Char Siu (Chinese Barbecued Pork)
This is the traditional Chinese Barbecued pork that used to be served as an appetizer in every Chinese restaurant. The best cut of meat for this is something with plenty of fat or marbling. Do not use pork loin. It lacks both the moisture and the flavor that a fattier meat will provide.
3 pounds pork shoulder, or butt
2 cloves garlic, mashed
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
a few drops red food coloring, optional
Cut the pork into strips approximately 2 inches wide and 5 inches long. Whisk together the rice wine or sherry, hoisin sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, liquid honey, sugar, mashed garlic, ginger and five-spice powder. If using the red food coloring, add it now.
Place the pork and the marinade in a zip-top bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator, for at least 6 hours or up to 2 days, the longer the better.
Remove the pork from the bag. Reserve the marinade.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a shallow roasting pan with 1/2 inch of water and place the pork on a rack above the water. Roast until brown, turning and brushing 2 or 3 times with the reserved marinade for about 45 minutes. The internal temperature of the pork should be 155 to 160 degrees F. Do not overcook or it will be dry.
Note: Do not leave out the alcohol. If you don't have the rice wine or sherry you can use rum or brandy. It seems to make a big difference in the penetration of the marinade.
Any extra marinade can be boiled and stored in the refrigerator up to a month or in the freezer to be used the next time
I like to serve this in 1/4 inch slices with ketchup, Chinese hot mustard and sesame seeds. To make Chinese hot mustard, just mix dry, ground mustard with water to make a paste.
Or use the in following recipe to make Char Siu Bao.
if you don't have any Chinese five-spice powder you can easily make it with the following recipe. It is an essential flavor in this recipe.
Five-Spice Powder
1 tsp. ground star-anise (3 whole star anise)
1 tsp. ground fennel seeds (3/4 tsp. whole fennel seeds)
1 tsp. ground Szechuan or white pepper (1 tsp. whole Szechwan or white peppercorns)
1/2 tsp. ground cassia or cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Grind to a fine power in a spice grinder or mortar
