Pork shoulder marinated in a sweet, red-tinged glaze and roasted until caramelized at the edges, Cantonese barbecue at its finest.
Char siu is one of the defining dishes of Cantonese barbecue, strips of pork marinated for hours in a mixture of hoisin, honey, five-spice and fermented red bean curd before being roasted or grilled until deeply caramelized. The signature reddish tint traditionally comes from red fermented bean curd or red yeast rice, though food coloring is sometimes used in commercial versions, giving char siu its instantly recognizable appearance hanging in Cantonese restaurant windows. Basted repeatedly with honey during roasting, the pork develops a sticky, caramelized crust at the edges while staying tender and juicy within, traditionally sliced and served over rice or noodles, or eaten simply on its own.
Serves 4
Whisk hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, wine, sugar, five-spice powder, fermented bean curd and garlic into a smooth marinade.
Coat the pork strips thoroughly in the marinade, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Marinate as long as possible — char siu's deep flavor comes from a long soak, not a quick one.
Arrange the marinated pork strips on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking tray, reserving the leftover marinade.
Roast at 200C/400F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 180C/350F and continue roasting 15-20 more minutes, basting with the reserved marinade every 10 minutes.
In the final 5 minutes, brush the pork generously with honey and roast until deeply caramelized at the edges.
Let rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.
Serve over steamed rice or noodles.
Marinate for as long as possible, ideally overnight — char siu's depth of flavor depends heavily on real marination time.
Use a wire rack over a tray while roasting so the pork cooks evenly on all sides without sitting in its own rendered fat.
Baste generously with honey only in the final minutes of roasting to avoid burning the sugar too early.
A version using pork belly instead of shoulder gives a fattier, richer result.
Some cooks skip the red food coloring or fermented bean curd entirely for a more natural-looking, equally flavorful result.
Char siu can also be cooked on a grill over indirect heat for a smokier finish.
Refrigerate cooked char siu up to 4 days; reheat gently in a warm oven, or slice thin and serve cold in salads or sandwiches.
Char siu is a hallmark of Cantonese barbecue (siu mei), traditionally hung on hooks and roasted in specialized ovens in Hong Kong and Guangdong restaurants, and it remains one of the most recognizable and beloved Chinese barbecued meats worldwide.
No, they're primarily for the traditional reddish appearance — the pork will taste just as good without either, just with a more natural brown color.
Yes, grill over indirect medium heat, basting frequently, for a similar result with added smokiness.
It may have been overcooked, or a leaner cut of pork was used — pork shoulder's fat content is important for keeping the meat moist through roasting.
Per serving (280g / 9.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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