Char Siu Pork

Ingredients

• 500 g Pork (Cut into long strips about 5 cm wide; the recipe mentions pork shoulder or chicken thigh fillet as alternatives, though the method specifies pork neck.)
• 1 tbsp Red yeast rice
• 1 tsp Five-spice powder
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 3 tbsp Honey (The method also calls for honey or maltose to brush onto the pork; brushing amount not specified.)
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 3 tbsp Chinese white wine (Listed as “white wine (Chinese)”; the instructions refer to rice wine.)
• 1 tbsp Chinese red wine (Listed as Chinese red wine; the instructions refer to red cooking wine.)
• 1 tbsp Sesame oil
• 4 Garlic (Crushed.)
• Red food coloring (Optional; amount not specified.)
• Maltose (Optional alternative to honey for brushing the pork; amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the red yeast rice, five-spice powder, sugar, honey, soy sauce, pepper, Chinese white wine, Chinese red wine, and sesame oil in a bowl. Add the crushed garlic and mix well. Add red food coloring if desired.

2. 2

   Cut the pork into long strips about 5 cm wide and place them in a zip-top bag.

3. 3

   Pour the marinade into the bag. Seal it tightly, then press and turn the meat in the bag so all surfaces are coated. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, overnight to two nights; the source says marinating up to 48 hours improves flavor.

4. 4

   When ready to roast, remove the bag from the refrigerator. Prepare a baking pan, lining it with aluminum foil if desired to prevent charred sauce from staining the pan.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Arrange the pork in the prepared pan and roast for 20 minutes, checking it occasionally. Reduce the oven temperature if the meat appears to be burning.

6. 6

   After the first 20 minutes, brush the pork generously with honey or maltose for a glossy, caramelized finish. Return it to the oven and roast for 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Flip the pork, brush the other side with honey or maltose, and roast for another 5 minutes. The source describes about 30 minutes total roasting, until the surface is caramelized and slightly charred.

8. 8

   Transfer the pork to a cooling rack and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Slice to your desired thickness and serve immediately.

Notes

The structured recipe gives a yield of 350 g, while listing 500 g of pork; servings are estimated. Its stated cook time (50 minutes) differs from the method’s approximately 30 minutes of roasting; cook time follows the structured value. The glaze brushing quantity is not specified. Pork shoulder or chicken thigh fillet are listed as alternatives, but the method calls for pork neck.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Chinese
• Cantonese
• oven-roasted
• marinated
• glazed
• pork