How to steam frozen pork buns in microwave

The perfect accompaniment to your meal is a steamed bun. Simply reheating buns can leave them hard and dry. Refresh your bun with steam. When you are running low on time, or don’t have access to a stove, rice steamer or steamer basket, steam buns in the microwave.

Wet a paper towel by holding it under running water until the paper towel is wet, then wringing it out so it is slightly damp. If the towel is too wet, the bun will get soggy.

Steam one bun at a time by wrapping it in the moist paper towel and heating it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Unwrap it carefully, as it will be hot.

Steam an entire bag of buns by placing the whole, unopened bag in the microwave for one to two minutes, on high. The natural moisture in the buns will steam them right in the bag. If the bag is closed with a twist tie, remove it and fold the end under the buns to seal it since metal cannot go in a microwave.

Remove the bag of steamed buns carefully. Open it slowly as hot steam will escape and can burn you. Pull the buns apart gently because they will be extra soft once steamed and may break.

Use This Simple Microwave Hack To Reheat Steamed Buns

By Karen Hart/April 13, 2022 2:29 pm EST

Bao or steamed buns, as they are often called, are one of those unicorn foods that we are all too happy to order up when we go to our favorite Chinese restaurant. In fact, we probably over-order because we want to take these steamed buns, which can only be described as doughy pillows of perfection, home to nibble on for a midnight snack. Per Taste of Home, there are a lot of different types of bao, which basically translates to "bun." The food site goes on to explain that when we say bao in the United States, we are often talking about steamed buns filled with pork. But bao doesn't have to be filled with something savory; they can have a sweet filling like custard, as well (via Jessica Gavin).

However, when you bring home your leftover steamed buns, it's difficult to heat them up so they are as good as they were fresh. Many people don't own a traditional steamer to prepare or reheat their bao. Instead, they're left to experiment with cooking methods, hoping to recreate their steamed bun experience only to fail miserably. Well, we have a microwave hack to reheat steamed buns. Once you try it, you may be using it again and again.

Use a mug and water

NavinTar/Shutterstock

To reheat your steamed buns at home, you can use your microwave. Per Kitchen Appliance Answer, there are actually a couple of different ways to go about this that will reheat your buns without becoming soggy. The site notes that you can reheat your steamed buns in the microwave using a small cup of water. How does it work? They go on to explain that you should take a microwave-safe mug and fill it with 1 inch of water. Then place your bun on top of the mug and heat on high for one minute. As Japan Today shares, this setup acts like a steamer, the water heating your bun from below without making them gummy or hard.

How do you know that your bao is ready to eat after that minute? Kitchen Appliance Answer suggests just touching the bun — cautiously so you don't burn your fingers in case it is too hot — to discern if it is heated through. They also suggest sticking a fork into the bao and if the fork prongs are warm or hot to the touch, your steamed bun is ready to enjoy.

Bao buns, known as baozi in China or steamed bun in English, are a delicious, fluffy treat consisting of white flour dough and filled with savory or sweet ingredients. The best way to have them is hot and fresh off the steamer.

However, what if you don’t have a steamer or don’t want to deal with the hassle of using one? This is where your microwave comes in!

Can You Steam Bao Buns In the Microwave?

Yes, you can steam bao buns in a microwave. There are several ways to do this. You can steam buns in the microwave using a paper towel, a microwave steamer, or a small cup of water.

Although heating buns using a microwave is the fastest option, it is not necessarily the best as the microwave method usually results in a soggy bun with a gummy texture.

This is why most cooking books or websites will advise you to steam buns in bamboo steamers because this is definitely the best way to steam bao buns.

However, thanks to the clever hacks that some people have come up with, it is now possible to create your perfect bao buns quickly and easily in the microwave!

How to Steam Bao Buns in the Microwave: Step-by-Step Guide

The following are different ways you can use to steam bao buns in the microwave.

1. Using a Microwave Steamer

In my opinion, this is the best way to create a warm, fluffy steamed bun with a lovely texture in the microwave–and all in less than 1 minute from start to finish!

To do this, add two to three glasses of water to your microwave steamer. Place your bao buns inside the steamer and cover with the lid. Arrange the buns so that they don’t touch each other.

Once the setup is complete, simply microwave for 20 seconds on medium. Add more time when necessary but be careful not to microwave for too long; otherwise, you will end up with a dry bao bun.

2. Using a Damp Paper Towel

If you don’t want your bao buns to be too crispy, you can use a wet paper towel.

To do this, wet a clean paper towel with water but don’t soak it. After that, wrap your bun in the paper towel. Place the paper towel-wrapped buns on a microwave-safe plate and nuke for 20 seconds on medium until piping hot and cooked through. Check the buns after 20 seconds and add more time if necessary.

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