Char Siu Pork

Char Siu Roast Pork slices on a long white plate on red white table cloth.

5 from 1 vote

Char siu pork (Chinese BBQ pork) is a classic Cantonese dish known for its sweet, savory, and slightly smoky flavor. This easy oven recipe uses a rich marinade of honey, soy sauce, and five-spice powder to create tender, juicy pork with a beautifully caramelized, glossy finish.

Prep Time1

Cook Time50

Total Time1 50

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Servings: gr

Calories: 290kcal

Author: Claudia

Ingredients

500 gr pork cut into long strips or pork shoulder or chicken thigh fillet

Marinade

1 tbsp red yeast rice
1 tsp five spice powder
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp honey
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp white wine Chinese
1 tbsp red wine Chinese
1 tbsp sesame oil
4 garlic crushed

Instructions

Combine red rice yeast, sugar, honey, soy sauce, pepper, rice wine, red cooking wine, sesame oil in a bowl. Add crushed garlic into the sauce. Mix well. Add red food coloring if you like. Cut the pork neck into long strips about 5 cm wide, put the meat inside a zip lock bag.
Pour the marinade sauce into the bag. Zip it tightly. Press the meat inside the bag to make sure all the meat is covered with the sauce. Transfer the bag into the chiller afterwards. Refrigerate overnight to two nights or for at least 8 hours before roasting. The next day or on the day you want to roast, take out the bag. Prepare a baking pan, you may line it with aluminium foil, so the charred sauce will not stain the pan. Bake in a preheated oven 180°C for 20 minutes. Keep checking once in a while. Reduce the oven temperature if the meat looks burning.
After 20 minutes of roasting, brush it generously with honey or maltose for a glossy, caramelized finish. Return the pork to the oven and roast for an additional 5 minutes. Flip the pork, brush the other side, and roast for another 5 minutes. The total roasting time should be around 30 minutes, with the pork developing a caramelized and slightly charred surface. Let it cool for about 10 minutes on a cooling rack.
Once slightly cooled, slice the Char Siu into your desired thickness. Serve immediately, and enjoy your juicy, flavorful Char Siu Roast Pork!

Video

Notes

No oven? Use a pan – You can pan-fry the marinated pork with the lid on to keep it juicy. Cook for about 20 minutes, then use a torch at the end for that charred finish.

Use the middle rack – Place the pork on the middle rack for even heat and to prevent the top from burning.

Cover first, roast later – Cover with foil during the first half of roasting to lock in moisture, then uncover to caramelize the glaze.

Torch for charred edges – For that signature char siu look, lightly torch the surface after roasting to create a caramelized finish.

Choose the right cut – Pork shoulder or pork neck gives the juiciest results. Pork neck is richer, while shoulder offers a balanced fat-to-meat ratio. Pork loin works but needs closer monitoring to avoid drying out.

Warm the maltose – If using maltose instead of honey, warm it slightly so it spreads easily and evenly.

Enhance the color (optional) – Red yeast rice gives a natural reddish hue, but a few drops of red food coloring can deepen the color if desired.

Marinate longer for better flavor – Marinate for up to 48 hours to let the flavors fully penetrate the meat.

Nutrition