Chinese BBQ pork, known as Char Siu pork is delicious roasted pork marinated in a sweet and savory mahogany red sauce. Tender and moist on the inside with a smoky-sweet, caramel outside. This wonderful dish is a fabulous addition to any Chinese feast and easy to make at home.
Known as Char Siu, Char Siew, or Cha Shao, (pronounced char shoe) it all results in honey-glazed barbecue pork from the Canton region. Pork is the go-to meat in Chinese cuisine. (In fact, if another protein is not listed on the menu, pork is the default.)
Pork Cuts to Use For Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu Pork)
Recipes for Char Siu pork can vary from using pork tenderloin to pork belly. Just remember that fat equals flavor and moisture so I like to roast pork shoulder or Boston butt since these cuts provide the perfect balance of fat to meat. Tenderloins might seem like the perfect shape for Chinese BBQ pork, but because they are so lean, they don’t have a lot of pork flavor and it is too easy to overcook them making them too dry to enjoy.
Choose a boneless roast, or have the butcher remove the bone. Look for a roast that can be cut into 2” thick slabs and then subdivide the slabs into strips. Don’t worry if the strips have connective tissue or aren’t uniform in shape. It will all taste delicious. Each pork roast is different so it may be easier to cut into long strips before cutting into 2” thick slabs.
Go ahead and get a largish roast since you can easily freeze leftovers to use in other dishes like rice bowls, fried rice, steamed buns (think bao buns), or enjoy a Chinese-style sandwich.
After a long marinating bath (24-48 hours is preferred). Drain and reserve the marinade liquid, set aside. Pat the pork strips dry and arrange the meat on a foil-lined baking sheet with a cooling rack nested inside. Spray the rack with oil before placing the pork on the rack with space between each piece.
Use a meat thermometer (either leave in or instant-read) when roasting to cook the pork to about 155°F. After resting for 15-20 minutes the carry-over cooking will bring the internal temperature to 160°F – 165°F which is perfect for serving.
The Marinade Turns into the Glaze
Reserved marinating liquid is fortified with extra honey and boiled down until it thickens and turns syrupy.
Traditional Char Siu gets its color from fermented red bean curd. While this ingredient provides coloring and a hint of taste, it also is a specialty ingredient that ends up languishing in my refrigerator. So I have to admit that I use red food coloring instead. I guess I’m fine with stuff hanging out in the pantry, but draw the line for refrigerator real estate.
The other marinade ingredients are all typically used in many Chinese dishes. Dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and five-spice powder are great basics for your Asian pantry. (See this post for more information.)
Both honey and brown sugar help with caramelizing and charring. The recipe calls for some in the marinade. And after the long soak, the liquid is strained from the pork strips and then more honey is added after the reserved liquid has been boiled until it becomes thick and syrupy.
This thickened glaze is then brushed on the pork as it is roasting and then once more just before the final broiling.
Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu Pork)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-75 minutes
- Total Time: 2 days + 90 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: roasted
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Chinese BBQ pork, known as Char Siu pork is delicious roasted pork marinated in a sweet, savory sticky mahogany red sauce.
Ingredients
- 2–4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast (or Boston butt), cut into 2” thick long strips
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced (about a 1” piece)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoon honey, to add to glaze
Instructions
- Cut the pork roast into 2” thick planks. Then sub-divide the pork into long strips.
- In a small bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, honey, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauces, oil, red food coloring, brown sugar, five spice powder and white pepper. Stir well.
- Place pork strips in a gallon-size zip close bag and pour the marinade over the pork and make sure all pieces are coated.
- Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 24-48 hours. Massage the pork halfway through the marinating time to make sure all the pork is covered. Make sure to marinate the pork for at least 24-48 hours!
- Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry. Reserve the marinating liquid.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and nest a wire cooling rack in the tray.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the foil-line tray into the preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the reserved marinating liquid with 2 tablespoons honey and bring to a boil. Cook until the glaze is the thickness of syrup.
- Remove the tray and brush the pork with the glaze. Turn the pork strips over and brush glaze on the other side.
- Continue roasting for another 40 minutes, basting two more times. Cook until an internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Remove the foil-lined tray from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
- Baste the pork thickly on all sides while the oven comes to temperature.
- Broil for five minutes until the pork edges are crisp and slightly charred. The internal temperature should have increased to 152°F – 155°F.
- Let the pork rest for 10-15 minutes and brush on any remaining glaze.
- Slice the pork into thin slices against the grain. Serve warm.
Notes
Only slice the pork that you need for the meal. The remaining pork strips can be frozen for other meals.
More Asian Dishes to use Extra Char Siu Pork
Add the Char Siu Pork in fried rice for a special treat.
Both Chinese hot and sour soup and Won ton soup will be fantastic with strips of Char Siu pork.
Substitute Char Siu pork for the beef bulgogi in Bao buns
Make a Char Sui rice bowl with slices of pork over jasmine rice and steamed bok choy.
Add Char Siu to either lo mein or Chicken Chow Mein.
Use Char Siu pork in dumplings or steamed buns for dim sum.
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