• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Christie at Home
  • Asian Recipes
    • By Region
      • Chinese
      • Filipino
      • Indonesian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Malaysian
      • Taiwanese
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • By Course
      • Mains
      • Breakfast
      • Dessert
      • Appetizers/Sides
      • Beverages
      • Snacks
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • ABOUT
    • Work with Me
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Asian Recipes
  • Shop
  • About
  • Newsletter Subscription
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Char Siu

    Last Modified: October 19, 2022 - Published by: christieathome

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork). Delicious, charred, sweet, and savory barbeque pork with a Chinese five spice flavor.

    Char Siu

    A popular meat served at many Cantonese restaurants. Easy to make at home.

    This is a very popular marinated pork with a delicious barbeque flavor in Cantonese cuisine. It's pronounced as "Cha Siu". I'll be sharing an authentic char siu recipe that uses red fermented tofu instead of red food coloring.

    char siu

    When I was young, char siu was often a weekly meal and one of my favorite meat dishes in Chinese food. My mother would make her homemade version or when time was of the essence, she'd pick it up from the Chinese restaurants. It was that or Chinese Roast Pork. Both equally delicious.

    Char Siu

    Easy Recipe

    This char siu recipe is incredibly easy to make at home in your oven! In fact, it super simple! Combine the marinade ingredients and marinate the pork for at least 6 hours or overnight for best results.

    Then the next day roast it over a wired rack with a water bath underneath to help keep the pork juicy while basting it every 10 minutes. It’s that simple and now you can have char siu at home!

    Char Siu

    What does char siu taste like?

    Imagine a tender juicy piece of pork where the outside is flavoured with a sweet brown sugary hoisin taste and the inside is more savoury thanks to the Chinese Five Spice. 

    Ingredients

    You will need the following key ingredients to make this char siu pork recipe. **Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements***

    • Pork butt: I personally find this to be the best cut of meat for this recipe as it has a perfect balance of fat to meat ratio. Boneless pork shoulder could work as well. You may use pork belly for fatty cuts or pork tenderloin for a very lean version. However, if you use the latter, please use a meat thermometer and when the internal temperature reaches 145 F pull the cooked char siu out of the oven to prevent overcooking. I wouldn't suggest pork loin as it's too lean.

    Char Siu Marinade:

    • Honey: This is the main ingredient to give your own char siu sauce that sweet flavor. Any plain honey will work.
    • Red fermented bean curd: This is the key ingredient that gives the pork that red color. We won't be using any red food colouring to mirror the traditional cooking method. Many Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.
    • Hoisin sauce: This also gives the marinade that sweet barbeque flavor that many traditional recipes use. It also gives the meat that dark brown flavor. Many Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.
    • Brown sugar: Any light or dark brown sugar will work for this recipe. I like using the darker kind. This also helps to brown the outside of the meat and give the meat that sweet taste.
    • Regular soy sauce: We are using all-purpose regular soy sauce. The label will just say "Soy Sauce". Do not use light soy sauce or dark soy sauce for this recipe. Many Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.
    • Chinese five-spice powder: A seasoning powder made of Chinese cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, and cloves with some ginger, white pepper or Sichuan peppercorns. Many Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.
    • Shaoxing wine: Or you may sub with Dry Sherry Wine. Many Asian grocery stores or online retailers like Amazon will carry this ingredient.

    Equipment needed:

    • Wire rack
    • Aluminum foil
    • Rimmed Baking Sheet, Deep Baking Pan or a Roasting Pan
    • Small bowl

    How to make Char Siu

    Below are steps on how to make this simple char siu recipe:

    In a bowl, mix together Marinade ingredients. You may need a fork to crush the red fermented bean curd cubes into a paste. Set aside.

    Slice your pork into two long equal sized pieces. When you cut, try to cut in a way that both parts will equally contain enough fat marbling through it.

    Pour the marinade into a sealable container or Ziplock bag and place pork into the marinade. Ensure enough marinade coats the top of the pork if using a container. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

    Line your baking pan with aluminum foil and fill it ¼ of the way with water. Place a wire rack over top and make sure there is enough space between the rack and the water, so the pork doesn’t touch the water as it roasts.

    wired rack

    Place pork on the wired rack giving enough space between each other. Bake for 10 minutes.

    Char Siu

    Meanwhile, mix together basting sauce.

    basting sauce for Char Siu

    Remove the pork from the oven and baste ensuring all of the pork is covered in the glaze. Bake for 10 minutes.

    basting Char Siu

    Then remove the pork from the oven and baste again. Bake for 10 minutes. Repeat one more time. (You should baste a total of 3 times and bake 4 times at 10 minute intervals).

    basting char siu

    Broil it for 5 minutes by raising the temperature to 500 degrees F until the edges become charred. Make sure the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees F.

    Char Siu

    Remove from the oven and allow this to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing against the grain.

    Char Siu

    FAQ

    How long will char siu last?

    This main dish is amazing as leftovers! It will last up to 4-5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave it or reheat it in the oven again until warm.

    What to serve with char siu pork?

    It can be served with many side dishes but in Asian cuisine, a simple and great way to enjoy this is with white rice, leafy greens like bok choy. I also enjoy having my char siu in soup noodles or even lo mein! But there are many other ways to use this meat which I’ve listed below.

    What are Other Uses for Char Siu

    The best part about this recipe is that the leftover char siu can be repurposed in other dishes like:

    • Fried rice
    • Char Siu Bao (Chinese BBQ Pork Buns) or Bao Buns
    • Chow mein or lo mein
    • Sandwich
    • Omelets
    • Noodle soup

    Which cut of pork should I use?

