Chinese
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
★★★★½ (4.7)
Sweet, sticky, and deeply caramelized at the edges, this oven-roasted Cantonese barbecue pork gets its signature red color and glaze from a simple marinade, no rotisserie needed.
- Sticky caramelized edges with deep smoky-sweet flavor
- No rotisserie or special equipment needed, just an oven
- Great for meal prep, freezes and reheats well
- In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, 1 tbsp of the honey, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, maltose, five-spice powder, garlic, red fermented tofu (if using), and salt.
- Add the pork strips to the marinade, turning to coat every side thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor; the longer it marinates, the deeper the flavor and color.
- When ready to cook, remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Line a baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top; pour about 1/2 cup water into the baking sheet below the rack to catch drips and prevent smoking.
- Arrange the pork strips on the rack, spaced apart so air circulates around each piece; do not let them touch or they will steam instead of caramelize.
- Reserve the leftover marinade in a small saucepan; you'll use it for basting and glazing.
- Roast the pork for 20 minutes, then flip each piece over.
- Meanwhile, bring the reserved marinade to a boil on the stovetop for 2 minutes to kill any bacteria from the raw pork; this becomes your basting and glazing liquid.
- Brush the pork generously with the boiled marinade, then return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Brush again with more marinade, then switch the oven to broil (high) for 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are deeply caramelized and slightly charred in spots; the internal temperature of the pork should read at least 145F (63C), and preferably closer to 190F (88C) for the fall-apart tenderness typical of shoulder cuts, so extend roasting time if needed before broiling.
- Brush with the remaining 1 tbsp honey while still hot for extra shine and sweetness.
- Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing against the grain into thin pieces; this lets the juices redistribute so the meat stays moist.
- Serve warm, sliced, over steamed rice or alongside steamed vegetables, drizzled with any extra pan glaze.
Boiling the reserved marinade before basting is essential since it has touched raw pork; this step both makes it food-safe and thickens it into a proper glaze.
Roasting on a rack over a water-lined tray keeps the pork from sitting in its own drippings, which is what gives it caramelized edges instead of a boiled texture.
Nutrition (per serving)
420Calories
32gProtein
24gFat
19gCarbs
0gFiber
710mgSodium
Nutrition information is estimated and provided for convenience only.
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