Homemade Char Siu (Easy Roasted Chinese BBQ Pork) | PWWB (2024)

Char siu, iconic vibrantly red roasted Chinese BBQ pork, is one of my all-time favorite meals. This particular homemade version is the one my mom made all the time throughout my childhood – it’s truly a treasured family recipe & we’re thrilled to share it with you.

It starts with a char siu marinade, which creates the signature spiced-sweet-savory flavor. Despite the fact that it’s super rich & complex in flavor, our char siu marinade is made with just 4 simple staple ingredients: soy sauce, dark brown sugar, garlic, & Chinese five spice. If you’re after the signature red color, you can add in a few drops of red food coloring, too.

From there, it simply roasts in the oven until the BBQ pork is juicy & tender, with a slight crisp-caramelization around the edges. To take it one step further, we like to finish the pork under the broiler, which is a simple way to emulate traditional Chinese ‘fork roasted’ flavor at home.

Char siu pork is endlessly versatile –serve over a comforting pile of rice or use as a flavorful add-in to stir-fried noodles, steamed bao buns or baked manapua, fried rice, & more!

Ingredients

Scale

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, sliced into 1-inch wide strips
• 1/4 cupdark brown sugar (can sub regular brown sugar if needed)
• 2 tablespoonssoy sauce (can sub tamari if gluten-free)
• 2 teaspoonsChinese five spice
• 1 teaspoongarlic powder
• optional: 1/4 teaspoon red liquid food coloring
• kosher salt & ground white pepper, to season

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1. Prepare the char siu marinade: In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, soy sauce, Chinese five spice, garlic powder, & red food coloring (if using). Season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt & 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper. Whisk to combine well. Transfer 1/4 of the marinade to a small airtight container or jar & reserve for basting the roasted pork.
2. Marinate the pork:Place the pork shoulder in a large airtight container or resealable plastic bag & pour the remaining 3/4 of the char siu marinade over top. Toss to combine, coating the pork in the char siu marinade well.Cover/seal & transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days. The longer you’re able to marinade, the more flavorful the char siu pork.
3. Roasting prep: About 30 minutes before you’re ready to roast, pull the pork out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature for more even cooking. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring one oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven & a second oven rack is positioned directly under the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up as desired. Lightly spray a wire rack with cooking spray & set it in the baking sheet. Transfer the char siu marinated pork to the prepared wire rack, shaking off & discarding any excess marinade.
4. Roast the char siu pork:Place the pork in the preheated oven & roast 30 minutes, basting the pork every 15 minutes. To baste, whisk 1 tablespoon hot water into the reserved char siu sauce from Step 1, above. Use a pastry brush or silicone basting brush to generously brush the diluted char siu sauce all over the surface of the pork. The char siu is ready once it begins to caramelize around the edges & reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 30 minutes.
5. Optional: Finish under the broiler:Preheat your oven’s broiler to its highest setting. Place the roasted char siu under the broiler. Broil 3-4 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the surface of the char siu pork is charred & caramelized as desired – be sure to keep a close eye on it as it broils, as things quickly transition from perfectly caramelized to burnt under the broiler.
6. Serve: Allow the roasted char siu to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing & serving. As far as everyday dinners go, my family likes to slice the char siu into 1/2-inch thick pieces & serve it over rice with a quick & easy veggie, like roasted broccoli or sautéed bok choy or cabbage. Roasted char siu is also amazing tucked into steamed buns, nestled in a bowl of ramen or saimin, or tossed into fried rice or stir fry – try our Hawaiian-Style Pork Chow Fun, one of my all-time favorite comfort food meals!

• Ingredient Notes:
  • Pork shoulder is also commonly called Boston butt or pork butt. For best results for homemade char siu, look for a boneless pork shoulder roast with a nice fat cap & good marbling throughout, which translates to richly flavored, super juicy BBQ pork – absolutely delicious!
  • Dark brown sugar is one of my family’s favorite pantry ingredients for savory-sweet Asian-inspired meals. Made with a more generous amount of molasses than light brown sugar, dark brown sugar tends to be richer in flavor & yields more caramelly results in marinades & sauces. If you only have light brown sugar on hand, feel free to substitute with regular light brown sugar.
  • Chinese Five Spice is a warm spice blend commonly used in Chinese cooking, & it’s a must-have ingredient if you like to cook Chinese-style dishes at home.While the spices can vary in variety & number (sometimes 5 spice blends are made with more or less than 5 spices!), a Five Spice blend typically includes cinnamon, cloves, fennel, & star anise. It’s readily available in Asian grocery stores or in the spice aisle at most conventional grocery stores. My go-to is Simply Organic’s Five Spice Powder.
• Storage & Freezing:
  • Storage & Reheating:Leftover char siu will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
  • Freezing Instructions:Because char siu is a great pupu or add-in for stir fries & soups, I like keeping some on hand in my freezer at all times. To freeze, place cooled, sliced bbq pork in a freezer bag, ensuring all of the air is removed from the bag when you seal. Freeze up to 3 months.To thaw, place the frozen char siu in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer bag in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Easily reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.