This post Char Siu Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork), was updated in 2022.
Sticky, crimson red Char Siu Pork – just like you get from the Chinese Barbecue meat shops! Also known as Pork from Chinese BBQ it’s finger licking good and you’re going to be shocked how easy it is to make the Char Siu sauce that’s used to marinade the pork.
Char Siu Pork – Chinese BBQ Pork
A trip to Chinatown would not be complete without bringing home a pot of Chinese BBQ pork. And I am yet to manage the drive All the way home without sneaking in a little taste test (or two…or three).
These traffic lights are terrible! If they were GREEN all the way home, then I wouldn’t have a chance to do that!
OK, that’s a blatant lie. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we both know I would be hooning over the Harbour Bridge, holding the steering wheel with one hand and rummaging around in the plastic carry bag with the other, blindly trying to feel my way to the barbecue pork container.😂
A Char Siu Pork recipe
Two things I do in this recipe are different to traditional Char Siu. They make it easier, but still produce an outstanding end result that tastes just like store-bought.
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Instead of cooking over coals, use the oven to cook.
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To make the pork red, use red food coloring
A speciality ingredient is what gives authentic Char Siu the red color. Fermented red bean curds It is also red. It’s calls for a trip to the Asian store and you’ll have to hunt deep into the dark corners to find it
While it makes the pork red, the small amount used doesn’t add any flavour. Red bean curds are so versatile that I found no other uses for them. I tried making red bean curds using red food coloring and was pleasantly surprised at the results.
It was so easy that I kept going!
What is Char Siu Sauce?
Here’s what you need for the Char Siu Sauce which is used to marinade the pork – all things you can get from everyday grocery stores:
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Pork – the best pork for Char Siu is pork scotch fillet. For more information, please refer to the next section.
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Sugar – brown sugar is best for lovely caramel flavours in the marinade. Even white sugar is acceptable.
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Soy sauces – I like to use light and all purpose soy sauce for the best flavour balance, but you can just use just one of these. Do not use dark soy sauce, it’s way too strong. Learn more about the different types of soy sauces available here.
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Five Chinese spices – pre mixed store bought blend, very common these days. Sold in the spice section fo everyday supermarkets and doesn’t cost anymore than other spices;
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Hoisin – common Chinese sauce, found in the Asian section. It’s sweet, savoury and has a hint of Five Spice Powder;
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Red food colouring – as discussed above, this is used to stain the pork red; and
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Honey – this is added to the marinade to turn it into a basting sauce. This makes the pork shiny and caramelized, which is exactly what you want.
Best pork for Char Siu
I was finally able to get a Chinese BBQ shop to tell me which cut of meat they use. Pork scotch fillet! Also known as Pork Neck Collar, Pork Collar, or Pork Neck CollarThis excellent cut of pork is great for quick cooking such as pan seared pork chops, or slow cooking such as this Slow Roasted Brown Sugar Garlic Butter pork.
Char Siu Pork is also terrific made with pork shoulder – I’d say just as good. It can be made with pork belly, but it is too fat for me.
I used to use pork tenderloin which is much leaner so you do need to be careful about overcooking, whilst still achieving that caramelisation – cook times for this cut are in the recipe notes.
Scotch fillet and shoulder are much easier to cook with – they require longer cook time to make the meat juicy which means incredible caramelisation which is what we WANT!
This sight makes me weak at the knees every. Single. Time. 😂
How to make Char Siu Pork
Char Siu can be made in a few minutes. The pork should marinade for at least 24 hours to allow the flavour to infuse and the pork turn red. It should be at least 24 hours but 48 hours is best.
Be sure to baste generously, slathering / dabbing the marinade on – it’s the key to get a really great sticky surface!
How to cook Chinese BBQ Pork
As for how to serve it, here’s a very typical meal set served at Chinese BBQ shops: slices of pork over rice with a side of steamed greens with sauce (this Steamed Chinese Greens with Oyster Sauce is similar), as pictured above. This is a Chinese BBQ Shop takeout favourite – “BBQ Pork Lunch!”
Dishes made with Chinese BBQ Pork
Char Siu Pork can also be used in some Chinese dishes such as
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Chinese Steamed Pork Buns – big fluffy white buns filled with BBQ pork
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Singapore Noodles
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Fried Rice – Char Siu is often in “special fried rice” in place of Chinese sausage or bacon
In addition, sometimes you see it as a protein option for Chinese Noodle Soup (slices of Char Siu are placed on top) and I’ve also seen it in Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) – it’s AMAZING!!
This Char Siu Pork recipe makes quite a lot because the standard size of pork scotch fillet roasts is around 1.2 – 1.5kg/2.4-3lb.
But you’ll thank me. Just one bite, and you’ll be thanking me profusely for making this a big-batch recipe. 😜 – Nagi xx
You can see how it is done.
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Char Siu Pork – Chinese BBQ Pork
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 1/2 tbsp Brown sugar (White is also acceptable)
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1/4 Cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce Or all-purpose soy (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce All purpose, or less light soy. (Note 1
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp Oil (vegetable, canola)
- 2 tsp Red food colouring Optional (Note 4).
