Smoky and Sweet: Homemade Chinese BBQ Pork Recipe (Char Siu)

If you love Chinese food, chances are you've tried and loved Char Siu, the ultra-tasty Chinese BBQ pork. This dish is famous for its succulent and tender meat coated in a flavorful sauce that's a perfect blend of smoky, savory, and sweet.

But did you know that you can make it at home? That's right – with some simple ingredients and a little bit of effort, you can serve up a plate of perfectly cooked and delicious Char Siu. In this blog post, we'll show you how to make homemade Char Siu that's just as good – if not better – than what you get at the restaurant.
char siu
WHAT IS CHAR SIU?
Char siu is a kind of Cantonese roasted meat known as "cha siu" in Cantonese and "cha shao" in Mandarin. It is made by marinating pork in a sweet BBQ sauce and then roasting it.

In the past, char siu served at noodle shops and roast meat restaurants in Chinatowns worldwide had a distinct sweet flavor. However, nowadays, some restaurants do not use enough spices in their recipe. A tasty char siu should have a well-rounded taste that balances the sweetness and saltiness while adding a subtle spice that brings out the pork's unique flavor. When served, it should be satisfying with just steamed rice and blanched choy sum.

To make delicious Chinese BBQ pork char siu, it is best to use fatty cuts of pork like pork shoulder or pork butt, although lean boneless pork loin can also be used.

This great char siu recipe has the perfect balance of salty and sweet flavors with a hint of spice which allows the pork to shine through. All you need is steamed rice and blanched choy sum on the side.
ingredients char siu
INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder/pork butt/pork tenderloin
  • ¼ cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 2 teaspoons molasses
  • 1/8 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
  • 3 cloves finely minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons maltose or honey
  • 1 tablespoon hot water

instruction char siu
INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Cut the pork into long strips or chunks that are about 2 to 3 inches thick. 
  2. In a bowl, mix the sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, sesame oil, rice wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses or brown sugar, and food coloring (if desired) to create the marinade.
  3. Set 2 tablespoons of the marinade to the side. Use the remaining marinade from the bowl to coat the pork. Make sure to cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Cover and store the reserved marinade in a separate container in the fridge as well.
  4. Preheat your oven to 'bake' at 475 F (246 C) with a rack positioned in the upper third of the oven. 
  5. To make sure your food comes out perfectly every time, use an oven thermometer to check the oven's temperature against the thermostat. 
  6. Be sure to check on your char siu every 10 minutes, and adjust the temperature as necessary.
  7. Line a sheet pan with foil, and place a metal rack on top. By using the metal rack, you allow for even roasting - as it does in commercial ovens described above. Place the pork onto the rack (leaving as much space as possible between pieces), and pour 1 ½ cups water into the pan below the rack; this prevents any drippings from burning or smoking.
  8. After the pork is finished sizzling in the pan, preheat your oven to 475F. Then roast for 25 minutes, but keep it at 475F for only the first 10 minutes. After that time has passed, reduce the heat to 375F (190C).
  9. After 25 minutes, flip the pork. If the bottom of the pan is dry, add another cup of water and turn the pan 180 degrees for even roasting. Roast for another 15 minutes, checking it every 10 minutes to ensure it isn't burning.
  10. Meanwhile, combine the reserved marinade with the maltose or honey (maltose is very viscous––you can heat it in the microwave to make it thinner and easier to work with) and 1 tablespoon of hot water. This mixture will be the sauce you use for basting the pork.
  11. Cook the pork for 40 minutes, baste it, flip it over, and then cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  12. The pork will have cooked for a total of 50 minutes by now. Check to see if it is cooked through and has caramelized on top. If you would like it more caramelized, broil it for a couple of minutes so that the outside crisps and there is some added color/flavor.
  13. Keep an eye on it while doing this because the sauce can burn if left unattended. You can also use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature of the pork has reached 160 degrees F.
  14. After the meat has cooked for the specified amount of time, remove it from the oven and baste it with the last bit of reserved BBQ sauce. Once 10 minutes have passed, slice the meat and enjoy!
use Red Food Coloring for char siu
Should you use Red Food Coloring?

If you want your dish to have a bright red color, some traditional recipes call for red fermented bean curd or red yeast rice powder. However, you can also achieve the same result simply by using red food coloring that won't alter the taste.

Mastering Char Siu at home is not difficult and only requires a few ingredients and some patience to get the perfect result. With a little practice, you'll be able to make this dish anytime you want without having to go to Chinatown or worry about oven temperatures.
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