Published May 20, 2020 Updated Nov 12, 2024
Chinese BBQ Pork
What is Chinese bbq pork? This dish is called Char Siu in Cantonese dialect, or Chashao (叉烧) in Chinese language. It is of Cantonese origin where marinated skewers of pork meat or pork belly are barbecued to charred, savory, and sticky sweet perfection. This Chinese bbq pork recipe is 100% homemade and tastes just like the best of Chinatown. For more Chinese pork belly recipes, check out my Braised Pork Belly (Dongpo Rou) recipe.
The Best Chinese BBQ Pork
For the best homemade Chinatown barbecued pork, here are the list of secret ingredients you will need:
Choice of meat – if you love tender, juicy, moist and fatty pork, please use pork belly. If you prefer meaty texture, go for pork loin. If you like it somewhere in between, pork butt or pork shoulder will be a great choice. Maltose – called ” 麦芽糖” in Chinese, maltose is the secret ingredient that gives Chinese barbecued pork that sticky sweet taste and texture. If you can’t find maltose, you can use a good quality honey as substitute. Chinese rose wine (玫瑰露酒) – this Chinese wine has an intense fragrant and aroma. It lends the iconic taste and flavor to this recipe. Chinese five-spice powder (五香粉) is a mixture of fives spices used in Chinese recipes. It’s a key ingredient for Cantonese BBQ meats.
Chinese BBQ Pork Ingredients
Pork belly Garlic Cooking oil Maltose Honey Hoisin sauce Soy sauce Chinese rose wine Ground white pepper Five spice powder Sesame oil
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Chinese BBQ pork is best served with steamed rice or on top of wonton noodles or other Chinese dishes (such as shrimp and broccoli). For a wholesome Cantonese-style meal, I recommend the following recipes. The end result is juicy, moist, tender, delicious pork belly barbecued to sticky perfection. 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.
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