Pork Sung (Pork Floss) Buns are hands-down my all-time favorite treat from Chinese bakeries. Savory and slightly sweet, with a creamy touch of mayo—it’s the perfect combination of flavors and textures.
As a kid, whenever I visited a Chinese bakery with my parents, I’d always grab one of these buns. They were only around $0.75 back then, and with a side of nǎi chá (milk tea) for just $0.50, it made for the ultimate breakfast. Simple, satisfying, and always delicious.
For this recipe, you have the option to make a Sourdough or Yeasted version. Links provided in the recipe below to the yeasted and sourdough asian bread rolls. Make sure that if you want oval buns, you shape accordingly (noted in Step 2 here).
Here’s a mini version I made as a snack for a summer hike. I love the petite size—it’s perfect for packing several of these buns to share with friends along the way!
Pork Floss
Pork floss, also known as meat wool or pork sung, is a dried meat product with a fluffy and fibrous texture. It’s made from pork that has been stewed in soy sauce and sugar, then shredded into fine, cotton-like strands. Pork floss is often used as a topping or filling in various dishes, such as bread rolls, pastries, congee, and rice dishes, adding a savory and slightly sweet flavor to the food. It’s popular in Asian cuisine and is known for its versatility and distinctive texture.
There are two types of pork floss:
- Pork Sung: a crispy version (pork sung), which usually comes in a container with a red label, or
- Pork Fu: a softer one (pork fu), which is usually distinguished with a blue label.
I recommend using the crispy version. If you are ever confused shopping for it, look for the word “pork sung” on the label.
Golden Nest also sells pork sung in an yellow container labeled as “Shredded Dried Pork,” and you can sometimes find it at Costco. I was pretty surprised to see it there since I saw it as such a niche Asian item. But it’s a pleasant surprise, and the Golden Nest pork floss is actually quite good! It reminds me a lot of Kimbo’s red label.
So here are my two recommended brands of pork floss/pork sung to use in this recipe:
Looking for more Asian bakery breads? Check these out:
- Sourdough Scallion Steamed Buns
- Scallion & Pork Floss Rolls [Sourdough or Yeasted]
- Baked Ube Bun [Sourdough or Yeasted]
- Butter Milk Buns [Sourdough or Yeasted]
Pork Sung Buns
Ingredients
Main dough
Mayo Spread
- 3 tbsp mayonaise
- 1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk
Pork Sung Mix
- 1 cup pork sung/pork floss
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
- 1/4 sheet nori cut into strips
Instructions
Make the bread
- Once doubled, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into even pieces. Roll out each piece into an oval and roll it up from the long side. It should be a log with tapered ends. Place it on a lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and it let rise for about 1 hour, if using a yeasted dough, or 2 hours using sourdough.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Make the egg wash by beating egg and water together. Brush the top of the buns with the egg wash and bake for about 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Let cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Enjoy warm or room temperature. Store in an airtight container or zip top bag for up to 5 days at room temperature, longer in the fridge.
Assemble the bun
- Make the mayo mixture: combine mayo and condensed milk
- Make the pork sung/pork floss mixture: combine pork sung/pork floss, sesame seeds & nori
- Assemble: Using a knife, make a cut in the center of the bun about 3/4 the way down. Smear mayo inside and the top of the bun and then dip the bun into the pork sung mixture
