Char Siu

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Put 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a pot.
  2. 2Add 1.5 tablespoons of honey to the pot.
  3. 3Add 1 piece of red fermented bean curd to the pot.
  4. 4Add 0.5 tablespoons of hoisin sauce to the pot.
  5. 5Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to the pot.
  6. 6Add 0.25 teaspoons of 5 spice powder to the pot.
  7. 7Add 3 drops of red food coloring to the pot.
  8. 8Stir the sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes to reduce the liquid until it becomes syrupy.
  9. 9Mix 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch with 1.5 teaspoons of water.
  10. 10Add the tapioca starch and water mixture to the pot with the sauce.
  11. 11Stir to thicken the sauce until it is nice and thick, like a gravy.
  12. 12Cut 500g of boneless pork shoulder or pork butt into 1.5 inch thick strips, making sure the length fits into your air fryer basket.
  13. 13Use a fork to poke lots of holes on the pork to help the marinade infuse into the meat evenly.
  14. 14Drizzle 1.5 tablespoons of Chinese cooking wine in batches and rub it all over the meat.
  15. 15Use paper towels to absorb the excess moisture on the surface so it doesn't dilute the sauce.
  16. 16Add the pork to the char siu sauce.
  17. 17Add 2 teaspoons of garlic paste to the pot.
  18. 18Add 1 teaspoon of ginger paste to the pot.
  19. 19Add 2 scallions, cut into stalks, to the pot.
  20. 20Mix thoroughly until the pork is coated with the extra thick char siu sauce.
  21. 21Cover the pot and let it sit in the fridge overnight.
  22. 22Take the pork out of the fridge and stick it into the air fryer basket.
  23. 23Set the temperature to 300°F / 149°C and cook for 18 minutes.
  24. 24Brush the char siu with the extra sauce that will be left in the pot.
  25. 25Flip and brush the other side of the char siu with the extra sauce.
  26. 26Stick it back into the air fryer and cook at 300°F / 149°C for another 18 minutes.
  27. 27Pull out the basket again.
  28. 28Brush a thin layer of honey onto the meat surface.
  29. 29Stick it back into the air fryer.
  30. 30Increase the temperature to 350°F / 176.7°C and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.
  31. 31Pull out the basket again.
  32. 32Flip it over and brush with honey one more time.
  33. 33Keep the heat at 350°F / 176.7°C and continue to cook for another 2 minutes.
  34. 34Slice it into thin pieces.
  35. 35Serve it on top of white rice with some blanched greens and enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp honey
  • 1 piece red fermented bean curd
  • 0.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 0.25 tsp 5 spice powder
  • 3 drops red yeast powder or red food coloring
  • 500 g boneless pork shoulder or pork butt
  • 1.5 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
  • 2 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 2 scallions, cut into stalks

Equipment

air fryerpotforkpaper towelsbrush

Tips

  • Every air fryer is different. Feel free to pull out the basket at any time and check the doneness or adjust the timing if needed.
  • Do not add too much red food coloring or red yeast powder, a little bit goes a long way.
  • It is important to use the right cut of pork, like Boston butt, as it has the perfect fat content for char siu.
  • Make sure the length of the meat strips fits into your air fryer basket.
  • Use a fork to poke lots of holes on the pork, this helps the marinade infuse into the meat evenly.
  • Drizzle Chinese cooking wine in batches and rub it all over the meat to remove moisture and unwanted smells from the meat.
  • Use paper towels to absorb the excess moisture on the surface so it doesn't dilute the sauce.
  • Marinate the pork overnight in the fridge to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
  • When cooking the char siu, brush the meat with the extra sauce and honey to create that beautiful caramelized honey sauce.
  • Make sure the sauce is thick like a gravy before marinating, this helps the seasonings to wrap around and cling onto the meat so the end result becomes even more flavorful.