Five-Spice Beef and Garlic Bao Burger

About This Recipe

This recipe reworks the flavors of Chinese five-spice beef, commonly found in home stir-fries and skewers, into a burger built on soft, pillowy steamed bao instead of a Western bun. The patties are seasoned with garlic, ginger, five-spice powder and a splash of soy and Shaoxing wine, and finished with a quick glaze of soy, garlic and a touch of hoisin that caramelizes against the hot pan. Steamed bao buns are the key textural choice here: their soft, slightly sweet, pillowy texture is very different from a toasted burger bun, and it's what makes this feel distinctly Chinese rather than a beef patty with Asian seasoning tucked into a regular bun. If you don't want to make bao from scratch, store-bought frozen steamed buns work well and only need a few minutes in a steamer. Pickled cucumber and cilantro on top add the acidity and freshness that cuts through the rich, glazed beef, the same balance found in many Chinese braised and glazed meat dishes.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gground beef(80/20 blend)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced, divided)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1 tspChinese five-spice powder
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tbspShaoxing wine
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 2 tbsphoisin sauce(for glaze)
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce(for glaze)
• 1 tsphoney(for glaze)
• 8steamed bao buns(store-bought or homemade)
• 0.5 cupquick-pickled cucumber(thinly sliced)
• 0.25 cupfresh cilantro

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the patties

   Combine ground beef, half the garlic, ginger, five-spice, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Mix gently and shape into 4 patties slightly wider than the bao buns, since they'll shrink as they cook.

2. 2

   Make the glaze

   Whisk together hoisin sauce, remaining garlic, soy sauce and honey in a small bowl.

3. 3

   Cook the patties

   Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 4 minutes per side until well browned and internal temperature reaches 71C (160F).

4. 4

   Glaze the patties

   In the last minute of cooking, brush the glaze over both sides of each patty, letting it caramelize slightly against the hot pan without burning.

   Keep the heat at medium, not high, once the glaze goes on — the honey scorches quickly.

5. 5

   Steam the bao

   Steam bao buns according to package instructions, about 6-8 minutes, until soft and puffed.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Split each bao, tuck in a glazed patty, pickled cucumber and cilantro. Serve immediately while the buns are warm and soft.

Variations

• •

  Use ground pork instead of beef for a lighter, slightly sweeter patty that pairs well with the same glaze.

• •

  Add a slice of melted, torched cheese for a fusion twist that plays off the sweet-savory glaze.

• •

  Swap bao for lettuce cups for a lower-carb version while keeping the same glazed patty and toppings.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days; store bao separately. Reheat patties in a skillet over medium heat and re-steam bao for a couple minutes to soften before assembling.

Frequently Asked Questions