Yummy and easy to prepare homemade Char Siu Pork with a homemade Char Siu Sauce.
Char Siu Pork is also known as Chinese style BBQ pork is famous roasted pork dish. It is featured not only by the yummy taste but also the light red color.In Chinese Char Siu is 叉烧 meaning roasted pork on certain of fork. In traditional Cantonese restaurants, the pork is hooked during the roasting process, which guarantee the uniform heating from different sides. Homemade version can be much simplified and easier. And my homemade version is as yummy as the restaurant style.
As it is so famous outside China, I guess most of you have tested it in Cantonese restaurants. And you may wonder about how this light red color is created. In Cantonese cooking, people make their own Char Siu sauce. The main ingredients for Char Siu sauce contains oyster sauce (for more information about commonly used sauces in Chinese cooking, check Chinese Sauces), soy sauce, sugar, red onions, garlic and red fermented tofu. Red fermented tofu is quite widely used in Cantonese cuisine, either to roast pork or braise pork belly. It is fermented along with red yeast rice. In the following picture, I listed three commonly used coloring ingredients. But essentially, they are the same. Red yeast powder is grounded from red yeast rice. If you really cannot find them, skip this coloring. We are just sacrificing some coloring, no taste difference.
- For light coloring, use red fermented tofu + some of the juice in the bottom(I know lots of you may do not like the taste of fermented tofu. If you never tasted it before, I would recommend trying one cube).
- For middle coloring, use red yeast rice. Pre-soak the rice until soft and use the water.
- For deep coloring, use red yeast powder directly (1/8 teaspoon is recommended) or you can resort to red food coloring.
I tried to search but failed to find where you can find red fermented tofu. If you come across with any possible sourcing, please leave a comment so we can share it with other readers. If the red one is not available, use white fermented tofu or you can skip it (just a slight difference in taste). The remaining ingredients can make your char siu enough yummy too.
You can see a light red color on the edges of the slices form the picture. I marinate the pork for around 30 hours with my homemade Char Siu sauce.
About the meat for this recipe;
In China, the most popular ingredients for char siu is pork butt, sometimes we refer it as pork shoulder. For a fatty taste, you can use pork belly.
About the BBQ sauce;
I use a very basic homemade Char Siu sauce in this recipe. In fact, we have a well made char siu sauce from Lee Kum Kee. Surely, you can use that one directly if you do not want to assemble the sauce at home.
Char Siu-Chinese BBQ Pork
Ingredients
- 300 g pork butt , pork shoulder
- 1 thumb ginger , sliced
- 2 garlic cloves , sliced
Char Siu Sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tablespoon rice wine , rose rice wine is the best
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 red fermented tofu with 1/2 tablespoon of the sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
Brushing
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon water
- 1/2 tablespoon char siu sauce
- sesame oil for brushing
Instructions
- Firstly poke some small holes on the pork butt so it can absorb the flavor better. Then cut into 2 cm wide and 4 cm thick long strips. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add red fermented tofu, cooking wine, honey, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and Chinese five spice. Give a big stir-fry to combine well.
- Transfer the pork into a plastic bag and then add ginger and garlic slices. Pour the Char Siu sauce in. Squeeze extra air out and seal. Message the pork for couple of minutes and keep in fridge for 24 to 48 hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 200 degree C (around 400 degree F)
- Before baking, add around 1/2 tablespoon of warm water and 1/2 tablespoon of char siu sauce with 1 tablespoon of honey. Combine well.
- Place the pork on grill and with a layered baking tray. Brush the honey water on both sides.
- Place on middle track and back for 10 minutes. And re-brush the honey mixture on both sides again.
- Roast again on middle track for another 10 minutes. Move the grill to up track and roast for another 2 minutes.
- Transfer out and brush some sesame oil on surface. Cool down for 3-4 minutes and cut into slices.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I just love your website. I live in the United States in the state of Kentucky. Kentucky is mostly known for its barbeque. We BBQ pork, chicken, beef, lamb and goat. I’ve been cooking for over 50 years and love to find new places for any Asian recipes. I just stumbled upon your site last week and am enjoying your recipes and photos. I have to travel a few miles to shop at a market that carries Asian cooking ingredients and supplies but it is well worth the drive so I can use your recipes and ideas. Thank you so much.
Hi Bonnie,
Wow, it really sounds good for the BBQ. You must be a great chef! I personally love BBQ lamb, chicken and fish very much. Let me how you feel about our Chinese BBQ after trying it.
Merry Christmas and happy cooking ahead.
Hello Elaine, I just found your website while searching for recipes for Char Siu Bao. This recipe makes me want to try and make my own BBQ pork. Your site is lovely and the photos of your food are fantastic, beautifully composed but also instructive. Thank you so much!
Thanks Jennifer for stopping by and leaving me such a wonderful and kind comment. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Hi Elaine, I’m so excited to see this recipe for homemade char siu sauce. I use Lee Kum Kee brand char siu sauce but wondered if I could make a home made sauce. Now, I found your recipe! And it seems pretty simple. How long do you think the sauce would keep before it is used?
Hi Nerimaro,
I do not recommend to store homemade sauce for a long time because freshly made version usually provide a better taste. I always make the sauce just before marinating the pork or ribs.
Hi Elaine: This looks pretty cool. Where can someone purchase Red Konjic Rice Powder ? I only want to get a small amount and I don’t really want to get it on line or travel a great distance. Where I live, there are many different Asian immigrant communities.
Thanks
Hi Jackie,
If you cannot find Red Konjic rice powder, you can try to find Red Konjic rice. We only need the red color of the rice, not flavoring issue here. If this cannot be found, you can skip it. There will be no influences about the taste.
Try using red bean curd sauce for color and added flavor,but taste as you add because sauce can be very pungent and overwhelming.
Hello Elaine
I am a Mandarin student and I love cooking, so your blog is really the best thing I’ve ever found. Now, I have a question. I saw you mention in the comments that the red rice is only for coloring and not for flavor. I was wondering if using red food coloring would be ok?? I really love that beautiful red color.
Thank you very much and congratulations on your blog.
再见！
Yes Cami,
Red food coloring can work too. Just pay attention to the amount. We just need a really small amount.
I was just talking with my daughter about Char siu during lunch. Her favorite Chinese food is Char Siu Fan. I am so happy to see this simple recipe. I would love to try making it myself soon. Thanks for sharing.
Really!! I am so glad it can help. Char Siu Fan is my favorite ordering in Cantonese restaurants too.
I have several recipes for Char siu…can’t wait to try yours…Looks delicious! Love the video as well. Thank you so much. Happy Holidays!
I always buy this and just wondering how to cook. I am so glad you posted this in your website. Thank you for sharing your wonderful tasty recipe. Merry Christmas!
You are the most welcome. Ne. I know that many of you are familiar with yummy dish. Hope this helps and Merry Christmas too!
I am so glad I came across your web site! You have posted so many of my favorite Chinese dishes and I am always looking to make them more authentic, especially Ma Po Tofu, my all time favorite. My granddaughter is Chinese and so I am trying to learn and make as many Chinese dishes as I can. Your photography is beautiful as well. Keep up the good work and I hope to learn a lot from you. Thank you so much.
You are the most welcome Marijke!!! I am so glad to be helpful and dedicated to provide more interesting Chinese dishes. Happy cooking in the coming new year.
This site is great! Just so I am understanding, you move the oven rack away from the heat (up) for the final 2 minutes of cooking?
Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Michael,
That step is conducted for a darker brown and more crisp upper shell. You can skip it for sure.