Char Siu — Cantonese BBQ Pork

About This Recipe

Char Siu (叉燒) is one of the most iconic preparations in Cantonese cuisine and Chinese BBQ culture. The name literally means 'fork roasted' — a reference to the long metal skewers used in traditional restaurants to hang pork strips vertically in wood-fired ovens. The glaze caramelises into a glossy, slightly sticky lacquer with charred edges that are wholly irresistible. At home, the oven grill (broiler) achieves that characteristic char beautifully. Pork shoulder or neck is ideal — fatty enough to stay juicy through the high-heat cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 gpork shoulder or neck (collar)(cut into 3–4 cm thick strips along the grain)
• 3 tbsphoisin sauce
• 2 tbsphoney(plus extra for glazing)
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspoyster sauce
• 1 tbspShaoxing rice wine(or dry sherry)
• 1 tspfive-spice powder
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspred food colouring(optional — traditional for colour)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the marinade

   Combine hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, five-spice, sesame oil and garlic in a bowl. Stir well until smooth. Add food colouring if using.

   The reddish colour of char siu traditionally comes from fermented red bean curd (南乳). Food colouring is a common shortcut.

2. 2

   Marinate the pork

   Place pork strips in a zip-lock bag or shallow dish. Pour over three-quarters of the marinade, turning to coat well. Reserve the remaining marinade for basting. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

   The longer the marinate, the deeper the flavour penetrates. Overnight is genuinely worth it.

3. 3

   Prepare oven

   Remove pork from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F). Line a roasting tin with foil and place a rack over it. Add water to the tin below the rack — this keeps the oven moist and catches drips.

4. 4

   Roast the pork

   Lay pork strips on the rack and roast for 20 minutes. Brush generously with reserved marinade mixed with a little extra honey, flip, brush the other side, and roast a further 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Grill for the char

   Switch to grill/broiler mode (high). Grill pork 4–5 minutes per side, watching closely, until edges char and caramelise into deep, slightly blackened tips. This is the defining flavour of char siu.

   The char (the slightly burnt edges) is not a mistake — it's essential. Don't skip the grill stage.

6. 6

   Rest and slice

   Rest the pork on a board for 5 minutes before slicing across the grain into 1 cm pieces. Brush with a final layer of honey glaze before serving.

Variations

• •

  Char Siu Bao: fold sliced char siu into soft steamed buns with a drop of hoisin.

• •

  Char Siu Fried Rice: stir-fry cold rice with diced char siu, egg and spring onions.

• •

  Chicken Char Siu: use boneless thighs for a lighter version — reduce cook time by 5 minutes.

Storage

Store cooled char siu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze sliced portions for up to 2 months. Reheat in a hot oven for 5–8 minutes or quickly in a hot wok.

Frequently Asked Questions