Char Siu

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Cut the pork butt or shoulder into large, even pieces.
  2. 2Prepare the marinade by combining sugar, honey, soy sauce, red fermented bean curd, salt, grated garlic, five-spice powder, and optionally red food coloring in a pan.
  3. 3Heat the marinade mixture on the stove until everything is combined and the sugar dissolves.
  4. 4In a separate bowl, mix tapioca or cornstarch with water to create a slurry.
  5. 5Turn the heat to low and add the starch mixture to the marinade, stirring until the sauce thickens.
  6. 6Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for 10-15 minutes.
  7. 7Stab the pork pieces all over with a fork to help the marinade penetrate.
  8. 8Rub Chinese cooking wine over the stabbed pork pieces.
  9. 9Use a paper towel to dry any excess moisture from the pork.
  10. 10Add the cooled and thickened marinade to the pork, rubbing it all over the meat.
  11. 11Cover the marinated pork and refrigerate overnight for best results, mixing periodically for even coating.
  12. 12Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  13. 13Place the marinated pork on a baking rack over a baking sheet.
  14. 14Roast the pork in the oven for 20 minutes.
  15. 15Take the pork out of the oven, brush any excess marinade sauce onto the pork, then flip and brush the other side.
  16. 16Return the pork to the oven for another 20 minutes.
  17. 17Remove the pork from the oven again, brush honey over one side, then flip and brush honey on the other side.
  18. 18Put the pork back into the oven for a final 10 minutes.
  19. 19Slice the cooked Char Siu into desired pieces.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 pound boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
  • 5 Tbsps sugar
  • 3 Tbsps honey
  • 3 Tbsps soy sauce
  • 2 pieces red fermented bean curd (Wangzhihe Fermented Red Chili Bean Curd)
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp grated garlic
  • 0.5 tsp five-spice powder
  • 1 Tbsp red food coloring
  • 1 Tbsp tapioca or corn starch
  • 3 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine

Equipment

knifecutting boardfrying panwhiskbowltongsbaking rackbaking sheetovenfork

Tips

  • To ensure the sauce seeps into the meat for a juicy Char Siu, marinate overnight.
  • For presentation, you can add red food coloring, but it does not change the flavor.
  • Using pork butt or shoulder provides a good fat to lean meat ratio for Char Siu.