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Cantonese-Style Char Siu Pork

An overnight marinade, rack roasting, and repeated glazing create juicy Cantonese-style pork with a shiny, lightly charred crust.

Glossy sliced char siu pork with lightly charred edges is served beside steamed rice and Chinese broccoli.

Char siu balances a savory fermented marinade with a sweet lacquer and smoky edges. Pork shoulder has enough fat to stay succulent through repeated glazing, while long strips maximize the glossy surface area. Keep the measured fallback branches separate so the marinade stays balanced.

Shape the pork for even roasting

Long, evenly thick shoulder strips roast more predictably than one large piece and give the glaze more edges to cling to. Cut with the grain now so the finished pork can be sliced across the grain for tenderness.

Build a balanced marinade

Fermented red bean curd supplies savory depth and the traditional warm color, while maltose creates a firm shine. If needed, use the complete miso, paprika, and water alternative or substitute honey; do not add those ingredients to the preferred branch.

Shaoxing wine contributes aroma and mild acidity. The measured apple juice and rice vinegar branch keeps the marinade alcohol-free without making it flat or sharply sour.

Long marinated pork strips are spaced on a wire rack and brushed with red-brown glaze during roasting. — Marinated pork strips roast above a shallow layer of water before receiving another glaze.

Layer the lacquer

A rack exposes the pork to circulating heat, while water below catches sugary drips before they burn. Turning and brushing in stages creates thin, even layers that set into a lacquer instead of sliding off.

Baste safely and watch the finish

Reserve the glazing portion before raw pork enters the marinade, and discard anything that later contacts the raw meat. Cook the center to at least 145 F, then watch continuously at 475 F because the sweet coating can scorch quickly.

Close-up char siu slices show a juicy center, glossy caramelized crust, and a lightly charred edge. — A sliced strip reveals a juicy center beneath its glossy red-brown, lightly charred crust.

Slice into a complete meal

Resting keeps the juices in the pork when it is sliced across the grain. Serve the warm slices over jasmine rice, with steamed Chinese broccoli or another sturdy green to balance the rich, sweet-savory glaze.

Cantonese-Style Char Siu Pork

6 servings

565 minutes total

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless pork shoulder
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• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
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• 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
• Steamed Chinese broccoli, for serving

Method

Cut the pork
Trim only thick exterior fat, then cut the pork shoulder with the grain into 6 long strips about 2 inches wide so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
Look for: The strips are similar in thickness with a thin layer of fat remaining.
Mix the marinade
Warm the maltose briefly until pourable, then mash it with the bean curd and liquid, hoisin, both soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, garlic, five-spice, salt, and sesame oil. For the fallbacks, use 3 tbsp honey; replace the curd and liquid with 2 tbsp red miso, 1 tsp sweet paprika, and 1 tbsp water; or replace the wine with 1 1/2 tbsp apple juice and 1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar.
Look for: The marinade is smooth, brick red, and thick enough to coat a spoon.
Marinate overnight
Reserve 1/3 cup marinade in a covered container, coat the pork with the remainder, and refrigerate both for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
Look for: Every pork strip is evenly coated and kept refrigerated at 40 F or below.
Prepare the oven
Remove the pork from the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Heat the oven to 375 F and set a wire rack over a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan with 1 cup water beneath the rack.
Look for: The oven is fully preheated and the pork sits above, not in, the water.
Begin roasting
Let excess marinade drip from the pork, arrange the strips apart on the rack, and roast at 375 F for 15 minutes; discard the marinade that touched raw pork.
Look for: The surface has begun to set and the strips are not touching.
Turn and glaze
Turn the strips with clean tongs, brush with some reserved marinade, and roast 12 minutes; turn, glaze again, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, adding water to the pan if it dries out.
Look for: The glaze looks glossy and the thickest strip reaches at least 145 F.
Lacquer at high heat
Brush on the remaining reserved marinade, increase the oven to 475 F, and roast for 3 to 5 minutes, watching continuously, until the glaze bubbles and the edges char lightly.
Look for: The pork is lacquered with a few dark, lightly charred edges but no burnt patches.
Rest and serve
Confirm the pork is at least 145 F in the center, rest it for 8 minutes, then slice across the grain and serve with steamed jasmine rice and steamed Chinese broccoli.
Look for: The juices settle before slicing and each slice shows a juicy center and glazed rim.