Char Siu

(Chinese barbecue pork)

Originally from southeastern China, char siu (pronounced "cha shoo") barbecue is now a favorite all over Asia. The name translates as "fork-roasted," and describes the method of hanging strips of marinated meat on forked skewers and roasting them in an oven or over an open fire.

Char siu can refer to either the marinade itself or to the roast barbecue pork that is the most common char siu dish. As a sauce, char siu is versatile and has endless variations. Also spelled cha siew or chashao.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Pork butt, boneless -- 2 to 3 pounds
Hoisin sauce -- 3/4 cup
Soy sauce -- 1/2 cup
Rice wine or dry sherry -- 1/2 cup
Honey -- 1/3 cup
Sugar -- 1 tablespoon

Method

Slice the pork butt into strips about 2 inches wide and 5 inches long.
In a large bowl, mix together the hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, honey and sugar. Toss the pork strips in the bowl to coat. Cover the bowl and set it in the refrigerator to le tthe meat marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Add a rack to a roasting pan and fill the pan with water to come just below the rack. Wipe any excess marinade from the pork and line the strips up neatly in the roasting pan.
Place the pan in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 325°F and roast for another 30 to 40 minutes, turning and basting occasionally with the remaining marinade or with peanut or sesame oil.
Slice the meat into bite-sized pieces and serve.

Char Siu Variations

Char Siu Bao (Chinese barbecue pork buns): Prepare the recipe above. Once the meat is finished cooking, set it aside to cool. Shred the cooled ;meat with your fingers and moisten with a little leftover marinade that you have boiled. Use the shredded char siu as a filling for Chinese steamed buns.
Meats: Instead of pork butt, use pork spareribs and grill over a charcoal fire. Or marinate a whole pork loin, and roast as you normally would a whole pork loin.
Char Siu Shrimp with Bacon: Butterfly about a pound of shrimp and marinate in char siu sauce for about 30 minutes. Wrap the shrimp with bacon and skewer it to hold it on. Grill the shrimp over hot coals until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Char Siu Marinade Variations and Additions:
- Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and/or 1 tablespoon minced ginger.
- Add 2 teaspoons of Chinese 5-spice powder.
- Substitute 1/2 cup pineapple juice for the hoisin sauce.
- Substitute wet bean curd for the hoisin sauce (can be found in Asian markets).
- Add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.
- Add 1 tablespoon hot bean paste for a spicier marinade.
- Substitute Japanese mirin (sweetened rice wine) for the sherry.
- Many recipes add up to 2 tablespoons of red food coloring to give a deep red color. This is generally unnessary.
If you like, baste with honey during last 10 minutes to give the meat an attractive glaze.