Char siu is Chinese barbecue pork, slow-roasted in the oven until deeply caramelized and sticky on the outside and juicy through the center. The marinade is a combination of honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, five spice powder, and oil that the pork soaks in for twenty-four to forty-eight hours before roasting. During roasting, the reserved marinade is cooked down with extra honey into a glaze that’s brushed on in stages over ninety minutes of baking. The result is a pork with the concentrated, sticky-sweet crust that makes char siu one of the most recognizable flavors in Chinese cooking.
The cut of pork matters for this recipe. Pork scotch fillet, also sold as pork neck or collar, is the preferred cut because its fat marbling keeps it moist through the long roast and produces exceptional caramelization. Pork shoulder is an equally good substitute. Pork tenderloin works but requires a shorter, hotter cook and produces a leaner, less richly flavored result.
The marinade and the soak
One and a half tablespoons of brown sugar, a quarter cup each of honey and hoisin sauce, two tablespoons of light soy sauce, one tablespoon of regular soy sauce, a teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder, and a tablespoon of neutral oil. Mix together in a bowl. Cut the pork into two long strips to increase surface area for the marinade. Place the pork and marinade in a sealed container or zip-lock bag and refrigerate for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Three hours is the minimum if pressed for time, but two days produces noticeably more flavor.
Chinese five spice powder is the ingredient that makes char siu taste specifically Chinese rather than just like glazed pork. It’s a blend of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds that’s available in the spice section of most supermarkets. If unavailable, a tablespoon of extra hoisin sauce substitutes, but reduce the sugar to a teaspoon to compensate for hoisin’s sweetness.
Red food coloring is optional and produces the red exterior associated with Chinese barbecue shop char siu. Authentic char siu uses red fermented bean curd for the same effect, available at Asian grocery stores; use about two tablespoons of the liquid and omit the food coloring.
The four-stage roast
Remove the pork from the marinade and save the liquid. Place on a rack over a foil-lined tray and roast at 160 degrees Celsius (320 Fahrenheit) for thirty minutes. While the pork roasts, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan, add two tablespoons of extra honey, bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes until syrupy. This is the glaze.
After thirty minutes, remove the pork, brush the glaze over the top, turn the strips, brush the underside, and return to the oven for another thirty minutes. Remove again, brush both sides with glaze, and roast for twenty more minutes. If the surface is charring too quickly at any point, tent loosely with foil. Brush the surface one final time and roast for ten more minutes until the exterior is sticky, caramelized, and deeply colored. Rest for ten minutes before slicing.
The four-stage basting is what builds the sticky, layered glaze rather than a single thin coat. Each basting adds another layer of sugar and honey that caramelizes onto the surface of the previous layer. The ninety-minute total roasting time at a low temperature also allows the connective tissue in the pork scotch fillet to break down partially, keeping the interior moist while the exterior chars.
Uses beyond rice
Sliced char siu over steamed rice with Chinese greens is the standard serving. Leftover char siu is also the protein in Singapore noodles and Chinese fried rice, and it works sliced into Chinese noodle soup. It freezes well, which makes a full batch worth cooking even for two people. Serves 6 to 8. Nutrition per serving: 438 calories, 48g protein, 20g carbohydrates, 17g fat. Note that the source states fat is overstated because it doesn’t account for fat rendered out during the long cook; actual fat per serving is lower. Sodium per serving: 852mg.
Pork tenderloin adaptation
Pork tenderloin cooks faster and produces a leaner result. Roast at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for about 25 minutes until internal temperature reaches 65 to 70 degrees Celsius (145 to 160 Fahrenheit). Baste generously with glaze halfway through, then switch to the broiler on high and broil for a few minutes, basting once or twice more, until charred and glossy. The tenderloin will have a thinner glaze layer than the scotch fillet version because of the shorter cook time.
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
Description
Chinese BBQ pork marinated 24 to 48 hours in honey, hoisin, soy sauce, and five spice, then slow-roasted with four rounds of glaze basting. Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cut the pork into two long strips. Mix all marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Place the pork and marinade in a sealed container or zip-lock bag. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours (minimum 3 hours).
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Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius (320 Fahrenheit). Line a tray with foil and place a rack on top. Remove the pork from the marinade and save the liquid. Place the pork strips on the rack.
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Roast for 30 minutes.
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While the pork roasts, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Add the extra 2 tablespoons of honey. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat.
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Remove the pork from the oven. Brush the glaze over the surface, flip the strips, brush the underside, and return to the oven for 30 minutes.
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Remove again. Brush both sides with glaze and roast for 20 more minutes. If charring too fast, tent with foil.
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Brush the surface with glaze one final time and roast for 10 more minutes until sticky and deeply caramelized. Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with rice and steamed greens..
Nutrition Facts
Servings 7
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 438kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 17g27%
- Saturated Fat 5g25%
- Cholesterol 150mg50%
- Sodium 852mg36%
- Potassium 897mg26%
- Total Carbohydrate 20g7%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Sugars 18g
- Protein 48g96%
- Vitamin C 1 mg
- Calcium 45 mg
- Iron 4 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Marinate 24 to 48 hours minimum for best results. Baste four times during roasting to build the sticky glaze. Source notes fat is overstated in nutrition as it does not account for fat rendered during cooking. Nutrition per serving (serves 6-8, overstated per source): 438 calories, 20g carbohydrates, 48g protein, 17g fat, 5g saturated fat, 150mg cholesterol, 852mg sodium, 897mg potassium, 1g fiber, 18g sugar, 45mg calcium, 4mg iron.
