Char Siu — Cantonese BBQ Pork

Sticky, lacquered Cantonese barbecue pork roasted in thick strips and served with rice and greens.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 1kg boneless pork shoulder, cut lengthways into 4 strips about 5cm thick
  • For the marinade: 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 3 tbsp clear honey
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • For the glaze: 2 tbsp clear honey
  • 1 tbsp hot water
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • To serve: steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried choy sum or gai lan

Method

  1. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Reserve 3 tbsp for basting. Pierce the pork all over with a fork, add to the rest of the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight, turning once. This time is not included in the preparation time.

  2. Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Line a roasting tin with foil, set a wire rack on top and pour 250ml water into the tin to stop the drips burning.

  3. Lift the pork from the marinade, let the excess drip off, and place the strips on the rack, well spaced. Discard the used marinade.

  4. Roast for 20 minutes. Brush with half of the reserved marinade, turn the pork over and roast for 15 minutes more.

  5. Mix the glaze ingredients. Brush the pork with the remaining reserved marinade and half the glaze, then roast for 10 to 15 minutes until deep mahogany with charred edges. The thickest part should reach at least 70°C.

  6. Brush with the rest of the glaze and rest for 10 minutes. Slice across the grain into 1cm slices and serve with rice and greens, spooning over the pan juices.