Ok, I have done it.
It seems like every Chinese blogger that I could put my finger to has a recipe for Chinese bbq pork or more fondly known aschar siu. Together withsiu yuk(crispy pork belly), these two are perhaps the two most blogged about dishes among the Chinese community. And it doesn't surprise me one bit as these two dishes are vastly popular, not only among the Chinese, but also in Western countries. This char siu, it is almost like an icon for Chinese cuisines. You could find its charred bit of succulent, juicy, tender, sweetish savoury portion hanging in the windows of practically every Chinese restaurants around the world.
So what makes a good char siu? Here's my take...
1. The taste. The most basic requirement of any cuisines. It has to taste good, right? In this case, it should be sweet, balanced with a certain degree of saltiness. You would be surprised at the amount of sugar required to get that perfect sweetish taste. No compromise here. It has to be sweet or else it is not char siu. The char siu must also have a good amount of smokiness resulting from the charcoal burnt caramelised sugar.
2. The Glaze. It is not a possibility, it is a necessity. The char siu MUST have that ultimate glossy charred sauce coating every bit of the meat. If there is no thick sticky glaze, it is not a worthy piece. Not only people eat with their eyes, the glaze is also where most of the taste is concentrated, all in its reduced and caramelised glory.
3. The texture. Juicy and tender but at the same time not too oily. This can be achieved by cooking the meat with just the right temperature. Overcook your meat, and it will become tough. Traditionally, pork shoulder/neck is used to make char siu but some genius came out with the idea of using pork belly. And like they say, the rest is history. It has become my favourite cut for makingchar siuever since. The layering of fats oils and protects the meat from being tough, providing a good balance to the bite. The burned fat itself exude the perfect fragrance to complement this bbq pork. Absolutely divine.
Making char siu is not difficult at all. But if you managed to make good char siu out of this recipe, it is not entirely my contribution either. You see, I could only help with the marinade. The appearance, the charring and the texture which makes the char siu, depend on your oven and how well you control the temperature. So, my piece of advice, get to know your oven and work around it. Happy trying!
Ingredients
450 g pork belly, cut into 1.5 inch wide strips
1 tbsp maltose (could be replaced with honey)
Marinade
1 inch cube red fermented tofu (nam yue), mashed
5 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Shao Xing wine
2 drops red colouring (optional)
1 tsp salt
Cooking Instruction
1. Cut away the pork belly skin. Cut the pork belly into strips of about 2 inches wide. Wash and dry completely.
2. Combine ingredients for marinade together and mix well.
3. Add in pork belly. Make sure the meat is covered with the marinade completely. Cover and leave to marinade overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 250C. Remove pork from fridge and arrange on a wire rack with a lined baking tray below (to collect the drippings). Put meat on the highest rack. Bake for 12 minutes, turning once.
5. Meanwhile, reduce the marinade and add in the maltose. Immediately, the marinate would turn glossy. Continue to simmer marinate in until it becomes as thick as possible.
6. Remove pork from oven and dunk pork into the pot of thickened sauce. Coat the pork thoroughly. Return to the oven.The pork should be as near to the heat source as possible in order to get a nice caramelisation and char. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, turning once to get an even char on both sides (Can also use grill function). Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
7. For sauce, deglaze the thickened sauce in the pot with a little water and add 1/2 tsp of soy sauce if necessary.
Note:
You could replace pork belly with other cuts if you prefer something leaner. Add one tablespoon of oil into the marinade if you are using lean meat instead.
Find out how to cook Siu Yuk (Crispy Pork Belly) here:
FAQs
What are the best cuts of pork for char siu? My dad uses pork butt, also known as "Boston butt” or "pork shoulder,” and this seems to be among the most popular cuts for char siu. It's ideal to use more fatty cuts, so some other options would be the pork neck end or pork belly.
What is char siu seasoning? ›
Signature to char siu is a deep, uniquely sweet-savory-spiced flavor, which is a result of char siu sauce – a marinade typically made with Chinese five spice, soy sauce &/or hoisin sauce, & a sweetener like honey or maltose.
Is char siu pork served hot or cold? ›
Char Siu pork is a versatile base product. It's used in other dishes, e.g. finely diced in fried rice, as filling in Char Siu Bao 叉燒包 (white steamed rolls), stir-fries, and also served plain, warm or cold, cut into thin slices alongside some vegetables on rice.
What is the red coating on Chinese pork? ›
4. Red food colouring – to make the pork red, like you get at the Chinese barbecue shop. This is optional. 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.
What do you serve with char siu pork? ›
This Char Siu Pork recipe from 2014 Masterchef winner Ping Coombes is a Chinatown favourite. Traditionally, this dish would be served up sliced over rice with a side of steamed greens, but you can also serve with noodles or in steamed buns.
What do Chinese use to make meat tender? ›
While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.
What is inside hoisin sauce? ›
Though regional variations exist, most modern hoisin sauce recipes contain some combination of the following ingredients: fermented soybeans, five-spice powder, garlic, red chili peppers, and sugar. "Hoisin" comes from the Cantonese word for seafood, though it's not commonly associated with seafood dishes.
What is hoisin sauce made of? ›
Ingredients. The key ingredient of hoisin sauce is fermented soybean paste. Some hoisin sauce ingredients include starches such as sweet potato, wheat and rice, and water, sugar, soybeans, sesame seeds, white distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, red chili peppers, and sometimes preservatives or coloring agents.
Is hoisin sauce the same as char siu sauce? ›
No they are not the same. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans mixed with garlic, chilli, sesame, Chinese spices and vinegar. Char siu sauce is a condiment made from hoisin sauce, sugar, Chinese five spice powder, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, garlic and often also food colouring.
Can you buy char siu marinade? ›
Product Description. Char Siu SauceVisit www.LKK.com for more recipe ideas. This honey-sweet sauce is the secret to the authentic Chinese barbecued pork, also known as "Char Siu". It is a great marinade for any kinds of meat and ribs for barbecue, roasts and oven baked dishes.
Unlike char siu, which is made by painting slices of pork shoulder with a thick, sweet marinade and roasting it, Japanese chashu is a simmered dish made with pork belly.
Why do you pour hot water on pork? ›
Once you've scored the rind, boil the jug, put the roast on a rack in the sink and pour the boiling water all over the pork, which shrinks the skin where the scoring is, helping heat, salt and oil penetrate deeper once you get to step 5. Try to avoid pouring onto any exposed meat, as it will just dry out.
How long does Chinese BBQ pork last in the fridge? ›
Use cooked pork within two hours (one hour if air temperature is above 90 °F / 32.2 °C) or refrigerate it (at 40 °F / 4.4 °C or less) in shallow, covered containers. Eat within 3 to 4 days, either cold or reheated to 165 °F / 73.9 °C (hot and steaming).
What is the difference between pork and char siu? ›
Pork is literally just “the meat of a pig” in the most general sense. Char siu is the anglicized rendering of the name of a Cantonese style of roasted pork (usually belly, back, loin, or neck), flavored with Chinese 5 spice and glazed with honey and red rice yeast that produces a rich, red color.
Is Char Siu sauce the same as hoisin sauce? ›
No they are not the same. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans mixed with garlic, chilli, sesame, Chinese spices and vinegar. Char siu sauce is a condiment made from hoisin sauce, sugar, Chinese five spice powder, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, garlic and often also food colouring.
