Char Siu (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
The recipe makes really great Chinese BBQ pork. It’s easy to cook in the oven and you will love it. Be careful with the marinade as it can stain.
Ingredients
Marinade
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp five-spice powder
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp red food coloring
Pork
3 to 4 lb pork shoulder
Preparation
Mix Marinade ingredients in a bowl.
Cut pork in half horizontally to make two long, flat, thin pieces (better flavor penetration).
Place the pork and Marinade in a stain-proof container or ziplock bag. Marinate 24 to 48 hours in the fridge (3 hours is the bare minimum).
Preheat oven to 160C/320F.
Line a tray with foil and place a rack on top (recommended but not critical).
Remove pork from the marinade, save Marinade. Place pork on rack.
Roast for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade in a saucepan. Mix a little Extra Honey into the marinade. Bring to simmer over medium-high and cook for 2 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat.
Remove pork from the oven. Dab marinade all over, then turn. Baste then roast for a further 30 minutes.
Remove pork from the oven. Brush with marinade again, then turn, brush with marinade and roast for a further 20 minutes. If charring too quickly, cover with foil.
Baste again on the surface then bake for a further 10 minutes until caramelized and sticky. Meat should be tender but not falling apart, like with pulled pork. Allow resting for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve with rice and steamed Chinese greens.
Recipe Notes:
The red food coloring is to make the pork red as you get at the Chinese restaurant. Authentic Char Siu uses red bean curd for coloring and a touch of flavor - it can be found at Asian stores, use about 2 tbsp of the liquid and no red food coloring.
Pork shoulder is ideal - beautifully juicy. If using pork shoulder, use boneless, skinless and trim off most of the thick layer of fat on the surface. Then cut into long thin pieces, like pictured. You want thin slices about 1 to 2" thick to get the best flavor penetration from the marinade.
Keywords: main, pork, chinese
