Ingredient: rice vinegar

The meatball is a food that transcends cultures. Char siu pork meatballs, are one of the most popular pork dishes in Chinese/Cantonese cuisine and one of the most ordered dishes in restaurants.

They are full of all the flavors we love in Chinese food takeout. Salty, sweet, smoky, charred edges with juicy tender pork inside. Todays recipe was inspired by Chinese char siu with the use of 5-spice powder giving them that unmistakable flavor. This is a blend of star anise, fennel seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, and Chinese cinnamon.

Char siu, loses something in its basic English name, barbecued pork. This sweetly marinated and basted meat has become a symbol of comfort food in Cantonese cuisine and means so much more than just barbecued or roasted meat.

The traditional dish is made from seasoned boneless pork. The pork is covered in a sweet, savory glaze and placed on wooden skewers or forks over low heat. It’s cooked until tender but not falling apart. The use of the skewers changes how the meat cooks. It should heat slowly and evenly from all sides. The char siu marinade is very distinctive in its flavor. Many cuts of pork can be used in char siu such as neck meat, pork belly and pork butt. Just about any lean boneless cut will work but I like pork tenderloin the best.

Meatballs are one of those creations that can be used in many different applications. The flavor profile can be varied with different spices or sauces. When they are paired with rice or noodles, they make a good main course. Alternatively, they are perfect as an appetizer or even just a snack. You can also make them in bulk and freeze them for use later. What’s not to love about something so versatile?

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Chinese Char Siu Pork Meatballs

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Rating: 5
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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Chinese

Keyword

Chinese pork meatballs

Servings

MEATBALLS MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 454 gm ground pork
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 2 pinches white pepper
• 3 Tbsp oil

Sweet & Spicy Sauce

• 2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Course Main Dish Cuisine Chinese Keyword Chinese pork meatballs Servings MEATBALLS MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Meatballs 454 gm ground pork 1 Tbsp cornstarch 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp brown sugar 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp five-spice powder 2 pinches white pepper 3 Tbsp oil Sweet & Spicy Sauce 2 Tbsp sesame oil 2 Tbsp honey 2 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp cold water 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Votes: 1 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Meatballs

1. In a large bowl, combine pork, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, five-spice powder & pepper. Mix well. Divide mixture into 20 pieces & roll into balls.
2. in a skillet, heat oil. Fry meatballs in batches. Cook without moving for about 2 minutes or until the bottoms are cooked through. Use a spatula to carefully rotate the meatballs to cook on the other sides. Remove from skillet to paper towel.

Sauce

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine all your sauce ingredients except the water and cornstarch. Pour your sauce mix in the skillet heat over medium low heat.
2. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and pour in the skillet while stirring continuously. When the sauce begins to thicken add the meatballs back to the skillet and allow it to cook over low for 3-4 minutes, until they are coated.