Cooking:
- 1.2 – 1.5kg / 2.4 – 3lb Pork scotch fillet (also known as pork collar, pork neck, or pork shoulder) (Note 5)
- 2 tbsp Extra Honey
Instructions
Marinade pork:
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Make two long strips by cutting the pork in half. (Note 5)
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Mix all ingredients for Marinade in a bowl
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Marinate the pork in a sealed container. Marinate for at least 24 hours in the fridge (minimum 3 hours).
To roast:
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Preheat oven to 160C/320F
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A tray can be lined with foil. Then, place a rack over it (recommended but not necessary).
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Take out the marinade and save Marinade. Place pork on rack.
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Bake for 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade in a saucepan. Mix Extra Honey into marinade. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the honey is dissolved. Turn off heat.
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Take out pork from the oven. Marinate pork in marinade. Turn the meat over. Baste and then roast for 30 minutes more.
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Take out pork from the oven. Marinate pork again. Turn the meat over and brush with marinade. Continue roasting for 20 more minutes. If the roast is not charred quickly enough, cover it with foil.
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Bake for another 10 minutes, then again basting on the surface. The meat should be soft but not fall apart, as with pulled pork. Let the meat rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
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Serve with rice and steamed Chinese vegetables. For more uses, see the notes!
Notes for Recipes
2. Chinese five spice powder (a mix of spices) – find it in the herb and spice section of supermarkets and it isn’t any more expensive than other spices, very common nowadays. It is possible to substitute the Chinese five spice paste with 1 tablespoon extra hoisin. But, it is best to reduce the sugar content to 1 teaspoon.
3. Oil –Or any other neutral-flavored oil.
4. Red food colouring – to make the pork red, like you get at the Chinese barbecue shop. This can be done at your discretion. Authentic Char Siu uses red bean curd for colouring and a touch of flavour – it can be found at Asian stores, use about 2 tbsp of the liquid and no red food colouring.
I use the marinade in this recipe more frequently than the authentic version because I can get all the ingredients at the supermarket and it has a slightly more intense flavour – makes up for absence of charcoal in this home version.
5. Pork – I used to make this with pork tenderloin (Note 6) but I’ve moved to scotch fillet roast (pictured in post) and pork shoulder because they are ideal for longer cooking to get amazing caramelisation and the pork is incredibly juicy inside. Scotch fillet can also be called Pork Neck, Pork Collar, or Pork Neck Collar. This is what Chinese BBQ restaurants in Australia use.
Pork shoulder is also ideal – beautifully juicy. Use boneless, skinless pork shoulder and remove most of the fat layer. Cut into thin, long pieces. Because of the sinewier meat, the meat will twist and buckle more during cooking. Flavor is great!
You can also make it with pork belly, however I find this recipe too oily.
Cutting pork – doesn’t really matter which way you cut it, horizontal or straight down the middle (see in post for photos). You can make two flat, long pieces of pork by cutting it horizontally if you have a thick piece. If it’s not that thick, just cut it straight down the middle
6. PORK TENDERLOIN cooking directions (photo here of how it looks): Roast at 180C/350F for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 – 160F/ 65 – 70C. Halfway through roasting, brush generously with the reserved Marinade. Sort of dab it on so you get as much Marinade on the pork as possible – this is key for getting the thick, glossy glaze. After that, heat the broiler/grill high to broil for a few more minutes until the surface becomes charred and glossy. Once this is done, you can bast once or twice.
7. Remaining food – I continue to eat it for days, but also freeze excess. Char Siu can be found in Singapore Noodles, Chinese Fried Rice (also known as Egg Fried Rice), and it is delicious with Chinese Noodle Soup.
8. NutritionAssuming 6 servings. This is overstated because it doesn’t take into account the fat that is rendered out when cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Original publication date: May 2019, Updated November 2020 with new photos and a sparkling new video! No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare!
Another iconic Chinese recipe
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Crispy Chinese Pork Belly – the other Chinese BBQ Meat Shop favourite!
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Potstickers – steamed dumplings with crispy golden undersides
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Spring Rolls – better than Egg Rolls!
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Stay-Crispy Honey Chicken
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General Tsao’s Chicken
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Mongolian Beef and Mongolian Lamb
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Check out these Chinese Recipes and Asian Takeout Copycat Recipes
Dozer Life
This Dozer update was from when I originally published this post in 2018 – when he tore his ACL and had to go in for knee surgery followed by months of recovery – happy to report he recovered 100% perfectly!
Dozer had his ACL surgery today. Dozer will need to be there overnight so I drove over to the vet this afternoon to drop off his favorite toy and a bunch of food for the Mona Vale Veterinary Clinic team. #Shameless
Oh, look! Not 30 minutes ago, the vet called to assure me he’s doing just fine and sent me this photo. ❤Post-surgery, you’re still asleep!
