Char Siu Pork

Ingredients

• 8 lb boneless pork shoulder or butt (Use the money-muscle side for steaks about 1/2 inch thick; wrap and refrigerate or freeze the tougher half for pulled pork.)
• 2 tbsp garlic salt
• 0.5 cup packed brown sugar (Packed)
• 0.25 cup oyster sauce
• 0.25 cup light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp dry sherry (Used as a substitute for Shaoxing wine.)
• 2 red fermented bean curd (Cubes)
• 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 0.5 cup reserved marinade (Approximate; reserve before adding the raw pork.)
• 0.25 cup honey
• 1 tbsp water
• 5 red food coloring (Drops)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the boneless pork shoulder in half. Slice the money-muscle side into steaks about 1/2 inch thick. Wrap the tougher half and refrigerate or freeze it for smoking later as pulled pork.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, mash the red fermented bean curd. Add the garlic salt, packed brown sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, hoisin sauce, dry sherry, and Chinese five-spice powder. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

3. 3

   Before adding the raw pork, measure out about 1/2 cup of the marinade into a separate container for basting. Mix it with the honey, water, and red food coloring. Keep this mixture separate from the raw pork.

4. 4

   Add the pork steaks to the remaining marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4–6 hours, preferably overnight.

5. 5

   Choose one cooking method. For the oven, preheat to 300°F (150°C). Set a wire rack over a foil-lined sheet pan and arrange the pork steaks on the rack.

6. 6

   Roast the pork for approximately 45–60 minutes, flipping the steaks and brushing them with the reserved basting mixture every 20 minutes.

7. 7

   Check that the pork reaches an internal temperature of at least 190°F (88°C). For extra caramelization, broil for the final 1–2 minutes if desired.

8. 8

   Alternatively, heat a grill to high and cook the pork over direct heat. Flip the steaks every minute, brushing them with the reserved basting mixture before each flip, until a bark and crust form and the pork reaches at least 190°F (88°C) internally.

Notes

The source's marinade ingredient list gives dry sherry as a substitute for Shaoxing wine, but its method also mentions red wine; no amount is provided for red wine, and the ingredient list does not include it, so it is not added as a separate measured ingredient. The grill method does not specify a cooking duration. The cooking instructions are alternatives; the oven duration is approximate.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Chinese-inspired
• grilled
• oven-baked
• pork
• high-protein