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- 1
Cut the pork
Cut the pork shoulder into long strips or chunks about 2 to 3 inches thick. Don't trim the fat off — it renders down during roasting and is a big part of what makes char siu taste like char siu.
- 2
Mix the marinade
In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, and finely minced garlic. This is your all-in-one marinade and BBQ sauce. That five spice — star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, Sichuan pepper — is the backbone of the whole dish, so don't skip it.
- 3
Marinate overnight
Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a separate covered container in the fridge. Rub the rest all over the pork in a bowl or baking dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. The long soak is where the depth comes from.
- 4
Set up the oven
Preheat the oven to 475F with a rack in the upper third. Line a sheet pan with foil, set a metal rack on top, and place the pork on the rack with space between the pieces. Pour about 1 1/2 cups water into the pan below to keep the drippings from burning.
- 5
Roast
Roast at 475F for the first 10 minutes, then drop the oven to 375F. At 25 minutes total, flip the pork, rotate the pan 180 degrees, and top up the water if the pan has gone dry. Roast another 15 minutes, checking every 10 minutes so nothing scorches.
- 6
Make the glaze and baste
Stir the reserved marinade together with the honey and 1 tablespoon hot water. At 40 minutes of total roasting time, baste the pork on both sides with the glaze and roast a final 10 minutes.
- 7
Finish and rest
After 50 minutes total the pork should be caramelized and cooked through (145F internal). If you want more color, run it under the broiler for a minute or two, but watch it closely — the sugary glaze burns fast. Baste with the last of the sauce, rest 10 minutes, then slice.
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Char Siu (Cantonese BBQ Pork)
Created by: SpiceRouteCooks
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp molasses
- 3 garlic
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Cut the porkCut the pork shoulder into long strips or chunks about 2 to 3 inches thick. Don't trim the fat off — it renders down during roasting and is a big part of what makes char siu taste like char siu.
- Mix the marinadeIn a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, and finely minced garlic. This is your all-in-one marinade and BBQ sauce. That five spice — star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, Sichuan pepper — is the backbone of the whole dish, so don't skip it.
- Marinate overnightReserve about 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a separate covered container in the fridge. Rub the rest all over the pork in a bowl or baking dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. The long soak is where the depth comes from.
- Set up the ovenPreheat the oven to 475F with a rack in the upper third. Line a sheet pan with foil, set a metal rack on top, and place the pork on the rack with space between the pieces. Pour about 1 1/2 cups water into the pan below to keep the drippings from burning.
- RoastRoast at 475F for the first 10 minutes, then drop the oven to 375F. At 25 minutes total, flip the pork, rotate the pan 180 degrees, and top up the water if the pan has gone dry. Roast another 15 minutes, checking every 10 minutes so nothing scorches.
- Make the glaze and basteStir the reserved marinade together with the honey and 1 tablespoon hot water. At 40 minutes of total roasting time, baste the pork on both sides with the glaze and roast a final 10 minutes.
- Finish and restAfter 50 minutes total the pork should be caramelized and cooked through (145F internal). If you want more color, run it under the broiler for a minute or two, but watch it closely — the sugary glaze burns fast. Baste with the last of the sauce, rest 10 minutes, then slice.