Serve the juiciest Char Siu Pork with the easiest marinade that does all the hard work for super tender and flavorful pork! Glossy & caramelized on the outside, juicy & tender on the inside – it’s the simple dish that impresses at gatherings & has the family always wishing you made more!
There’s just something magicallyyyy impossible to resist with succulently tender pork that melts in your mouth – just like this Chinese char siu! This is the kinda recipe I always with I made more (so plz learn from my mistakes! lol). If you love pork, Hong Sho Rou (Red Braised Pork) another irresistible entree always disappears at parties faster than its made! If you want an even quicker version, my Instant Pot Braised Pork Belly is melt-in-yo-mouth tender in half the time!
❤️ Highlights
🥘Ingredient Tips
Best Cuts of Meat to Use for Char Siu
Pork shoulder or butt work well for juicy & tender bbq pork.
Try to find fatty cuts with nice marbling! This will help keep the roasted pork juicy & super flavorful as the fat renders. Cut pork WITH the grain to make into long-ish logs. Then cut AGAINST grain after pork has rested from roasting.
- Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce is needed for its saltiness & umami in this recipe.
- Hoisin Sauce: This is a sweet & savory sauce that packs SO much flavor. It’s a popular ingredient, so you can find it at Asian or local grocery stores in the Asian/International section.
- Shaoxing Wine: This is a Chinese cooking wine that helps enhance the flavors of the marinade. You can easily find it at local Asian markets or online.
- Chinese 5-Spice Seasoning: This is a blend of spices and gives the char siu marinade its signature flavor. Don’t be tempted to skip this key ingredient!
- Sesame Oil: A little goes a long way for a deep nutty flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Chicken: If you’re in the mood for Chinese BBQ chicken instead of roasted pork, check out my easy Char Siu Chicken recipe! It’s SUPER easy and convenient option too.
- Red Coloring: Fermented red bean curd is traditionally used in Chinese cuisine to give the meat its signature red coloring & a touch of flavor. You can sometimes find it at Asian markets but can be difficult to hunt down. I’m using red food coloring for convenience, but even without the food coloring, this bbq pork SO delicious either way!
🔪 How to Make Char Siu
Step 1: Prep pork shoulder or butt by cutting it into about 3-inch wide logs. Cut the raw pork WITH the grain (then once cooked, cut against the grain). Don’t trim the fat – that’s that good stuff that’ll keep the pork juicy & tender while cooking! Then, use a fork to poke the pork on each side.
Step 2: Marinade Pork. In a Ziplock bag, combine the marinade ingredients, add the pork, then push out as much air as possible so the meat is fully submerged. Marinate overnight (or 8-12 hours) in the fridge – the longer the better for the best flavor!
Step 3: Bake Char Siu Pork. This is the oven cooking method. For the air fryer method, check in the recipe card below! Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C), then line baking tray with foil for easy cleanup later. Place marinated Char Siu Pork on the baking tray with baking racks (saving the marinade), then bake for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Make Sticky Glaze. In the meantime, in a small saucepot, boil leftover marinade with extra honey for for 5-10 minutes to cook off any bacteria from the raw meat. This will also help the char siu sauce turn extra sticky & sweet.
Make sure the sauce turns into a thick glaze before brushing the meat. This will help the sauce stick to the meat and the sugars will caramelize to give you that iconic sticky glossy finish!
Step 5: Baste Pork. Remove pork from oven, baste with char siu sauce, add more water to the baking tray if needed, then bake for another 15 minutes. Baste for a second time, then cook for another 15 minutes.
Baste for the third time & bake for another 15 minutes or until pork is cooked through (internal temperature of 145 degrees F). Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the power of your oven, so adjust cooking time as needed so the pork is cooked through & juicy!
Step 6: Rest, Slice, & Serve. Remove Char Siu Pork from the oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with hot fresh rice and/or veggies!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Marinating Time: Marinating time is crucial to allow enough time for the flavors to infuse with the meat. I recommend marinating overnight so it can work its magic while you sleep. Then it’ll be ready & waiting for you the next day 🙂
- Easy Cleanup: Line the baking or air fryer tray with foil to catch all the drippings for easy cleanup later!
