Asian Chinese Main Dishes Pork Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) 4.5 (119) 103 Reviews 34 Photos Char siu is Chinese restaurant-style pork with a deep red, sweet and sticky coating. Char siu literally means "fork roast" and refers to the traditional method of cooking this dish by which strips of seasoned pork were skewered with long forks and roasted in a covered oven or over a fire. This version uses pork tenderloin and is easy to make at home on your charcoal grill. Enjoy the sweet and salty taste on its own or serve it over rice or noodles. Submitted by David&Andrea Updated on October 30, 2023 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 34 34 34 34 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins Additional Time: 2 hrs Total Time: 2 hrs 45 mins Servings: 4 Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Sherri This irresistibly delicious Chinese barbecue pork recipe has a rich, salty-sweet flavor that gets high marks from our community of home cooks. Dive into the tangy blend of honey, rice wine, and brown sugar that coats every bite of succulent pork tenderloin. Learn how to make this flavorful favorite right here — plus, get tips on the best way to serve, store, and freeze char siu. Char Siu Ingredients The wonderfully sweet and savory flavor of this Chinese dish comes from a unique blend of pantry ingredients. Soy sauce, honey, ketchup, and brown sugar create the base of the luscious marinade, while hoisin sauce and red bean curd add depth. Juicy pork tenderloin is the main event of this 5-star recipe. Choose two 1 lb. tenderloins for best results, substituting pork loin or pork chops if necessary. How to Make Char Siu You'll find the full recipe below with step-by-step instructions, but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated recipe; Begin by gently heating all of the marinade ingredients in a saucepan. Next, slice pork into strips and place them in a large plastic bag. Pour marinade into the bag and refrigerate the contents for at least two hours. After marinating, barbecue the pork tenderloin over a charcoal grate for a rich and robust flavor. Baste as the meat cooks, and use a thermometer to mark 145 degrees F for doneness. You'll love the tender meat paired with a tantalizingly fragrant glaze. Recipes That Use Char Siu Char siu can be eaten as is, over rice, or paired with bright green vegetables for a great contrast. Use this zesty pork to stuff steamed buns, in pork fried rice, or as a topping in wasabi-spiked nachos. How to Store Char Siu Refrigerate leftover char siu in an airtight container for up to three days. When you're ready to reheat, simply place the pork on foil and bake in a 350 degrees F oven until thoroughly warmed. Can I Freeze Char Siu? Yes, char siu can be frozen for up to one month if stored correctly. Place leftover strips in a freezer bag, squeeze out any air, and thaw in the refrigerator when you're ready for a repeat. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise "The marinade is delicious!" raves home cook PG. "I've made the marinade twice now. Used part of the second batch in BBQ pork fried rice. Next time I'll use pork shoulder. The tenderloin is a bit too lean for our taste." "I loved everything about this marinade," shares reviewer Saveur. "Only addition — a slug of rice wine vinegar. With all of the sweet going on I felt it needed a little acid balance. Hubs grilled to perfection. A keeper!" "I followed the recipe to the letter and it came out perfect just like my local Chinese restaurant, shares Tanya. "I used my copper crisper basket over a pot of water in the oven at 350 for 40 minutes, and it came out beautiful with a char and all." Editorial contributions by Rai Mincey Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings Marinade: ½ cup soy sauce ⅓ cup honey ⅓ cup ketchup ⅓ cup brown sugar ¼ cup Chinese rice wine 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons red bean curd (Optional) 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (Optional) Pork: 2 (1 pound) pork tenderloins Directions Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Stir soy sauce, honey, ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine, hoisin sauce, red bean curd, and five-spice powder together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until just combined and slightly warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, slice each pork tenderloin lengthwise into 1 1/2- to 2-inch-thick strips. Place pork strips in a large, resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade into the bag with the pork. Squeeze air from the bag, seal, and turn the bag a few times until pork is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator, 2 hours to overnight. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios When ready to cook, preheat a charcoal grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Remove pork from marinade and shake to remove excess liquid. Set aside the remaining marinade for basting. Rake the hot coals into two equal piles on opposite sides of the charcoal grate. Add a small container of water to the grate. Place pork strips in the center of the grate for indirect cooking. Cook pork over indirect heat, turning regularly and basting as desired, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), 30 minutes or longer. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Serve hot and enjoy! DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS Recipe Tips If you can't find red bean curd, use 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring, if desired.To cook over indirect heat on a gas grill, simply turn off the center burner. Place food over that burner, which will cook by the heat on either side. Editor's Note: The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of marinade ingredients. The actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary. I Made It Print 303 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 483 Calories 9g Fat 54g Carbs 44g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Calories 483 % Daily Value * Total Fat 9g 11% Saturated Fat 3g 16% Cholesterol 127mg 42% Sodium 2250mg 98% Total Carbohydrate 54g 19% Dietary Fiber 1g 2% Total Sugars 48g Protein 44g 88% Vitamin C 5mg 5% Calcium 42mg 3% Iron 3mg 18% Potassium 805mg 17% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.