Steamed Gyoza — Hand-Cut Pork
Serves 8
Steamed Gyoza — Hand-Cut Pork — made with 40 oz pork shoulder or butt, hand-cut, 1 large egg, binder for hand-cut pork, 4 cups napa cabbage, finely shredded, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1.5 tsp ground ginger, 4 tbsp soy sauce, and more.
Ingredients
- 40 oz pork shoulder or butt, hand-cut
- 1 large egg, binder for hand-cut pork
- 4 cups napa cabbage, finely shredded
- 1.5 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 tsp ground ginger
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 8 green onions, thinly sliced
- 0.75 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, wrappers
- 1.25 cups boiling water, wrappers
- 0.25 cups cold water, wrappers
- 0.5 tsp salt, wrappers
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, for greasing steamer liner
Instructions
- Place pork in the freezer for 20–30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid. This makes clean hand-cutting much easier.
- Toss 4 cups napa cabbage with 1 tsp salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands or a clean towel — this is key to preventing soggy filling.
- Using a sharp cleaver or heavy chef's knife, chop the pork with a rocking motion until you have a coarse mince — small irregular pieces, not a paste. Stop before it gets too fine.
- In a large bowl, combine chopped pork, 1 egg, drained cabbage, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1.5 tsp ground ginger, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp sesame oil, 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar, 8 sliced green onions, 0.75 tsp black pepper, and 1.5 tsp salt. Mix vigorously until well combined and slightly sticky. The egg helps bind the chunkier cut. Refrigerate while you make the dough.
- Whisk 0.5 tsp salt into 4 cups all-purpose flour. Pour 1.25 cups boiling water over the flour and stir immediately with a fork. Add 0.25 cups cold water and knead until a smooth, firm dough forms, about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier.
- Divide the dough into 4 portions. Roll each into a log and cut into ~20 equal pieces. Flatten each piece with your palm, then roll into a thin circle about 3.5 inches in diameter — thinner at the edges, slightly thicker in the center. Keep unused dough covered.
- Place a slightly small teaspoon of filling in the center (don't overfill — hand-cut pork is chunkier). Wet the edges with water. Fold in half, pinch the center, then pleat from center outward. Stand pleated-side up on a floured tray.
- Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Line your steamer basket with cabbage leaves or perforated parchment brushed with 1 tbsp neutral oil. Place gyoza without touching each other. Set over boiling water and cover.
- Steam over high heat for 10–11 minutes (longer than ground pork — hand-cut pieces need more time to cook through). Wrappers should be translucent and filling should reach 160°F internally.
- Remove carefully with tongs or a spatula — they'll be delicate. Serve immediately with dipping sauce: soy sauce + rice vinegar + chili oil or sesame oil.