Char Siu Best Char Siu Pork Recipe

Published Apr 17, 2020 Updated Aug 27, 2024

Char Siu Pork

Char Siu, or Chinese BBQ pork, is one of the most popular pork recipes in Cantonese cooking. If you have been to Chinatown, I am sure you have seen glistening and perfectly roasted meats such as Chinese roast pork (siu yuk), chicken and duck hanging in front of the Chinese BBQ restaurants. BBQ pork belly char siu is the epitome of Cantonese BBQ. They are always sliced into thin pieces and served with steamed white rice, with vegetable on the side. Sometimes spelled as char siew or char sui, the pork is always perfectly charred, juicy, tender, dripping in a sticky, sweet and savory sauce. When cooked right, this is one of the best pork recipes to savor in the whole world! In this recipe, you will learn how to make the best char siu, 100% homemade, with the taste that rivals the best Cantonese restaurants in Chinatown!

Char Siu Recipe

How to make char siu? There are two parts of the recipe. The first part is picking the best cut of pork. The second part is making the char siu sauce which is the marinade. It’s best to marinate the pork belly overnight. To BBQ, roast in the oven at 400F for 15 minutes. Set the oven to broil and broil all sides of the pork belly until they char nicely. Slice into thin pieces before serving.

Ingredients

Before you marinate the pork belly, you will need to make the Char Siu Sauce. Here are the list of ingredients:

“Nam yue” or fermented red bean curd. This ingredient is optional if you don’t have it, but it adds the iconic nuance and aromas to the pork. Maltose (preferred) or honey. Soy sauce. Oyster sauce. Five spice powder. Ground white pepper.

These ingredients mingle together to produce the most amazing, sweet, savory, sticky sauce that marinates the pork belly before roasting in the oven. You can make a few servings and keep them in the fridge. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.

How To Make Char Siu Pork Belly

Cooking Tips For The Best Char Siu Pork Belly

I have another Chinese BBQ Pork recipe, but this is the best and most authentic recipe ever! The taste of this recipe reminds me of the best of the best in Malaysia, found at the many chicken rice stalls there. Here are my Cooking Tips:

Use pork belly. Try to choose fatty pork belly with equal layer of meat and fat. The ratio of fat and meat should be 50:50. If you can’t find pork belly, you may choose fatty pork shoulder or pork butt. Remove the skin before marinating the pork. Marinate overnight for the deeper flavors. Roast and BBQ the pork in an oven. Then grill over direct fire (using an outdoor BBQ grill or over the stove top). You can also use broil it using your oven. The key is to char all sides of the pork belly with a nice char.

What To Serve With This Recipe

Serve this recipe with plain rice or chicken rice. For a Cantonese BBQ dinner at home, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.