Chinese cuisine was always an interest of mine. I have tried quite a bit of Chinese food in my lifetime, and it is always delicious. The dishes always seem so complex and therefore I only attempted to make just a few dishes from this amazing cuisine.
Here is one of them, the famous Char Siu Pork or BBQ Pork. Usually you would make it on a grill, but in my case, I made it in an oven. The pork is juicy, sweet and sticky, full of Asian flavors and so delicious.
Marinate the pork: Cut the pork shoulder into long strips or chunks, about 10 cm (3 inches) thick. Do not trim any fat, as it will make the pork juicier and add more flavor to the pork.
In a bowl combine sugar, salt, five spice powder, pepper, sesame oil, wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, food coloring (optional) and garlic.
Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl, cover and place in the fridge until needed.
Add the pork chunks/strips to the bowl with the marinade and cover well on all sides. Cover with plastic food wrap and place in the fridge overnight or for about 12 hours.
Roasting: Preheat oven to 250-290°C (475-550°F). Place a rack in the upper third of the oven.
Place a roasting wire rack into a deep baking dish. The wire rack keeps the pork off the pan and allows it to roast more evenly. Pour about 1½ cups of water into to baking dish. This will help prevent the dripping from the pork to burn and smoke.Transfer the marinated pork onto the prepared wire rack.
Roast the pork in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
In the meantime take the reserved marinade from the fridge, add the honey and 1 tablespoon of hot water, mix well.
After 25 minutes have passed, flip the pork to the other side. Bast the pork with the reserved marinade and turn the roasting tray 180°, to make sure the pork is roasting evenly.Roast for another 15 minutes.
After the 15 minutes have passed, bast the pork with the marinade again, flip it to the other side and bast this side as well.
Roast for another 10 minutes.
After 50 minutes of total cooking time, the pork should be cooked through and caramelized on top.
Take the pork out of the oven, bast with the remaining marinade, and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve with a side of plain rice and vegetables.
Enjoy!
Char Siu Pork
Ingredients
- 1½ kg pork shoulder
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoons five spice powder
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- ⅛ teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons maltose or honey
- 1 tablespoon hot water
Instructions
For the marinade:
- Cut the pork shoulder into long strips or chunks, about 10 cm (3 inches) thick. Do not trim any fat, as it will make the pork juicier and add more flavor to the pork.
- In a bowl combine sugar, salt, five spice powder, pepper, sesame oil, wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, food coloring (optional) and garlic.
- Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl, cover and place in the fridge until needed.
- Add the pork chunks/strips to the bowl with the marinade and cover well on all sides. Cover with plastic food wrap and place in the fridge overnight or for about 12 hours.
Roasting:
- Preheat oven to 250-290°C (475-550°F). Place a rack in the upper third of the oven.
- Place a roasting wire rack into a deep baking dish. The wire rack keeps the pork off the pan and allows it to roast more evenly. Pour about 1½ cups of water into to baking dish. This will help prevent the dripping from the pork to burn and smoke.Transfer the marinated pork onto the prepared wire rack.
- Roast the pork in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- In the meantime take the reserved marinade from the fridge, add the honey and 1 tablespoon of hot water, mix well.
- After 25 minutes have passed, flip the pork to the other side. Bast the pork with the reserved marinade and turn the roasting tray 180°, to make sure the pork is roasting evenly.Roast for another 15 minutes.
- After the 15 minutes have passed, bast the pork with the marinade again, flip it to the other side and bast this side as well. Roast for another 10 minutes.
- After 50 minutes of total cooking time, the pork should be cooked through and caramelized on top.
- Take the pork out of the oven, bast with the remaining marinade, and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Serve with a side of plain rice and vegetables.
- Enjoy!
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