Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Step 1

Marinate the pork:In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the char siu except the pork shoulder (hoisin sauce, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, bean curd, red yeast rice or food coloring, garlic powder, and five spice powder).*We recommend smashing up the fermented bean curd in the bowl using the back of a spoon or fork first to make mixing easier.*

Step 2

Place the pork shoulder or country ribs into a resealable bag, along with the prepared marinade. Using the bag, rub and massage the marinade all over the pork. Refrigerate and allow the pork to marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.*You can also marinate the pork in a baking dish. Just make sure to cover tightly before refrigerating.*

Step 3

Roast the pork:Preheat the oven to 425°F, with the baking rack positioned in the middle of the oven. Also, prepare a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and a roasting rack.

Step 4

While waiting on the oven to preheat, place the marinated pork on the prepared roasting rack, leaving as much space in between each piece as possible. Reserve the leftover marinade and transfer it into a bowl.

Step 5

Place the pork into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, flip each piece of pork and baste on a layer of the reserved marinade. If the marinade dripping starts to burn, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan, refill the water as needed if the pan becomes dry.*Every oven is different, and usually require more time to preheat than when the oven signals that it's preheated. We suggest allowing the oven to preheat for at least 15 minutes, but it is best to keep an oven thermometer in the oven for the most accurate temperature reading.*

Step 6

Make the honey glaze:While the char siu is roasting, make the honey glaze by combining the honey and water in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

Step 7

Finish:After the final 15 minutes of roasting (a total of 45 minutes), the pork should be juicy and perfectly cooked on the inside and slightly charred and caramelized on the outside. If the char siu is not caramelized enough, you can set the oven to the high broil setting for a couple of minutes. Make sure to keep a very careful eye on the char siu! The broiling function is very hot and can burn the sweet char siu marinade in seconds!*Also, depending on the thickness of your pork cuts, the cook time could vary. You can use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the char siu has reached 145°F, as suggested by USDA.*

Step 8

Once the char siu is done roasting, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. While resting, lightly brush some prepared honey glaze on the char siu. Make sure to use a clean brush and tongs!

Step 9

After resting, cut the char siu into ¼ inch slices or your desired thickness. Drizzle a bit more honey glaze on the char siu and enjoy!