What is the reason why the filling of the water-stuffed steamed buns flows out? What should I do if the filling of the water-stuffed steamed buns flows out?

As we all know, Xiaolongbao is a popular snack food. There are many ways to make it. Hand-made stuffed Xiaolongbao is one of them. Many people make hand-made stuffed Xiaolongbao at home. Some people's hand-made stuffed Xiaolongbao will easily leak water. So why does the stuffing of hand-made stuffed Xiaolongbao leak out? Let's take a closer look!

What is water filling?

People who cook often know what water-beaten stuffing is. People who don't know how to cook will be surprised when they eat steamed buns with juice outside, wondering how the water is put in. Water-beaten stuffing means adding an appropriate amount of water when making the stuffing, first let the meat stuffing fully absorb the appropriate amount of water, and then add side dishes or seasonings to make the meat stuffing taste tender, salty, fragrant and juicy. Therefore, there must be meat in the water-beaten stuffing, beef, pork, and mutton are all different, so that the added water can be absorbed into the ingredients.

People like to eat steamed buns or dumplings made with water-beaten stuffing because they taste better. However, the method of making water-beaten stuffing seems simple, but in fact many details are not done, which may cause water to be extracted before the stuffing is wrapped, making it impossible to wrap.

The reason why water comes out when making stuffing

1. Differences in ingredients

Meat is a must for making water stuffing, so that the added water can be integrated into the ingredients. However, different types of meat, such as beef, mutton, pork, and fish, have different water absorption capacities. The same type of meat, such as pork, with fat fillings and pure lean meat fillings, has different water absorption capacities. Therefore, if you are not hungry and can add an appropriate amount of water according to the characteristics of the ingredients, the water stuffing will leak water prematurely and you will not be able to make dumplings. So if you ask me how much water to add when making meat stuffing, I personally think it depends on the type of ingredients, the ratio of fat to lean meat, and the freshness of the ingredients. The final judgment method is that the stuffing can be even and delicate, stick to the container without moving, and no water will be analyzed out.

2. Difference in ingredients

In addition to meat, other side dishes can be added to the water-beaten stuffing to increase the flavor. If you add cabbage or leeks, which are easy to release water, they will release water if they are not added at the right time. However, those dry foods such as mushrooms that are not easy to release water will not release water so easily.

3. The order of material discharge

①Seasoning order

Whether to add salt first, or light soy sauce first, or salt and light soy sauce together, or even the order in which soy sauce, oyster sauce and other condiments are added, will affect whether the meat stuffing will release water. Because some condiments themselves contain water, the amount and order of adding will affect the meat stuffing, and it is very likely to cause the meat stuffing to release water.

② Order of ingredients

If you put in the ingredients before the meat filling is seasoned, and these ingredients are easy to release water, it will easily cause the filling to release water. After the meat filling is seasoned, if you put in the ingredients but don't make dumplings immediately, the ingredients that are easy to release water will release water under the effect of the seasoning. So if you add ingredients that are easy to release water, such as leeks, you should put them in when you are ready to make dumplings. For example, if you chop the cabbage, you can squeeze out the water and it will not release water easily.

4. How to beat the filling with water

Generally speaking, if you want to prevent the water in the stuffing from leaking, one very important reason is whether the meat stuffing has absorbed the water. Whether the meat stuffing has absorbed the water is determined by the method of beating the stuffing. Do not use chopsticks when stirring the stuffing after adding water. Chopsticks cannot sense the state of the meat stuffing. Only by using your hands can you fully feel the state of the meat stuffing. When stirring, you must always stir in one direction so that the water can be integrated into the meat stuffing and the meat stuffing can be stirred vigorously. When stirring, it is not done all at once, but after adding some ingredients or seasonings, stir evenly in batches.

5. Add water differently

The water added to the stuffing is not ordinary water, nor is it added all at once. The water added in several times can be more fully and quickly integrated into the meat stuffing. If too much is added at one time, the meat stuffing may not be able to completely absorb the added water, which will directly cause the stuffing to leak water. The first few times the water is added, it is necessary to add water soaked in hot water with onions, ginger and peppercorns to remove the fishy smell. The last time water is added, ice water should be added to lower the temperature of the meat stuffing, so that the stickiness of the meat stuffing increases, it can better adhere to water, and it will not leak water.

