Char Siu Pork is brined and marinated pork shoulder that’s roasted to perfection. The caramelized sauce lends a sweet and savory flavor to every bite.
What is Char Siu?
Char Siu (pronounced “char-shoo”) is a Cantonese roasted meat – typically pork – is known for its sticky, sweet, and savory flavors as well as its charred deep red color.
The term translates to “fork roasted,” and in some Chinese-American restaurants today, you might find Char Siu served on skewers with a small flame for roasting. Oven roasted Char Siu is also common.
To achieve the distinctive flavor and appearance, slices of pork shoulder (also called pork butt) are brined, then marinated in Char Siu Sauce (see that recipe here), before roasting the pork to perfection. The sugars and other ingredients in the sauce caramelize as the pork cooks resulting in deep rich flavor in every bite.
One quick note: Char Sui Pork – including the pork you’ll find at most Chinese restaurants – is often prepared in thinner slices than shown in our photos. Because the meat can sometimes end up somewhat dry and chewy, our recipe includes a brine step and also recommends cutting the pork into thicker slices. This way, the pork cooks up juicier and more tender while still with the same delicious flavors.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Char Siu Sauce – Make our homemade sauce following this recipe, or buy a jarred sauce.
- Brine – Water, salt and granulated sugar.
- Pork – Boneless pork shoulder (this cut of pork is also known as pork butt)
- Honey
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- Note that this recipe includes a brine step AND a marinade step.
- Prepare your Char Siu Sauce ahead of time. You’ll need it for marinating the pork before cooking.
- We broiled our pork at the end of the cooking time to achieve some charring of the meat. If you prefer not to char the outside by broiling, then leave the meat in the oven longer until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Then, out of the oven, let the meat rest for ten minutes with a piece of foil tented over the top.
- If you’d like to make a variation of this recipe using pork tenderloin, click here.
Char Siu Pork
Char Siu Pork is brined and marinated pork shoulder that’s roasted to perfection. The caramelized sauce lends a sweet and savory flavor to every bite.
- Prep Time: 48 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 49 hours
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: entree
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Ingredients
3–4 pounds boneless pork butt (pork shoulder)
1 quart of water
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 quart of ice cubes to cool and dilute the brine
2 cups of Char Siu Sauce (see homemade here or buy online)
1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- Separate the pork butt into three of four pieces that are at least two inches thick. Separate the pieces at the natural fat lines between the muscles. The pieces will be uneven and not uniform.
- Make a brine by combining water, sugar and salt and boil to dissolve salt and sugar. Add ice to cool.
- Place pork pieces in a gallon zip lock bag with the cooled brine. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Discard brine and rinse the pork. Place back into the bag and marinate with one cup of the Char Siu Sauce. Place back into the refrigerator for another 24 hours.
- Line a sheet tray with foil and place a rack over the pan. Spray the rack with kitchen pan spray.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Remove pork from the marinade and place onto the prepared sheet tray, fat side up. Discard marinade.
- Combine a half cup of Char Siu Sauce with the honey. Brush some on the top of the pork and place it in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip each piece and brush with more of the sauce/honey mixture and cook for 15 minutes more.
- If serving with rice, start to cook that now.
- Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F. and continue to brush and flip the pork every 15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F. Check the internal temperature of all pieces and remove the smaller pieces that reach 135 degrees F first and continue to cook the larger pieces until they reach 135 degrees F.
- Turn oven to broil. Place all pieces back onto the rack. Brush the pork one last time and then broil to char the fat side, approximately five minutes or so. Check every minute.
- Remove from the oven, cover loosely with a piece of foil and let rest for ten minutes. The temperature of the pork will rise to the safe internal temperature of 145 degrees F with this carryover heat.
- Place the cooked pieces on a cutting board and cut against the grain into quarter inch slices and serve with rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Char Siu Pork ahead of time? Yes. Make the sauce ahead, brine it ahead and marinate ahead. The process will take 48 hours.
- How do I store leftovers? Store refrigerated for up three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? Gently reheat the meat in the microwave for a few seconds. Avoid over cooking so the meat doesn’t get rubbery.
- Can I freeze? Yes, freeze slices in airtight zipper seal bags.
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