Char Siu Recipe - Chinese BBQ Pork | The Rub Kitchen
Char siu (叉燒, also known as char siew) is the most famous grilled meat dish in Cantonese cuisine — the glossy, red pork you see hanging in the windows of Chinese restaurants worldwide. The name literally means "fork-roasted," referring to the traditional cooking method on long metal skewers over a charcoal fire. At home, on the BBQ or in the oven, it's surprisingly easy to make.
What is char siu?
Char siu is marinated pork — typically pork shoulder or pork neck — that is roasted over high heat and regularly basted with the marinade. The result: a glossy, caramelized exterior with a pink-red color (from red yeast rice or food coloring in the traditional version) and a juicy, tender interior. Char siu is served as a side dish with rice, in bao buns, on noodles, or in dim sum.
Char siu — authentic recipe
For 4 people (600–800g meat):
- 700g pork shoulder or pork neck, cut into strips 3–4 cm thick
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey (or maltose syrup for the traditional version)
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Optional: 1 tsp red yeast rice powder or a few drops of red food coloring for the classic red color
Marinade: mix all ingredients. Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 4–8 hours (or overnight).
On the BBQ: grill indirectly at 180–200°C, 25–30 minutes. Baste with the remaining marinade every 8–10 minutes. In the last 5 minutes: move to direct heat for caramelization and glaze. Core temperature: 70°C.
In the oven: 200°C, 25–30 minutes on a rack over a baking tray. Glaze every 8–10 minutes.
Five-spice powder — the key ingredient
Five-spice powder is the distinctive spice of char siu. It contains star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Szechuan pepper, and fennel seeds — a combination that tastes sweet, warm, and slightly anise-like. Available at any Chinese supermarket, Amazing Oriental, and increasingly in regular supermarkets.
Where to buy the ingredients in the Netherlands?
- Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine — Chinese or Asian supermarket (Amazing Oriental, Toko Dun Yong Amsterdam), or online
- Five-spice powder — Chinese supermarket, Asian supermarket, or Ekoplaza
- Maltose syrup (for the traditional glaze) — Chinese supermarket
- Pork shoulder — any butcher or supermarket; ask them to cut it into strips