Chinese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu)

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Chinese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu)

Found hanging in the windows of Chinese restaurants around the world, Char Siu 叉燒 or Chinese BBQ Pork is probably one of the most popular Chinese dishes in the world and holds a symbolic status to Chinese cuisine.

Originated from the Canton region of China, Char Siu is also known as Char Siew, Cha Siu, Cha Shao, or 叉燒 and so on. This honey glazed Chinese barbecued pork has that slightly charred and signature mahogany color finish with an addicting sweet but savory flavor.

Servings:

Calories: 542kcal

Author: Yi Reservation

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless pork ribs

Marinade/BBQ Sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
1.5 Tablespoon ground bean sauce
1.5 Tablespoon oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 Tablespoons Chinese cooking wine rose flavored wine preferred
1 Tablespoons sugar
½ Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon five spice powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 star anise optional
1 bay leaf optional

Honey Glaze

4 Tablespoons honey or maltose
1 Tablespoon sugar
3 Tablespoons water

For the Brine

2 quarts water
1⁄2 cup kosher salt
1⁄2 cup light brown sugar
1⁄4 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice

Instructions

Brine

Combine 2 quarts of water, kosher salt, brown sugar, and Chinese Five Spice into a large bowl.
Transfer the brine to a large Ziploc plastic bag. Add the ribs, seal the bag and refrigerate at least 12, to 24 hours.

BBQ Sauce

Make the BBQ sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small pot.
Cook over low heat while mixing until the sauce is smooth. About 3 minutes.
Set aside to cool. This can be done in advance.
Pour the BBQ sauce over the sliced pork. Make sure that you turn the pork over so that all sides are coated with the marinade. You can also marinate the pork in a sealed Ziploc bag. Keep the pork in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours.

To Roast the Pork in an Oven

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Brush off the extra BBQ sauce on the pork and place the pork on a grilling rack with a tray beneath to capture the dripping. Do not place the meat directly on a tray.
Roast the pork for 20 minutes on each side. Save the leftover pork marinade

Glaze

While the pork is roasting/grilling, combine the glaze ingredients in a small pot and heat over low heat while mixing.
Keep stirring until the honey, water, and sugar are well incorporated. About 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. The glaze should be a running sticky paste.
Take the pork out after 40 minutes of roasting or grilling.
Generously pour the glaze over top of the pork and let it run down. Make sure all sides of the pork are coated with the glaze.
Brush off the excess glaze if necessary.
Set the oven to 425 degrees F. and place the pork back to the oven.
Roast for another 5 minutes on each side or until the pork is slightly charred.
Take out the pork and let it cool a little bit.

Serve

In a pot, combine a few tablespoons of water, pork marinade leftover, and any dripping collected.
Bring to boil, add soy sauce and sugar to taste. This will be the au jus used for serving the pork.
Once the tender, juicy, and savory Char Siu is done, slice the pork against the grain and serve with the sauce over rice, make a Char Siu soup noodle, or even a Char Siu Steamed Bun.

Notes

To get the best flavor and texture, brine the pork in saltwater overnight before adding the marinade.
Many cuts of pork can be used to make Char Siu. For the most tender, juicy and fattiest version, use pork belly without the skin. If you prefer a good balance between meat and tenderness, use a well-marbled pork butt or boneless pork ribs. For the lean version, use pork loin. The pork can be roasted on an outdoor grill or in an oven.

Nutrition