How to Make Char Siu at Home: A Step-by-Step Guide

Are you a fan of Chinese cuisine? Then, you must have tried char siu at least once in your life. Char siu is a Chinese-style barbecued pork dish that is popular worldwide. It is a perfect blend of sweet, sticky, and savory flavors that everyone loves. If you want to know how to make char siu like a pro, then you are in the right place.

Making char siu at home is relatively easy, and you don’t need any fancy equipment to do it. You can make char siu with just a few ingredients that are readily available at any grocery store. Moreover, you can customize the recipe to fit your taste buds. In this article, we will guide you through a simple and easy-to-follow recipe for making char siu at home. So, let’s get started!

Section: Ingredients and Equipment Needed for Making Char Siu

1. Pork Shoulder or Belly

One of the most important things you need to have when making char siu is a cut of pork shoulder or belly. This cut of meat is perfect for making char siu because of its marbling and fat content. This will ensure that your char siu is tender, juicy, and full of flavor.

2. Char Siu Sauce

Another essential ingredient in making char siu is the char siu sauce. This sauce is a combination of sweet, savory, and salty flavors that give char siu its trademark taste. You can either make your own char siu sauce using different ingredients such as honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, and Chinese five spice, or you can purchase it premade at your local Asian market.

3. Sugar

Char siu is known for its sweetness, and sugar is the ingredient responsible for this. When making char siu, it’s important to use a small amount of sugar to balance out the saltiness and acidity of the char siu sauce. Brown sugar is commonly used in making char siu because of its molasses content, which contributes to the sauce’s flavor.

4. Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is another important ingredient in making char siu. It adds saltiness and umami flavor to the marinade, which will be absorbed by the pork. It’s best to use light, not dark, soy sauce when making char siu.

5. Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is a thick and savory Chinese condiment that is often used in Asian cuisine. It adds a depth of flavor to the char siu sauce, thanks to its combination of sweet and salty flavors. You can substitute hoisin sauce with oyster sauce if you prefer.

6. Shaoxing Wine

Shaoxing wine is a type of Chinese rice wine that is often used in Chinese cooking, including char siu. It has a distinct flavor that enhances the taste of the char siu marinade. If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, you can use dry sherry instead.

7. Five Spice Powder

Five spice powder is a blend of spices commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It contains cinnamon, clove, fennel seed, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns. This spice blend imparts a unique flavor and aroma to the char siu marinade, making it an unmissable ingredient.

8. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a secret ingredient used by many Chinese chefs in their char siu recipe. It helps to tenderize the meat, making it more succulent and juicy. Just a pinch is all you need to transform your char siu from good to great.

9. Bamboo Skewers

When cooking char siu, you’ll need to skewer the pork to grill or bake it. It’s best to use bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning while cooking.

10. Grill or Oven

Finally, you’ll need either a grill or an oven to cook your char siu. If using a grill, it’s best to use a charcoal grill because it imparts a smokey flavor to the char siu. If using an oven, set it to a high temperature to replicate the char from the grill.

Ingredients for Making Char Siu at Home

Char Siu is a Chinese dish that requires a few basic ingredients to make. You can find some of these ingredients in your local Asian market or even online. Let’s take a look at the ingredients that you need to make Char Siu at home.

Pork Belly or Pork Shoulder

The most important ingredient for Char Siu is pork belly or pork shoulder. This cut of pork is perfect for the recipe because it has enough fat content to create a juicy, tender texture. If you can’t find pork belly or pork shoulder in your local market, you can use any other cut of pork that has enough fat content.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a key ingredient that adds flavor and gives the pork a rich, brown color. You can use either light or dark soy sauce, but dark soy sauce will give the pork a darker color. You can also use low-sodium soy sauce if you’re watching your salt intake.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce adds a sweet and savory flavor to the Char Siu recipe. It’s a thick, dark sauce that’s used in many Chinese dishes. If you don’t have hoisin sauce, you can substitute it with oyster sauce or barbecue sauce.

Rice Wine

Rice wine is used to tenderize the pork and add a subtle sweet flavor. If you can’t find rice wine, you can use any other type of cooking wine or rice vinegar.

Honey

Honey adds sweetness and helps to create a sticky glaze on the Char Siu. You can add more or less honey depending on how sweet you want your Char Siu to be. You can also use maple syrup or brown sugar as a substitute for honey.

Ginger

Ginger adds a spicy and aromatic flavor to the Char Siu. You can use fresh or powdered ginger depending on what you have available.

Garlic

Garlic adds a pungent and savory flavor to the Char Siu. You can use fresh garlic if you want a stronger flavor or garlic powder for a milder taste.

Five-Spice Powder

Five-spice powder is a blend of spices that includes cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorn. It gives the Char Siu a rich, flavorful taste.

Red Food Coloring (optional)

Red food coloring is added to give the Char Siu a vibrant red color. It’s optional and not necessary for the recipe.

Bamboo Skewers

Bamboo skewers are used to skewer the pork for grilling. Make sure to soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before using to prevent them from burning on the grill.

Now that you know the ingredients, let’s move on to the next section: preparing the marinade.

Ingredients needed to make char siu

Making char siu is much easier than most of us might think. The ingredients for making char siu are simple yet specific, and getting these ingredients put together is the key to a delicious char siu recipe. Here are five ingredients that you will need to make char siu at home.

Pork shoulder or belly

The cut of meat used in char siu is pork shoulder or belly. For making char siu, you want to choose a cut of meat that has enough fat to get tender and juicy when cooked on low heat. Pork shoulder or belly contains a good amount of fat, which makes it perfect for making char siu.

Hoisin sauce

Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that is commonly used in Chinese cooking. It’s one of the core ingredients in making char siu. The hoisin sauce acts as a flavoring agent and gives the char siu its distinct sweet and savory flavor. You can easily find hoisin sauce in any Chinese grocery store.

Soy sauce

Soy sauce is another must-have ingredient for making char siu. Soy sauce adds a savory flavor to the meat while also giving it a beautiful reddish-brown color. You can use any kind of soy sauce, but it is recommended to use dark soy sauce as it adds a deep color to the meat.

Honey

Honey is used to balance out the flavors of the hoisin and soy sauces and to add sweetness to the char siu. When added with hoisin and soy sauce, honey gives the meat a shiny, caramelized glaze. You can use regular honey or any other sweetener of your choice.

Shaoxing wine

Shaoxing wine is a type of Chinese rice wine that is used for making char siu. It adds a mild, sweet flavor to the meat while also tenderizing it. You can easily find Shaoxing wine in any Chinese grocery store. In case you don’t have access to Shaoxing wine, you can use dry sherry or mirin as a substitute.

In the following section, we will discuss some tips for making the perfect char siu at home.

Wrap It Up!

It’s time to put your newfound culinary skills to the test and whip up a delicious batch of char siu! Don’t forget to marinate the pork overnight and keep an eye on the meat while it’s cooking. When it’s done, serve with steamed rice and your favorite veggies. Thanks for reading, and we hope you’ll visit again soon for more yummy recipes and cooking tips! Happy cooking!