Char Siu | Diethood

Char siu is Chinese language BBQ pork and it’s full of taste! I make it at house with juicy pork tenderloin coated in a candy and smoky, deep purple Char siu marinade. 

Take pleasure in char siu bao with gentle do-it-yourself bao buns sprinkled with crunchy herbs. You’ll by no means need to get takeout once more!

Once I made bao buns just lately, I knew I needed to knock the meal out of the park. Candy and sticky char siu pork was the apparent alternative (it’s certainly one of my restaurant favorites, in any case). This recipe got here out SO GOOD, and simply have a look at that shade! I marinated the pork tenderloin within the fridge for a full 48 hours earlier than roasting, and it made such a distinction. I can’t wait to make this juicy, spicy Chinese language BBQ pork once more ASAP. It’s positively on the menu for our subsequent date night time at house.

Why I Love This Char Siu Pork Recipe

• Make forward. I go away this pork to marinate for an entire two days earlier than roasting. It lets all of the Asian-inspired flavors soak into the meat, to not point out it’s the key to that beautiful purple hue! Plus, it’s the right excuse to get a head begin on this week’s dinner.
• Additional juicy. The mixture of a flavor-packed marinade and the precise cooking methodology makes this the final word do-it-yourself char siu! Each chunk is juicy, wrapped in a candy and sticky Chinese language-style sauce.
• Tremendous simple! I’m all a few good takeout fakeout recipe, and this char siu is without doubt one of the easiest methods to recreate a restaurant favourite. Simply marinate, roast, and luxuriate in! It’s a two-day course of because of a prolonged soak in that scrumptious marinade, however it’s completely price it.

Elements You’ll Want

Char siu sauce has a definite Asian taste because of hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese language five-spice powder. And the fantastic thing about making this dish at house is that I could make my pork as gentle or as spicy as I like! 

Under are some fast ingredient notes. You’ll want to scroll to the recipe card for a printable record with the total recipe particulars.

• Sugar – I like to make use of a mixture of brown sugar and honey for a deeper, extra caramelized taste. You need to use solely brown sugar, or granulated sugar if wanted.
• Hoisin Sauce – Hoisin sauce is a darkish and sticky Asian condiment constituted of fermented soybeans, much like soy sauce. It has different components within the combine, like chili, fennel, and garlic. You’ll discover it in most main grocery shops, or you possibly can examine your native Asian grocery store.
• Soy Sauce – You too can use tamari or coconut aminos. 
• Chinese language 5 Spice – 5-spice powder is a candy, smoky mix of spices like cinnamon, anise, fennel, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns.
• Sesame Oil – This may be common refined sesame oil, or you should use toasted sesame oil for one more layer of taste. There’s actually no substitute for sesame oil in recipes like this one.
• Meals Coloring – Conventional char siu recipes relied on purple fermented bean curd to present the pork its signature purple shade. These days, most eating places use purple meals coloring for a brighter purple, in order that’s what I take advantage of right here.
• Pork Tenderloin – Different good pork cuts for char siu are pork stomach, pork butt, and pork loin. I like pork tenderloin because it’s quick-cooking and tender. Pork loin will take longer to roast.

For Serving

• Bao Buns – These may be store-bought, or you may make do-it-yourself bao buns. 
• Garnishes – Thinly sliced inexperienced onions (I often use simply the greens) and sesame seeds make a pleasant, genuine garnish.

Methods to Make Char Siu

In the event you’ve ever made roasted pork tenderloin, you may make char siu! Even should you haven’t, the steps are tremendous simple. Comply with alongside right here, and scroll to the recipe card for printable directions.

• Marinate the pork. Whisk collectively the marinade components, together with the purple meals coloring. Add this to a Ziploc bag with the pork and therapeutic massage it in. Your pork tenderloin might want to marinate within the fridge for 48 hours. 
• Prep. Quick ahead, and also you’ll take away the pork from the marinade and place it onto a roasting rack set over a baking sheet. Save the marinade to brush over the pork whereas it roasts.
• Roast. Roast the pork at 350ºF for 25 minutes, basting it with the marinade midway by. As soon as the within of the pork hits 145ºF, change the oven to broil for a few minutes to char the highest.
• Relaxation. Take your pork tenderloin out of the oven and go away it to relaxation. I often use this time to steam my bao buns!
• Slice and serve. Slice the char siu up skinny and serve it in bao buns (see beneath), or you possibly can serve it with rice or a stir-fry. See additional within the submit for strategies.

Simple Char Siu Bao

Candy and sticky char siu pork is the traditional filling for char siu bao, certainly one of my favourite Chinese language takeout dishes. I take advantage of do-it-yourself bao buns, however you should use your favourite model from the shop, too. Right here’s easy methods to make it:

• Put together the pork. Roast your pork after which relaxation and slice it as directed.
• Steam the buns. I wish to preserve a bag of frozen do-it-yourself bao buns in my freezer, so I can take them out any time. Steam the buns straight from frozen, for 5-10 minutes, till they’re puffed and heat.
• Fill the bao. Fold your freshly steamed buns round slices of char siu, and sprinkle over inexperienced onions and sesame seeds for garnish.

What Is Char Siu Served With?

Once I’m not stuffing it into steamed buns, char siu goes nice with a facet of white rice and greens, like child bok choy or broccolini. In any other case, serve it with noodles and stir-fries, like rooster chow mein, spicy Szechuan rooster, or vegetarian kung pao tofu.

I like making our meal a restaurant-style unfold with starters like spring rolls and crab rangoon, and a giant skillet of steak fried rice for sharing!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Wrap any leftover char siu pork in plastic wrap or retailer it hermetic in a Ziploc bag or container. It’ll final within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
• Reheat. I wish to reheat the pork slices in a lined skillet over medium-low warmth till they’re heat all through. It’s higher than the microwave, in my view.

Extra Chinese language Takeout Recipes