This roasted pork is a staple at Chinese restaurants, typically hung on hooks in front of a display window, glossy red on the outside, juicy on the inside (see Cook’s Note). As for the flavor, it can lean either more sweet or savory. We prefer a slightly sweeter char siu with a twist: the addition of peanut butter lends a subtle nutty flavor that makes the meat even more delicious. Serve it over white rice with a Chinese green vegetable, such as bok choy, and a light drizzle of soy sauce. Any leftovers are great tossed into a stir-fry, fried rice, noodle soups or vegetable side dishes. You can also use the meat to make char siu bao.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 day 3 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless pork shoulder, excess fat removed and cut with the grain into long 1-inch-thick slices
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine or dry sherry
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Chinese fermented red bean curd sauce
- 1 tablespoon peeled, grated ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 pieces Chinese fermented red bean curd
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and white pepper (pre-ground or freshly ground)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
- Place the pork shoulder in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the sugar, cooking wine, hoisin sauce, light soy sauce, peanut butter, red bean curd sauce, ginger, five-spice powder, dark soy sauce, red bean curd, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper in a medium bowl until combined. Strain 1/2 cup of the marinade into a bowl and stir in the honey. Cover the glaze and refrigerate.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into the bag with the pork and “massage” the meat until it’s completely coated. Seal the bag, pressing out as much of the air as possible, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
- When the pork is almost ready, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F with a rack in the center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 2 layers of aluminum foil and top with a wire rack. Generously spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Lay the pork slices on the prepared baking sheet with at least 1 inch between each slice, then pour 1/3 cup cold water into the baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway, until the thickest part of the pork registers 145 degrees F on a meat (or instant-read) thermometer, about 55 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the oven and preheat the broiler on high until super hot.
- Flip the pork slices over and broil until the surface is dry, about 7 minutes. Brush the top of the slices with about half of the refrigerated glaze. Broil until the glaze is caramelized and bubbling, about 9 minutes. Flip the pork slices over again and brush the top with the remaining glaze. Broil until the glaze is caramelized and bubbling, about 9 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes. Cut into pieces, as desired.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1226 |
| Total Fat | 79 g |
| Saturated Fat | 24 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 39 g |
| Protein | 77 g |
| Cholesterol | 242 mg |
| Sodium | 1390 mg |
Reviews
Really good flavor and instructions. I had to use r d miso instead of the bean curd but have found the missing ingredient and will make it again to see how it differs. Reduced the peanut butter by 25% and will probably reduce it to 50% next time so it doesn’t overpower. Watch the broiling closely as my oven gave one side quite a char. Great flavor & texture. I’m looking forward to using it as a filling or component in a variety of other dishes. Thank you!!
I was afraid to try this since it had no reviews, but it looked exactly like what I was hoping for, so I gave it a go. I couldn’t locate the fermented red bean curd, so I had to sub. Google told me I could try to use red miso, but it was $10 at the store, and I needed so little. While I was looking at the Asian section in the supermarket, I found char siu sauce, and I went with that. I was worried it would be too sweet, but when I got it home and opened it, it had that funk I knew the bean curd was adding, so I think that substitution worked out. Also, all the pork shoulders were 8+ lbs, so I bought the smallest pork loin I could find, which was just about 3.4lbs. Those unavoidable changes aside, I followed all the instructions and it was heavenly. All the right flavors, absolutely delicious, and easy to make. I won’t be buying it from a restaurant again!