Chinese Bao Board

One of the things my Cantonese family would order at restaurants on special occasions was roasted duck. It would be carved up on a platter and surrounded by fluffy steamed bun pockets. Each person would smear some hoisin sauce into the bun, fill it with crispy duck skin and meat, then top it all off with some cilantro and cucumbers. It was sweet, savory, comforting, and fun to assemble — especially when I was a kid.

I’ve built many a charcuterie board for work and for parties, and it finally dawned on me a few years ago: Why not a Chinese bao board? Inspired by the roast duck platter, a bao board basically deconstructs the elements in the delicious buns found at Chinese bakeries and dim sum restaurants and presents it on a board, making them perfect for parties and gatherings. 

After a lot of time dreaming about what it would look and taste like, I made a list and went shopping in Chinatown for the ingredients, including Cantonese roasted meats and pre-made sauces (although you can certainly make a lot of elements yourself if you aren’t near Chinese grocers). Next, I used the doughs from cha siu baos and pineapple buns to make slider-sized milk bread and steamed buns. I finally assembled a board loaded with sauces and fresh garnishes and the bao board became reality. Friends and family went wild for it, and I plan to make it a regular occasion — especially around Lunar New Year when it’s time to feast and celebrate.

Here are all the categories of foods you’ll need to make a bao board.

This is the only homemade thing that you should make, as nothing beats fresh buns! Make both baked milk bread buns and Chinese steamed buns. I recommend making them a day or two ahead to spread out the prep. You only need to reheat the steamed buns when ready to serve; the baked buns can be room-temperature.

For ease of preparation and to support a local business, I recommend picking up Chinese roasted meats from your local Chinese restaurant or takeout deli. Aim for about 3 pounds of bone-in meat, or 2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless meats. Get a range of already-prepared meats, such as the following:

• Cha siu (sweet roasted pork or pork belly)
• Crispy-skinned roasted pork (also known as siu yuk in Cantonese)
• Steamed chicken or soy sauce chicken
• Roasted duck

Other easy protein options you can cook at home are as follows:

• Chinese sausages
• Tofu
• Red-braised pork

Next come garnishes, which add freshness and texture. I highly recommend getting the first three on the list, adding more, if you can, from there.

• Scallions
• Cucumbers
• Fresh cilantro
• Chinese pickled mustard greens
• Fried shallots or French’s fried onions
• Chopped roasted peanuts

A sauce really ties things together and brings some moisture to the little sandwiches. Get a range of sweet and spicy sauces to appeal to a wide range of tastes. You can go homemade or just buy most of these at a well-stocked Asian grocery store.

• Hoisin sauce
• Sriracha hot sauce or chili oil
• Chili crisp or chile-garlic paste
• Ginger-scallion oil
• Peanut sauce
• Chinese prepared hot mustard
• Char siu sauce, such as Lee Kum Kee

1. Spread out the prep. Make the buns ahead of time so that you’re just reheating before assembling the bao board.
2. Buy bone-in meat. I prefer to buy the meat bone-in and in one piece so that it doesn’t dry out. When I’m ready to serve, I cut the meat off the bone in big chunks and reheat in the oven or in the steamer before slicing. 
3. Cut crispy pork upside down. If you are using crispy-skinned roast pork, cut it skin-side down so that you can cut through the crisp skin easily and keep it from separating too much from the meat.
4. Don’t crowd the board with buns. Yes, this is a bao board, but the best part visually is seeing all the fillings. Just place a few buns around the board and serve the remaining on the side.
5. Serve the steamed buns warm. Cold or room-temperature steamed buns tend to be dense and can dry out. They reheat quickly in a steamer, so just replenish the board as needed or serve them straight from the steamer.