Char Siu -Roast/Barbecued Pork

CELEBRATING VICTORIA DAY!

Victoria Day is the distinctly Canadian holiday that serves as the official marker to end winter. For Canadians, this is the first long week-end since Easter and a good excuse to celebrate the beginning of the summer season. Camping and barbecuing are the name of the game but this year in view of the pandemic crisis, things are quite a bit more subdued.

In keeping with the spirit of a ‘seasonal barbecue’ on this holiday, Brion & I are having some char siu pork tenderloin.

Char siu is a dish made from seasoned boneless pork. The pork is covered in a sweet, savory glaze and placed on wooden skewers or forks over low heat. Its 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.

Char siu has been around for many years and was generally roasted over a fire. Nowadays, its either cooked in an oven or on an outdoor grill. No matter which way you choose to cook char siu, the shiny red glaze gives it a very unique look and flavor. Char siu doesn’t have a lot of fancy ingredients or a complicated procedure. Instead, it pairs a tasty marinade with a lean cut of quality meat for a super good meal.

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Char Siu - Chinese Roast/Barbecued Pork

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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

American, Asia

Keyword

char siu chinese barbecued pork

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 Tbsp LIGHT soy sauce
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 Tbsp veg oil
• 2 tsp red food coloring (optional)

Meat

• 1.2 - 1.5 kg (2.4 - 3 lbs.) pork tenderloin
• 2 Tbsp EXTRA honey

Course Main Dish Cuisine American, Asia Keyword char siu chinese barbecued pork Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Marinade 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 3 Tbsp LIGHT soy sauce 1 tsp five-spice powder 1 Tbsp veg oil 2 tsp red food coloring (optional) Meat 1.2 - 1.5 kg (2.4 - 3 lbs.) pork tenderloin 2 Tbsp EXTRA honey

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

Instructions

Marinade

1. Whisk marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Cut pork in half horizontally to make two long, flat, thin pieces about 2 X 1-inches in thickness. Place the pork & marinade in a zip-lock bag. Marinate 24 - 48 hours in refrigerator (3 hours is the bare minimum). Soak wooden skewers in water while meat marinades.

To Roast

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a deep baking tray with foil.
2. Remove pork from marinade, save marinade. Thread meat onto soaked skewers. The skewers will naturally suspend the meat above the baking tray with plenty of room to ensure that the meat is cooked evenly from all sides. A small amount of water in the bottom of the baking tray will help to keep the meat moist while its roasting.
3. Pour reserved marinade in a saucepan & combine with the 2 Tbsp of extra honey. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat & cook for 2 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat.
4. Around halfway through roasting, baste generously with the reserved marinade. Try to get as much marinade on the meat as possible as it is the key for getting the thick glossy glaze. When finished roasting, the meat should be tender but not falling apart. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Recipe Notes

• One of the key ingredients that gives char siu its wonderful taste is hoisin sauce.
• Chinese five spice refers to a mixture of spices used commonly in Chinese cooking. Each brand varies in terms of content.