Sticky, shiny Char Siu Pork with tender meat, caramelised edges and that impossible to resist savoury-sweet Chinese language barbecue flavour. Right here’s how one can make it at dwelling!
Nicky’s Notes
These little bits of char siu pork you get in particular fried rice and Singapore noodles are the very best bits, aren’t they?
Sticky, candy, savoury, barely smoky, with these caramelised edges that are going to be further tasty.
Lower it into slices and serve with rice, over noodles, stuffed into bao buns, or chop into bite-size items so as to add to fried rice and Singapore noodles (recipe coming quickly).
Boy! This recipe took some makes an attempt to crack, however we bought there ultimately. Particular factors:
- Don’t use pork shoulder steaks or pork tenderloin (too skinny or lean and can possible dry out earlier than the sides caramelize).
- Don’t use an excessive amount of pink meals dye (Chris and the youngsters had pink tongues and fingers for the remainder of the day).
- Do stab the pork a lot of occasions with a fork to tenderize the meat and assist it to soak up the marinade flavours.
- Do use a boneless, rindless pork shoulder joint and chop it into good huge chunks. These items may have a little bit of fats to maintain the meat tender, and so they’re large enough to remain moist within the center, however nonetheless have loads of floor space for the marinade and baste to cling to.
- Do use a wire rack over a lined roasting tray when you’ve got one. It helps the warmth flow into across the pork, so the sides caramelise extra evenly as an alternative of sitting within the juices.
- Do line that tray nicely too (and even higher use a disposable foil tray). Sticky glaze is superb on pork and deeply annoying on washing-up.
📋 Elements for Char Siu Pork
***Full recipe with detailed portions within the recipe card beneath***
What minimize of pork for Char Siu Pork?
- I take advantage of a boneless, rindless pork shoulder joint chopped into giant chunks. I discover this works greatest for Char Siu Pork as a result of it’s flavourful, reasonably priced and simple to search out in UK supermarkets. It has sufficient marbling to remain tender whereas roasting, which makes it an amazing selection for sticky pork recipes the place you need juicy meat and caramelised edges.
- I examined with pork shoulder steaks, however discovered they’re too skinny, so that they overcook earlier than caramelised correctly. Additionally, you don’t get these good extensive slices (simply skinny slivers).
- I additionally examined with pork tenderloin however discovered it dried out extra simply (earlier than the skin caramelised correctly) and this minimize doesn’t give fairly the identical wealthy, succulent Chinese language BBQ pork texture, because of the truth it’s a lot leaner.
The right way to get the pink color on Char Siu Pork
Pink meals gel offers the perfect color. Go for the gel, somewhat than pink meals liquid dye, because it’s stronger and also you want much less for the good deep pink color.
Pink meals dye swap:
You may depart the pink meals dye out for those who don’t wish to use meals colouring, or swap for 1–2 tablespoons of liquid from a jar of pink fermented bean curd. It will give the pork a extra conventional savoury depth in addition to a reddish color, although the color will likely be slightly extra muted so that you received’t get the identical brilliant color that you simply get from the Chinese language restaurant.
NOTE: Pink bean curd liquid is salty, so it’s essential scale back the saltiness elsewhere barely. You are able to do this by decreasing the quantity of soy sauce within the recipe to 1-2 tbsp (as an alternative of three).
Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps within the recipe card beneath***
Lower the pork into giant items, prick throughout, then marinate for 4–24 hours. Roast on a rack over a foil-lined tray with boiling water beneath at 190C/375F fan for quarter-hour. Baste, roast for quarter-hour, then repeat as soon as extra. Brush with the remaining baste, enhance to 230C/450F fan and cook dinner for 10 minutes to frivolously char. Relaxation earlier than slicing.
Recipe Ideas
- Earlier than marinating, stab the chunks of pork a lot of occasions with a fork on all sides. This helps to tenderize the pork, with out flattening it. It additionally helps the marinade to penetrate the pork higher.
- Don’t go overboard on the pink meals gel. I don’t suggest utilizing greater than 1/2 tsp. I attempted utilizing completely different quantities, and dyed my household’s palms and mouths pink once I used an excessive amount of!!
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🍽️ What to serve it with
Make forward and Leftovers Information
- Char siu pork may be made forward, then cooled coated and refrigerated for as much as 3 days. It’s greatest if left unsliced, however may be sliced, if most well-liked. Or you’ll be able to chop into small chunks if you’re going to make use of it for fried rice or Singapore noodles.
- Heat in a coated dish with a splash of water at 160C/320F fan till piping scorching. If already sliced, reheat slices with slightly oil, in a frying pan over a medium warmth to convey again the sticky edges.
- To freeze, cool it utterly, then wrap tightly or place in an hermetic container and freeze for as much as 3 months. It’s greatest frozen in bigger items somewhat than slices, as this helps maintain it juicier. Defrost in a single day within the fridge, then reheat as per above directions
📺 Watch how one can make it
Pork and Basting components:
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Combine collectively the marinade components in a big bowl.
2 tsp garlic powder, 1.5 tsp Chinese language 5 spice, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce, 5 tbsp (50g) mild brown sugar, 3 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp rice wine, 1/4-1/2 tsp pink meals gel
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Chop the pork into 4 or 5 items – every concerning the measurement of a 250g( 1/2 pound) block of butter. Lower with/alongside the grain (so while you slice it for serving, you will be slicing throughout the grain).
1 kg (2.2lbs) boneless, rindless, pork shoulder joint
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Take the pork items and stab a lot of occasions with a fork on all sides. This helps to tenderize the pork, with out flattening it. It additionally helps the marinade to penetrate the pork higher.
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Add the pork to the marinade and blend the pork round within the marinade to utterly cowl it (it’s possible you’ll wish to use gloves or a set of tongs so that you don’t get pink meals dye in your fingers).
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Cowl the bowl with clingfilm and place within the fridge to marinate for a minimum of 4 hours (as much as 24 hours).
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Take away the pork from the fridge about an hour earlier than you wish to cook dinner it, to let it come nearer to room temperature.
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Preheat the oven to 190C/375F (fan). Line a baking tray with foil and high with a wire rack. Pour 240ml (a cup) of boiling water into the underside of the tray.
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Add the pork to the wire rack and place within the oven for quarter-hour.
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After quarter-hour, combine collectively the basting components. Brush the pork items with 1/3 of the baste. Place again within the oven for quarter-hour.
2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp water
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Brush once more with half of the remaining baste. Place again within the oven for a quarter-hour.
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To complete, we wish to caramelize and char the pork slightly extra. Brush on the remaining baste and switch up the oven to 230C/450F (fan). Prepare dinner, uncovered for a remaining 10 minutes (alternatively, place below a scorching grill/broiler for a 2-3 minutes).
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Permit to relaxation for 10 minutes earlier than slicing and serving.
Energy: 555kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 40g | Fats: 32g | Saturated Fats: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g | Monounsaturated Fats: 14g | Ldl cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 620mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g
Diet info is mechanically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
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