【Honey-Glazed Char Siu Pork】
Ingredients:
750g pork belly
2 tbsp honey char siu marinade (diluted with water as needed)
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp sweet bean sauce
4 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise pods
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves (crushed)
Scallions and ginger to taste
Honey to taste
Instructions
1. Rinse pork belly, cut into long strips, and drain thoroughly.
2. Mix honey char siu marinade with water until smooth. Combine remaining seasonings, coat pork thoroughly, and massage to infuse flavor.
3. Place marinated pork in a resealable bag. Refrigerate for 12 hours.
4. Place marinated pork belly in oven. Bake at 250°C (480°F) for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for another 10 minutes.
5. Finally, brush baked pork with honey and bake for 1 more minute.
Tips
When selecting pork belly, avoid cuts that are too lean or too fatty. Lean cuts tend to dry out during roasting and lack flavor. The best choice is pork belly with a good balance of lean meat and marbling. If honey-glazed char siu sauce isn't available, increase the amount of granulated sugar.
Method Two
Main Ingredients: 600g pork hind leg
Char Siu Sauce Ingredients:
Cooking wine (as needed)
1 tbsp white sugar
3 tbsp honey yuzu tea
60ml orange juice
2.5 tbsp light soy sauce
2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
2 pieces red fermented tofu (sufficient for orange flavor)
Five-spice powder (as needed)
A pinch of salt (optional)
Minced scallions and ginger
A small amount of cornstarch slurry
Other Ingredients:
A small amount of vegetable oil
Method
1. Make the char siu sauce: First, dissolve the fermented bean curd in its own liquid. Add all ingredients except the cornstarch mixture and stir well. Heat the sauce, then add a little cornstarch slurry to thicken it slightly. Set aside to cool.
2. Rinse the pork, pat dry, and cut into large chunks (preferably slightly thin for even cooking; mine were a bit thick and took an hour to roast).
3. Coat the meat with the char siu sauce mixture, then refrigerate for 24 hours to marinate.
4. Preheat oven to 428°F (220°C). Line a baking rack with foil. Arrange marinated meat on the rack and roast on the middle rack for one hour. After 20 minutes, brush with char siu sauce and continue roasting. Flip the meat every 15 minutes, brushing with sauce each time. Brush with oil during the final 10 minutes and again 5 minutes before finishing.
5. Slice the roasted char siu pork and serve.
Method Three
Ingredients: 500g pork tenderloin
Seasonings: 3 slices ginger, 25g char siu sauce, honey to taste
Instructions
1. Rinse the pork tenderloin.
2. Cut into large chunks approximately 1.5 inches long.
3. Place meat chunks in a large bowl. Add ginger and 2 tablespoons char siu sauce (the sauce is already quite salty, no need to add salt, MSG, or other seasonings. Also, omit cooking wine, as it causes the meat to release water, diluting the sauce and preventing it from coating the meat thickly. If the meat has a strong odor, marinate it first with cooking wine, scallions, ginger, or a splash of lemon juice for one hour. Pat dry before coating with char siu sauce.)
4. After mixing, use a toothpick to prick small holes densely on every surface of the meat chunks. Then knead by hand for 2 minutes to help the flavors penetrate better. Seal and refrigerate for 24 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) with top and bottom heat. Arrange meat evenly on a baking rack and roast for about 5 minutes until the sauce on the surface caramelizes and forms a crust.
6. Brush honey evenly over the entire surface of the meat, ensuring every side is coated.
7. Reduce heat to 180°C (350°F) and roast for another 20 minutes. For a thicker, glossier honey glaze, brush again halfway through.
8. Remove the roasted meat, let it cool, then slice and serve.
Cooking Tips
This dish is a classic in Cantonese roast meats. Many people love the salty-sweet flavor of char siu pork. The secret to making it well is:
First, choose the right cut. Pork shoulder (also called plum blossom pork, with marbled fat) is ideal. Pork tenderloin or loin are good alternatives. Personally, I also like pork leg with a bit of fat trimmed off—it yields meat with more oil and better texture. Pure lean meat tends to be a bit dry.
Second, select the right sauce. Choosing a char siu sauce with a rich flavor and deep color is half the battle won.
Third, you absolutely must use an oven with strong heat. Otherwise, the meat will turn out tough and unappetizing.
Finally, be sure to brush on plenty of honey glaze. This gives the finished product a glossy, appealing sheen. Also, remember to let it cool completely before slicing and plating. Cutting it while hot will cause the meat to fall apart and lose its shape.