizer

These Japanese Meat Buns are a light and easy appetizer, perfect for any occasion. They are fun for the kids to make with you and will enjoy watching them puff up in the steamer.

Japanese Meat Buns with serious foodie rub

Japanese meat buns are a light and easy appetizer that your family will love. The key to making these steamed buns light and airy, is a bamboo steamer. Right now there is a 20% coupon on the page, which makes this steamer less than $20. To cook with the bamboo steamer you fill a large pan with water and then simply place the steamer right inside it. The holes in the bottom of the steamer allow the boiling water to come up and cook with steamed buns. We like to put a piece of parchment paper inside the steamer so the buns do not stick to the bottom of the steamer. Make sure your parchment paper is smaller than the steamer, as you want the steam to be able to come in and cook your buns.

Japanese Meat Buns can be found at street fairs in Japan

It is fun to make this recipe at home since right now you cannot visit Japan and eat them. One of my sons just left for Japan. He is teaching English as part of the JET program. You can follow his new Instagram account or his Tiktok here. If you want to try some of this delicious street food at home, you should give this recipe a try.

Japanese meat buns in a bamboo steamer

Why this recipe works

This recipe works with any filling, chicken, beef or vegetable. Once you make your dough, you can find your favorite foods to fill it with. Fill your steamed buns with your favorite meat or vegetable filling and then steam them as your company arrives.

How to Make Japanese Meat Buns

serious foodie rub on a piece of steak

The first step to making Japanese Meat Buns is to cover your piece of meat in a rub. Our favorite rub is the Serious Foodie Chinese BBQ Spice Rub. This rub is so easy to use, simply add it to your favorite meat or vegetable and let the flavors marinate. The ingredients in this rub include: organic paprika, demerara sugar, sea salt, sesame seeds, garlic powder, Sichuan peppercorns, ground coriander, orange peel, bird chili powder, ground ginger, star anise, cinnamon, ground cloves. Such a powerful and amazing flavor!

searing the meat

Sear the meat on both sides then bake it in the oven to soften it.

marinating meat going into the oven

Once the meat is done, chop it up into small pieces then reduce the sauce. Add in some scallions and sesame seeds.
meat with reduced sauce and scallions and sesame seeds

Japanese Meat Buns, the perfect appetizer

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Japanese Meat Bun

Japanese Meat Bun

Ingredients

  • Dough ingredients:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour add a little more if needed
  • 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
  • 1 cups warm water
  • Filling:
  • 1/2 pound boneless beef chuck roast
  • 1/2 cup Serious Foodie Chinese BBQ spice rub
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1/8 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • sesame seeds
  • scallions

Instructions

  1. Combine flour and instant yeast in a bowl.
  2. Slowly add in the warm water.
  3. Once it is combined knead for 2 minutes.
  4. Let the dough rise, covered with saran wrap, for 1 hour.
  5. Pat the Serious Foodie Chinese BBQ spice rub all over the meat.
  6. Heat olive oil in a pan on medium high.
  7. Sear both sides of the meat.
  8. Remove meat and let rest in baking dish.
  9. Make the sauce in a bowl by combining the soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, and red wine.
  10. Pour sauce over meat and cover tightly.
  11. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes until meat is tender.
  12. Take the meat out and chop it into small pieces.
  13. Sauté diced onion in olive oil.
  14. Add in the meat once the onion is cooked ( about 5 minutes)
  15. Pour in all the sauce from the baking dish as well.
  16. Let the sauce reduce until no liquid remains, watch it carefully so it does not burn.
  17. Add in scallions and let cool.
  18. Your dough should be doubled in size at this point.
  19. Cut your dough in half and then roll into a log.
  20. Cut it into 1 inch cubes.
  21. Take a piece of dough and pat on a well floured surface, use a rolling pin if you have one.
  22. Once your dough is flat, add a tablespoon of filling.
  23. Close up all sides of the bun and pinch together at the top.
  24. Brush the top of each bun with some of the leftover sauce and add sesame seeds too,
  25. Steam the buns in a bamboo steamer for 12 minutes.
  26. If you do not have a bamboo steamer you can cook them at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
https://cookwith5kids.com/japanese-meat-bun/

Serious Foodie spices and sauces

serious foodie spices

The Serious Foodie company started in 2014 as a travel and food blog. Now they make small-batch products that are inspired after enjoying foods in different countries. I just love this concept so much. Creating flavors from foods you love is the best way to embrace your passions. The Serious Foodie products include spice rubs, sauces, and marinades. All the spices and rubs that we tried were full of unique flavors and very high quality. This recipe is part of the Serious Foodie blogger recipe challenge. You can find more delicious recipes on the Serious Foodie Social Media channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

serious foodie sauces

This post was sponsored by Serious Foodie. All photos and opinions are 100% my own.