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up close of two chopsticks holding a potsticker getting ready to dunk it in potsticker dipping sauce
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Pork Potstickers

Homemade potstickers are easier than you might think and taste better than your favorite restaurant! These Potstickers are stuffed with juicy pork, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, ginger and garlic.  They are steamed then pan fried to create an irresistible contrast between the top tender wrapper, golden crispy underside and rich, juicy filling.  You can swap out the pork for your favorite protein and you can crimp the potstickers to seal instead of pleating.  I also use a never-seen-before food processor technique for the filling so you have practically NO chopping and your filling comes together in minutes.  These potstickers freeze beautifully, so you can they make fabulous instant lunches or dinners whenever you need a dumpling fix.   
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 35 -40 potstickers

Ingredients

  • 35-40 ROUND Asian dumpling wrappers (about 3 1/2" diameter) (sometimes labeled wonton, gyoza or potsticker wrappers)
  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth divided
  • Vegetable oil

Filling

Dipping Sauce (optional)

Instructions

Filling

  • Add cabbage to food processor and process until fine. Add diced cabbage to a fine mesh sieve and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place over a bowl and let sit for 20-30 minutes then press cabbage down with a rubber spatula quite a few times to squeeze out any excess moisture. Set aside. (You can do part of this step in advance and leave the cabbage in the sieve in the refrigerator for as long as you like.)
  • Add mushrooms, green onions, ginger and garlic to food processor (you don’t need to clean it out) and pulse until finely chopped. Add mixture to one side of a large bowl. To the other side of the bowl add egg yolk and whisk. Add cabbage, ground pork and all remaining filling ingredients and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Cover with plastic and either freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours) to chill mixture.

Dumplings

  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper and prepare some damp paper towels or a damp cloth (to cover assembled pot stickers and keep them from drying out). Keep all wrappers covered in plastic wrap when you are not using them. Fill a small bowl with water.
  • Working with 2-4 wrappers at a time (depending on how fast you are), add 1 tablespoon filling to the middle of each wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it around the edge of HALF the wrapper. At this point you can either 1) Fold wrapper over in half to create a half-moon shape, pinch the edges firmly together to seal and crimp with a fork OR 2) create 4 pleats (instructions below).
  • To create pleats: keep the back, moistened wrapper flat, and work with the front moistened wrapper (you are pleating just ONE side of the wrapper). Start with one side and work across to the other side. First, create one pleat with the front ummoistened wrapper by taking a small portion of dough, making a little fold and tucking it back. Firmly press completed pleat into back of wrapper to seal edges. Repeat for 4 pleats. *SEE PHOTOS IN POST*
  • Place filled wrappers on prepared baking tray and cover with damp paper towels/cloth. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Cook

  • Place paper towels on a baking tray to place cooked potstickers. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large NONSTICK skillet (that has a lid) over medium high heat.
  • Add about 12 dumplings to skillet flat side down, enough that will comfortably fit. Cook without touching until the underside is lightly golden, approx. 2 minutes. Watch closely so they don’t burn! - check the bottom of a potsticker occasionally and adjust heat if needed.
  • Turn heat to LOW. Stand back and use one hand holding the lid as a shield, as you pour 1/3 cup chicken broth around the dumplings then quickly place the lid on. You can even remove skillet from heat for 30 seconds if this will make you more comfortable against splattering.
  • Cook until chicken broth has completely evaporated. Remove lid, increase heat to medium and cook 1-2 additional minutes to crisp up bottoms. Transfer potstickers to a paper towel lined baking tray. Repeat until all potstickers are cooked. Best served warm with Dipping Sauce.

Dipping Sauce

  • Whisk together Dipping Sauce ingredients. Add chili sauce to taste if desired.

Notes

Wrappers

  • If your grocery store carries them, they will be located in the refrigerated section.  If you don’t see them, make sure you ask someone before you give up.  If your grocery store doesn’t carry them, then you can find them at an Asian market or use wonton wrappers (info on that below).
  • You can substitute round dumpling wrappers with wonton wrappers and cut them into an approximate 3.5” rounds using a cookie cutter or place an object measuring 3.5” on wrappers and cut around with a pizza cutter.
  • If you are cutting the wonton wrappers, cut multiple at a time so it goes more quickly.  When cutting, immediately place cut wrappers back in a sealed bag or cover with a damp cloth/paper towel and only remove wrappers as needed so the rest stay covered in the package otherwise they will dry out.
  • You can also leave the wonton wrappers square and then fold in half to create a triangle. You may need to adjust the amount of filling and broth used as wonton wrappers are thinner.

How to Prevent Potstickers from Tearing

  • Cover wrappers: Keep the dumpling wrappers covered in their packaging when not using or else they will dry out and tear easily.
  • Remove liquid from filling: Salt cabbage and push out as much liquid from the cabbage as possible. Excess liquid will cause the wrappers to get moist and tear easily.
  • Remove air: As you are folding and pleating your potstickers, push out any excess air otherwise they can tear as they cook.
  • Tight pleats: The pleats should be pinched tight without any holes or else the potstickers with suck up to much moisture when steaming and tear.
  • Cover potstickers: Assembled potstickers should be placed on parchment paper and covered with a clean damp towel to keep them moist and fry drying out.
  • Nonstick Skillet: Potstickers will stick to your skillet and tear when you try and move them unless you use a nonstick skillet.

Tips for Perfect Potstickers

  • Don't wash mushrooms:  do NOT rinse mushrooms or else they will suck up water and make the Potsticker filling wet and your Potstickers soggy.  Instead, brush off any dirt with a damp paper towel if needed.
  • Don’t overfill potstickers: depending on the size of your dumpling and your folding method, you may fit less filling – that is perfectly fine – you want to generously fill your potsticker but not to the point it can’t close filling.  Use less filling if you are having a problem easily sealing your potsticker.
  • Don’t overcrowd your pan - the dumplings will expand as they cook and you don’t want them to expand into each other and stick. You also want to give them space so the full surface of the bottom of the potsticker is touching the pan so it can crisp up.
  • Check for golden bottoms: Don’t be afraid to peak underneath your dumplings to see if they need a little more time, are properly golden or are cooking too quickly.  Adjust cooking time or temperature accordingly.
  • Check a few dumplings: Sometimes your pan can cook unevenly, so check a few dumplings for doneness.
  • Check for doneness: After the chicken broth is evaporated, you can check a dumpling to ensure the pork is cooked through.  If not, add a few more tablespoons broth, cover, and cook on.  The amount of chicken broth can vary depending on the thickness of the wrapper.
  • Don’t rush the crisping: While the dumpling will brown in the first step, they will only get crispy when all the chicken broth is evaporated. If the bottoms aren’t browning to your liking, then drizzle in a little more vegetable oil and shake th pan back and forth to evenly distribute the oil.

How to Freeze Potstickers

  1. Assemble the potstickers according to directions up to refrigerating.
  2. Place uncooked dumplings on a parchment lined baking tray so they are not touching.
  3. Wrap the tray tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for 1 month OR after freezing for 1-2 hours (until potstickers are solid), transfer potstickers to a freezer bag to save space.
  4. Freeze for up to 3 months.
  5. When ready to cook, do NOT THAW before cooking.  Take care when you add the potstickers to the pan because ice crystals may cause the oil to splatter.
  6. Cook dumplings according to recipe directions except add 2 extra tablespoons of chicken broth.
  7. After the chicken broth evaporates, check a dumpling for doneness, if it not cooked through add another tablespoon or of chicken broth to the pan and cook an additional minute then check again.