Cantonese-style pork BBQ (char siu)
Pork shoulder (called butt in some regions) cut into the shape of a log is marinated in five-spice powder, Shao Xing rice wine, sugar, soy sauce, sesame seed oil and hoisin sauce, and roasted over high heat.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram skinless pork shoulder butt, (2.2 pounds) do not trim off the fat
Marinade
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shao Xing rice wine
- ½ teaspoon sesame seed oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic
For brushing
- 2 tablespoons marinade
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
Marinate the pork
- Rinse the pork, pat dry with paper towels and place in a shallow bowl.
- Mix all the ingredients for the marinade until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved.
- Pour the marinade over the pork then massage into the meat.
- Cover the bowl and keep in the fridge overnight. For bette results, turn the pork over midway.
Roast the pork
- Preheat the oven to 420F.
- Place a rack over a tray and position the pork on the rack (reserve the marinade left in the bowl where the pork had soaked).
- Pour an inch of water into the tray.
- Roast the pork for 15 minutes, turn it over and roast for another 15 minutes at 400F (if the pork is well browned after the first 15 minutes, roast at 375F instead of 400F for the next 15 minutes).
- Take the pork out of the oven and brush the surface with the marinade-honey mixture.
- Turn down the heat to 375F (if you haven't already) and roast the pork for another 20 minutes.
Rest the pork and slice
- Take the tray out of the oven and place a foil tent loosely over the pork. Leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.
- Transfer the char siu to a cutting board and slice.