Char Siu

• servings: 8

Ingredients

3 lbs boneless pork shoulder or pork butt (can also use bone-in ribs)

¼ cup white sugar

2 tsp salt

½ tsp five spice powder

¼ tsp white pepper

½ tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tsp molasses (or honey)

⅛ tsp red food coloring (optional for a redder color)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp hot water

Directions

Cut the pork into long strips or chunks about 2-3 inches thick. Don’t trim any excess fat, as this will render off during cooking and provide more flavor.

Combine the sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, food coloring (if using), and minced garlic in a large bowl or baking dish to form the marinade.

Reserve about 2-3 tbsp of the marinade and set it aside. Rub the pork with the rest of the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours at least, ideally overnight. Store reserved marinade in the fridge as well.

When you’re ready to start cooking, preheat the oven to 475 F with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven. Line a sheet pan with foil and place a metal rack on top. Pour about 1 ½ cups of water into the pan below the rack to prevent drippings from burning or smoking.

Transfer the pork into the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes. After 10 minutes of this roasting, reduce the heat to 375 F.

Flip and turn the pork 180 degrees to ensure even roasting. Add more water to the pan below if needed, and roast for another 15 minutes.

Combine the reserved marinade with 2 tbsp of honey and 1 tbsp hot water. Baste the pork inside of the oven on both sides and roast for a final 10 minutes.

Make a final check on the pork inside the oven. If the outside isn’t caramelized to your liking, then you can leave it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up. Be sure to watch this portion very carefully if you’re opting for this method, as it can burn very easily.

Remove from the oven and baste with any of the remaining sauce. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Notes

A Cantonese style of BBQ pork. This recipe roasts the pork in the oven after being marinated in a spiced sweet mixture, and is then glazed and caramelized before serving. Serve alongside rice and some blanched vegetables, or use as a topping or filling for anything you desire