Chinese Roast Pork (Char Siu)
Published November 5, 1985
- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus 6 hours' marinating time
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
2 pounds boneless lean pork (pork tenderloin, boned butt or shoulder, or boned fresh ham)
1 tablespoon brown bean sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon sherry
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 to 4 servings)
13 grams carbs; 108 milligrams cholesterol; 321 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 521 milligrams sodium; 40 grams protein; 11 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Cut pork into neat billets about 6 by 3 by 1 ½ inches and place in bowl. Put brown bean sauce, garlic, stock, salt, sugar, soy sauce and tomato paste in small saucepan and warm, stirring until everything is well blended. Remove from heat and stir in five-spice powder and sherry. Pour sauce over pork; mix to coat all pieces, cover and allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least 6 hours, turning a few times.
- Step 2
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a large shallow pan half full of hot water on the bottom of the oven (or on the lowest rack). Wipe top rack, which should be at least 7 inches above the water, with paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Turn pork once more in marinade to coat well and place pieces directly on the rack, leaving spaces between them but arranging them so that the drippings will fall into the water (the water will also provide moisture during cooking). Bake 20 minutes.
- Step 3
Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes more. (For sweeter pork, brush pieces lightly during the last 10 minutes with 2 tablespoons honey mixed with 2 tablespoons marinade.)
- Step 4
Remove pork pieces from oven; if it will not be used immediately as an ingredient in one of the following dishes, cool, wrap and refrigerate or freeze until needed. To use, cut into pieces to match the dish you have in mind; for example, dice pork if dish contains diced vegetables.
Private Notes
Comments
Pork tenderloin is recommended by some, but really, I get much better results with well-marbled, boneless pork butt, which will be nice and juicy if not overcooked; pork tenderloin has the wrong texture and it's not going to be juicy like pork butt. I've been meaning to try Grace Young's recipe (Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen 1998) she broils the pork strips 4 inches from the heat until they glaze and start to char, turn and repeat and cook until the pieces reach 155 degrees (I think).
Can someone please tell me what is a billet? thanks
You will find brown bean sauce at Chinese markets/ grocers.
A billet is a chunky piece of wood, such as firewood.
Backed off the sugar to only 3 Tbsp, added hoisin (2 tsp) and sriracha (1 tsp), additional tomato paste, 1 tsp vinegar (rice or dark Chinese). Mirin instead of cooking sherry. Only 1 Tbsp stock. Really delicious, but a mess of an oven!
Buy some pork in bulk, follow the recipe, let it marinate, two days no problem. On the smoker or in the oven. Yumm. I did four, so no worries for a few days.