Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) Recipe

The first thing you notice about good char siu is the lacquer: a sticky, mahogany-colored coating that clings to the pork and catches at the edges without tasting burnt. This version gets there with a straightforward mixture of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, five-spice powder, and garlic. Pork shoulder is especially well suited to the job because its fat keeps the meat juicy while it roasts, and its slightly firm texture gives you the thin, meaty slices that make char siu so satisfying. A few drops of red food coloring are optional; they create the familiar restaurant-style red exterior, but the glaze will still taste right without it. For the best texture, cut the two-pound shoulder into long pieces rather than roasting it as one thick roast. More surface area means more marinade on every bite and a better balance of caramelized crust to tender pork. I usually combine the hoisin, soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, five-spice, and crushed garlic, then turn the pork through it thoroughly. Even a short marinating period while the oven heats makes a difference, though overnight is excellent if you are planning ahead. The honey helps the coating become glossy, but it also makes the pork easy to scorch, so the final glaze needs a little supervision. Roast the pork on a rack set over a foil-lined pan, with a little water in the pan to catch drips and make cleanup less painful. Turn the pieces once or twice and brush them with the reserved marinade as they cook; if you want to reuse marinade that has touched raw pork, boil it first. Near the end, brush on a fresh layer and raise the heat or use the broiler briefly to set the sticky edges. Stay close during this step—char siu can go from beautifully blistered to bitter in less than a minute. The pork is ready when it is cooked through and the thickest piece feels tender; let it rest before slicing so the juices do not run onto the cutting board. Serve the slices warm over steamed jasmine rice, tucked into bao, or alongside simple greens such as bok choy with garlic. I also like it with cucumber salad or quick-pickled vegetables, whose cool acidity cuts through the sweet glaze. It makes a particularly good dinner when served with rice and a fried egg, but leftovers are just as useful: chop them into fried rice, fold them into noodles, or add them to a bowl of congee. Expect about six servings, depending on how generously you slice the pork.