    The best cut of pork for this recipe are pork butt, boneless pork shoulder. Anything cut with fat marbling through it. I tend to use pork butt or neck as it contains more fat which gives you juicier char siu! You may also use pork belly for a more indulgent version. I would not suggest using pork chops.

    What is char siu sauce made of?

    It is made of hoisin sauce, fermented red bean curd for colour, soy sauce, brown sugar, Chinese Five Spice, and Shaoxing wine (or Chinese cooking wine). It is then basted in a honey, hoisin glaze with the fermented red bean curd.

    Why is Chinese BBQ pork red?

    It is naturally red thanks to the fermented red bean curd. Therefore, no food colouring is used in this recipe.

    Where can I buy fermented Red Bean Curd?

    You can find it at most Asian grocers in the sauce aisle.

    Cooking Tip

    Cut the pork to ensure enough marbling in each piece

    This is important. Ideally you want to cut it into two long pieces but if one piece is missing a lot of fat marbling, that piece will be very dry.

    Let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes after roasting

    Allow this to sit and rest until it reaches room temperature. You want to allow the meat to absorb the juices. If you cut it too soon, the juices will leak out easily resulting in drier pork.

    Other recipes you may like!

    If you enjoyed this recipe, you may like these other recipes:

    • Chinese Roast Pork
    • Soy Hoisin Chicken Thighs
    • Hoisin Baked Ribs
    • Chicken Adobo
    • Mongolian Chicken
    • Soy Maple Glazed Chicken

    I hope you give my Char Siu a try and enjoy it!

    If you enjoyed my simple recipe, please leave a star rating and share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture of your re-creation and make sure to tag me @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories as I would love to see it!

    Christie

    *This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

    christieathome
    Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork). Delicious, charred, sweet,and savory barbeque pork with a Chinese five spice flavour. A popular meatserved at many Cantonese restaurants. Easy to make at home.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 4
    Calories per serving 380 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb Pork butt (aka boneless pork shoulder or pork belly for a fattier cut)

    Marinade:

    • ⅛ cup Honey
    • ⅓ cup Red fermented bean curd
    • ¼ cup Hoisin sauce
    • ¼ cup Brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup regular soy sauce (not light or dark soy sauce)
    • 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
    • ⅛ cup Shaoxing Wine (or sub with Chinese Cooking Wine or Dry Sherry)

    Basting Sauce:

    • 3 tablespoon Honey
    • 2 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
    • 2 tablespoon Red fermented bean curd

    Instructions
     

    • In a bowl, whisk together Marinade ingredients. You may need a fork to crush the fermented bean curd cubes into a paste. Set aside.
    • Slice pork butt into two long equal pieces at about 2 inches thick x 3 inches wide and 6 inches long. It's okay if you're off by a few centimeters, this is just an approximation. When you cut, try to cut in a way that both parts will equally contain enough fat marbling through it.
    • Pour the marinade into a sealable container or zip lock bag and place pork into the marinade. Ensure enough marinade coats the top of the pork. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
    • Line your large deep baking dish with foil and fill it ¼ of the way with water. Place a wired rack over top and make sure there is enough space between the rack and the water so the pork doesn’t touch the water as it roasts.
    • Place pork loins on the wired rack giving enough space between each piece. Bake for 10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, whisk together your basting glaze.
    • Remove the pork from the oven and baste ensuring all of the pork is covered in the glaze. Bake for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the pork from the oven and baste again. Bake for 10 minutes. Repeat this step one more time. (You should baste a total of 3 times and bake 4 times at 10 minute intervals).
    • Finally broil it for 5 minutes by raising the temperature to 500 degrees F until the edges become charred. Make sure the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees F.
    • Remove from the oven and allow this to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyPlease do not copy and paste my recipes or use my photos in your own site/blog or social media. If you use my recipe for adaptation, please provide a link back to my recipe and re-write in your own words. Thank you.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Deep baking pan 9 x 13 inches
    Aluminum Foil
    Small wire rack
    Measuring Set
    Cutting Board
    Silicone brush
    Nutrition
    Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 1575mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine Chinese
    Keyword char siu and rice, char siu at home, char siu dishes, char siu easy recipe, char siu glaze recipe, char siu ingredients, char siu recipe, char siu sauce

    More Mains

    • Pad See Ew
    • mongolian chicken
      Mongolian Chicken
    • Spam Kimbap
    • chinese beef and broccoli
      Chinese Beef and Broccoli

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you enjoy my recipe? Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Michelle | Sift & Simmer

      January 02, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      5 stars
      Char siu is such a classic! I could eat it with rice everyday! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Tasia ~ two sugar bugs

      January 05, 2021 at 12:09 am

      5 stars
      I'm always drooling with your recipes!! This char siu looks insanely delish! Cannot wait to try it!

      Reply
    3. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      January 18, 2021 at 3:15 pm

      The sweet sugary taste of the pork you described sounds absolutely heavenly today. This would be so tasty served with either rice or noodles! 😋

      Reply
    4. Brian

      November 03, 2022 at 9:17 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe, I believe pork butt (aka Boston butt) and pork shoulder are the exact same cut.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        November 03, 2022 at 4:58 pm

        Thanks for making my recipe and for sharing that information with me! Learn something new everyday!

        Reply
    5. Marina

      December 04, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      Hello, can I use maple syrup instead of honey?

      Reply
      • christieathome

        December 05, 2022 at 1:32 pm

        Hi Marina! Yes, absolutely!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 500k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

    More about me →

    Footer

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Home

    • Home
    • Asian Recipes
    • Shop
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • About
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Christie at Home