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Lion’s Head Chinese Pork Meatballs | Traditional "Shi Zi Tou"

bakingwithnessa
These Traditional Chinese Pork Meatballs (Lion’s Head / Shi Zi Tou) are so flavorful, juicy and tender. This authentic Chinese comfort food recipe is perfect served with steamed rice, veggies and makes a cozy family dinner. If you love Asian recipes and homemade Chinese food, you will want to save this one!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Bake / Cook Time 15 minutes
REFRIGERATE 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese, Chinese New Year
Servings 30

Ingredients
 

  • 2 Lbs (900 g) ground pork
  • 4 oz (115 g) spring water
  • 4 oz (115 g) Shaoxing wine (or dry Sherry or dry Marsala wine)
  • 4 oz (115 g) Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp (30 g) toasted sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp (15 g) corn starch
  • 2 Tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp fresh ginger (Grated)
  • 10 green onions (Minced)
  • 2 tsp (12 g) sea salt
  • 24 water chestnuts (2 cans of 8 oz | 227 g | Finely Chopped)
  • 6 Large eggs
  • 8 oz (225 g) breadcrumbs (Japanese Panko)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 g) peanut oil

Instructions
 

MEATBALLS PREPARATION

  • Add the ground pork to a large bowl. Using a spatula or your fingers, break the meat apart.
    NOTE: I like to use food grade gloves when handling raw meat.
    Add the spring water and Shaoxing wine (Here I used dry Marsala). Mix well until the liquid is fully absorbed.
    2 Lbs ground pork, 4 oz spring water, 4 oz Shaoxing wine
  • Add the soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, corn starch, light brown sugar, grated ginger, minced scallions and sea salt. Mix well.
    4 oz Soy Sauce, 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 Tbsp corn starch, 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, 10 green onions, 2 tsp sea salt
  • Add the chopped water chestnuts, and eggs. Mix until combined.
    24 water chestnuts, 6 Large eggs
  • Add the panko breadcrumbs. Mix until it forms a soft paste. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
    8 oz breadcrumbs

OPTION 1: TRADITIONAL COOKING

  • Brown the meatballs in batches.
    Heat the peanut oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Then, turn to medium heat.
    Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the ground meat mixture and shape it into a meatball.
    NOTE: The meatball will be quite soft, barely able to hold its shape (so the finished meatballs will be tender and juicy). If the meatballs are too hard to handle and cannot hold their shape, add a bit more panko and mix again.
    Carefully place 3 to 4 meatballs in the frying pan and make sure to leave enough space to flip them. When the bottom side turns golden brown, carefully roll the ball with a spatula to cook the other sides. Continue to do this until at least two sides are set and browned.
    NOTE: It can be difficult to keep the meatballs round shaped, because the meat mixture is quite runny. You need to handle them gently, so the balls won’t break apart. You can cook the top and bottom sides first, like cooking a very thick burger patty. Then you can use two spatulas to let the meatball stand, to cook the edges. The meatballs won’t look very pretty, but will still taste great.
    Transfer to a deep plate or a bowl that can fit into your steamer rack. Continue to brown the rest of the meatballs.
    1 Tbsp peanut oil
  • Steam the browned meatballs in batches.
    Heat water in a steamer until boiling. Place the plate of meatballs on the steaming rack and place the steaming rack onto the steamer. Cook covered until the meatballs are cooked through, 30 minutes or so.
    Cook the rest of the batches using the same method. After cooking the first batch, check the water level and add more if it runs too low.

OPTION 2: OVEN BAKED WITH STEAM

  • The original recipe says it is for 6 to 8 meatballs so I thought it would be a great idea to double it... Which did not turn out as I expected it because I ended up with 30 meatballs :)
    Since I did not have the time to steam each batch for 30 minutes, I used my oven to cook it and steam it just like I would do with bread.
    Preheat oven to 425℉ / 220℃. Place an empty metal tray on the lower rack of your oven.
    Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the ground meat mixture directly into a 9 x 13 inch | 34 x 24 cm baking tray: 15 meatballs per tray.
    Place the meatball tray on the middle rack of your oven and pour 1 cup of water in the empty metal rack to create steam. Roast at 425℉ / 220℃ for 12-15 minutes. NOTE: Use a digital thermometer to check doneness, USDA recommends 165°F | 74°C.
  • Serve hot with sliced green onions.
    NOTE: I made this recipe to Celebrate the Chinese New Year 2026: The Horse of Fire. Enjoy & Kung Hei Fat Choy!
    STORAGE: Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. After steaming, the meatballs will render some fat and liquid. Drizzle it onto the meatballs before storage, to keep them tender and moist.
    REHEATING: The best way to reheat the meatballs is by steaming, the same method used to cook them. The meatballs will be heated evenly and still be moist inside. Alternatively, you can use the microwave. Make sure the container has some liquid (leftover grease or 1 teaspoon water) in it. Place a loose lid on top and heat it up in the microwave.

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Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 455mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword chinese new year, chinese pork meatballs, Lion head meatballs, Shi Zi Tou
Have You Made This Recipe?Be sure to send me your photos I would love to share them on the blog: bakingwithnessa@hotmail.com
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https://bakingwithnessa.com/chinese-lions-head-pork-meatballs/