- Creating SUPER Tender Char Siu Pork: This Char Siu Pork recipe cooks at a lower temperature and trust me – it’s worth the wait! I’ve tested cooking it at higher temperatures, which can easily turn the meat tough & dry if overcooked. Adding a little water to the baking tray prevents any smoking, as well as helps keep the pork juicy! Patience is key & (TRUST) you’ll be rewarded.
💭 Recipe FAQs
🍚 What to Serve with Chinese BBQ Pork
Chinese BBQ Pork is typically eaten with fresh steamed rice and veggies like Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce and Chinese Green Bean Stir-Fry. Oh! And don’t forget the Sesame Balls if you’re entertaining or having treat yo self dim sum days!
This Pork Char Siu always disappears faster than I expect in our home, but on the rare occasion we have leftovers, it also makes for the some bomb Pork Fried Rice or Pork Lo Mein *drool*
Let’s get cooking!
Get into my secret stash of Goody-Packed Newsletters with meals planned for you & time-saving tips! Want step-by-step videos of how to make my recipes too? I gotchu over at my youtube channel. Aight, enough chatting, more eating!
Char Siu Pork
Ingredients
CHAR SIU MARINADE:
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons 5 spice seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring optional
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds pork butt or shoulder cut into 3-inch thick logs
- ¼ cup honey for basting
Instructions
- In a large airtight container or Ziplock bag, combine the char siu marinade ingredients – minced garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, 5-spice seasoning, sesame oil, salt, white pepper & red food coloring. Set aside.
- Cut pork into 3-inch wide logs – don’t trim any fat. That’s that good stuff! It’ll help keep the pork juicy and flavorful as the fat renders as it roasts. Add pork to the char siu marinade & marinate overnight (about 8 hours to 12 hours) in the fridge.
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C).
- Line a baking tray with foil for easy clean up, then place baking racks and pork on top – Don’t throw away the marinade! Pour a little water in the baking tray to help prevent smoking, then bake for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, create the basting sauce. In a small sauce pot, combine the marinade and additional honey. Heat on medium stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until it turns into a thick, shiny, & sticky glaze. You should be able to make a line on the back of a spoon. Once it’s done, turn off heat and cover until ready to baste.
- Remove pork from oven, baste marinade all over the pork, add more water to the baking tray if needed, then bake for 15 minutes. Baste for a second time, then cook for another 15 minutes. Baste for the third time & bake for another 15 minutes or until pork is cooked through (internal temperature of 145 degrees F). Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the power of your oven, so adjust cooking time as needed so the pork is cooked through & juicy!
- Remove Char Siu Pork from the air fryer and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with hot fresh rice and/or veggies!
Air Fryer:
- Preheat oven to 320° F.
- Place pork air fryer tray, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding. Cook for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, create the basting sauce. In a small sauce pot, combine the marinade and additional honey. Heat on medium stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until it turns into a thick, shiny, & sticky glaze. You should be able to make a line on the back of a spoon. Once it’s done, turn off heat and cover until ready to baste.
- Brush basting sauce onto pork, then bake for another 5 minutes. Baste for a second time, then cook for another 5 -10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through (internal temperature of 145 degrees F). Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the power of your air fryer, so adjust cooking time as needed so the pork is cooked through & juicy!
- Remove Char Siu Pork from the air fryer and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy with hot fresh rice and/or veggies!
Notes
- Pork: For tender and juicy char siu, go for pork shoulder or butt with nice marbling and fat. Cut the pork with the grain to form long-ish logs and then slice against the grain after roasting.
- Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce is needed for its saltiness & umami in this recipe.
- Hoisin Sauce: This is sweet. savory, & packed with flavor in one ingredient! Find it at Asian or local grocery stores in the Asian/international aisle.
- Shaoxing Wine: Enhance the marinade’s flavors with Shaoxing Wine, found at Asian markets or online.
- 5-Spice Seasoning: Don’t skip the 5-Spice Seasoning – it’s what gives char siu its signature flavor!
- Red Food Coloring: Traditionally, red bean curd provides that iconic red color, but you can use red food coloring for a similar effect. It’s optional, though; your char siu will still taste fantastic without it.
- Key Tips: Get key tips for best results & step-by-step photos in the blog post above!
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
Making this now and my house smells….AMAZING!! Can not wait until dinner!
Yay! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂 Let me know how it goes!