6. Whether to lock moisture

Finally, add cooked oil to the seasoned meat filling to help the ingredients lock in moisture, wrap the ingredients and prevent them from releasing water easily.

What to do if the water-filled dumplings leak out

If the stuffing leaks out when you add water, it means that you don't stir it evenly enough, or if the ingredients that easily release water are added too early, the water will be precipitated after adding salt. If you want to prevent the stuffing from leaking out, you can't just add ordinary water, but two different kinds of water. There is also a skill in the amount of water to add. Just adding water is not enough, you also need to use the water-locking property of the cooked oil, so that the stuffing will not easily leak out.

When making the filling, the most important thing is to add water in small amounts and multiple times. You must wait until the last water is fully absorbed by the filling before adding the next one. If the filling cannot be made immediately after mixing, simply put it in the refrigerator to freeze it slightly to prevent the filling from leaking water, which will also make it easier for you to add the filling when making dumplings.

How to make hand-made stuffed dumplings

Ingredients: cabbage, pork belly.

Auxiliary ingredients: salt, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, pepper, cooking oil, onion, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns.

practice:

1. The pork belly should be 20% fat and 80% lean. After chopping, use the back of a knife to cut into the meat filling and put the cut meat filling in a bowl.

2. Cut the scallion and ginger and put them in a bowl. Add hot water and soak them for 20 minutes. Remove the scallion, ginger and peppercorns and keep the scallion, ginger and peppercorn water for later use.

3. Add a small amount of scallion, ginger and pepper water to the meat filling, stir it evenly in one direction with your hands, then add scallion and ginger water twice and mix well in turn.

4. Add water to a bowl, put in ice cubes to cool for 10 minutes, then pour appropriate amount of ice water into the minced meat. Add the ice water in batches.

5. Add light soy sauce and mix evenly in one direction.

6. Add soy sauce and mix evenly in one direction.

7. Add oyster sauce and pepper powder and mix well. Add salt and mix well. If the meat filling sticks to the inner wall of the container and looks very smooth, it is done.

8. Remove the stems of the cabbage, chop the leaves, pour them into the minced meat and mix well.

9. Add a small amount of cornstarch and mix well.

10. Heat the cooking oil in a pan, turn off the heat, let it cool, add it to the filling and stir evenly in one direction.

11. Wrap the prepared meat filling into buns and steam them.

How to make hand-stuffed dumplings

① When making water filling, be sure to stir in the same direction each time, so that it will be more effective and easier to absorb water.

② The cabbage stems are removed because they contain a lot of moisture, which will easily leak out when placed in meat stuffing. If you want to add cabbage sticks, you can chop the stems and leaves separately, then wrap the stems with gauze, place them on the edge of the chopping board, press out the moisture inside with your hands, and then put them in the stuffing and mix well.

③ It is easier to soak the scallions and ginger in hot water. The substances in the peppercorns, when put into the stuffing, have the same effect as putting scallions, ginger and peppercorns. They can remove fishy smell and enhance flavor without the spiciness of scallions and ginger. Putting scallions and ginger in the stuffing will also affect the taste, so use scallion and ginger water instead. Adding it in batches can make it absorb better and faster, and you can also choose whether to add water according to the state of the stuffing. Generally, you can add a part of the scallion and ginger water, and then add ice water. The temperature of the stuffing will lower, and it will be easy to absorb when you add seasonings later.

④ Adding seasonings in batches is also for better absorption. In addition, if you are worried that there will be too much water in the meat filling in the end, you can add a small amount of starch. Starch absorbs water and can make the meat more tender and the taste more prominent.

⑤ If you put cooking oil directly into the meat filling without heating it, it will become raw oil, which can cause diarrhea if you eat it. Heated cooking oil will not cause diarrhea, just like heating oil before cooking. Therefore, when adding cooking oil, heat it first and then add it.