Chinese BBQ pork - Char Siu
- Thread starter Matthew Y
- Start date
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
This looks great, char siu is one of my favorite foods. Love the hanging move, that's super authentic.
if you thought what you were working with was bland, there's a couple good threads on char siu pork here, if you use the search feature including one that has the following recipe posted in it.
CHINESE BARBECUED PORK, LO
(CHAR SIU)
The Chinese in Canton, where roasting pork is an art form, call this “char siu” which translates as “held by fork over fire.” It harks back to the times when there were few ovens in China, and all meats, marinated or not, were roasted over an open fire. This pork, with its glossy glaze, is what you see hanging in the windows of restaurants. Commercially this pork is colored with red vegetable dye. I do not dye my pork.
Char Siu is surely one of the most versatile preparations in China. It can be eaten hot or cold. It can be used in a stir-fry with other ingredients or as a filling for dumplings, put into soups, and it is often used as one of those small dishes in a bot dai, bot siu, “8 large, 8 small” banquet.
4 1/2 pounds lean boneless pork loin
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Mei Kuei Lu Chiew or gin Dave from Denver note: this is rose cooking wine, you could also substitute rose flavored bean curd and siaoxing wine/sherry/gin
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 cakes (1 1/2 ounces) wet (or red) preserved bean curd
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
Dave from Denver edit: I add 1T "bean sauce" that comes in the blue can.
1. Cut the pork into lengthwise strips 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Using a small knife, pierce the meat repeatedly at 1/2-inch intervals to help tenderize it.
2. Line a roasting pan with foil. Place the pork strips in a single layer at the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, combine all the other ingredients and pour over the strips. Coat well and marinate for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the oven to broil. Place the roasting pan in the broiler about 4 inches from the heat and roast for 30 to 50 minutes. To test for doneness, remove one strip of pork after 30 minutes and slice it to see if it is cooked through. During the cooking period, the pork should be basted 5 or 6 times and turned over 4 times. If the sauce dries out, add some boiling water to the pan. When the meat is cooked, remove from the pan, allow to cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.
NOTE: Char Siu may be made ahead. It can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days and frozen for a month. Allow to defrost before use.
if you thought what you were working with was bland, there's a couple good threads on char siu pork here, if you use the search feature including one that has the following recipe posted in it.
CHINESE BARBECUED PORK, LO
(CHAR SIU)
The Chinese in Canton, where roasting pork is an art form, call this “char siu” which translates as “held by fork over fire.” It harks back to the times when there were few ovens in China, and all meats, marinated or not, were roasted over an open fire. This pork, with its glossy glaze, is what you see hanging in the windows of restaurants. Commercially this pork is colored with red vegetable dye. I do not dye my pork.
Char Siu is surely one of the most versatile preparations in China. It can be eaten hot or cold. It can be used in a stir-fry with other ingredients or as a filling for dumplings, put into soups, and it is often used as one of those small dishes in a bot dai, bot siu, “8 large, 8 small” banquet.
4 1/2 pounds lean boneless pork loin
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Mei Kuei Lu Chiew or gin Dave from Denver note: this is rose cooking wine, you could also substitute rose flavored bean curd and siaoxing wine/sherry/gin
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 cakes (1 1/2 ounces) wet (or red) preserved bean curd
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
Dave from Denver edit: I add 1T "bean sauce" that comes in the blue can.
1. Cut the pork into lengthwise strips 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Using a small knife, pierce the meat repeatedly at 1/2-inch intervals to help tenderize it.
2. Line a roasting pan with foil. Place the pork strips in a single layer at the bottom of the pan. In a small bowl, combine all the other ingredients and pour over the strips. Coat well and marinate for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the oven to broil. Place the roasting pan in the broiler about 4 inches from the heat and roast for 30 to 50 minutes. To test for doneness, remove one strip of pork after 30 minutes and slice it to see if it is cooked through. During the cooking period, the pork should be basted 5 or 6 times and turned over 4 times. If the sauce dries out, add some boiling water to the pan. When the meat is cooked, remove from the pan, allow to cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.
NOTE: Char Siu may be made ahead. It can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days and frozen for a month. Allow to defrost before use.
Last edited:
Dave, that is really similar to what I used, minus the oyster sauce. I ran out of honey, which I think contribute to the blandness on my first batch. My 2nd batch tasted pretty authentic, but the meat was too lean. I need to try again with pork butt/shoulder. The fat is where's the flavors at.
Dave from Denver
TVWBB Wizard
On the fat angle, I've made it with belly before, it comes out quite nicely!
Craig Alumbaugh
TVWBB Guru
That looks mighty tasty to me Dave
Cliff Bartlett
R.I.P. 5/17/2021
Fine looking cook Matthew!