Porc Char Siu

Char Siu is a traditional Cantonese dish where pork is marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, then roasted until beautifully caramelized. Typically red on the surface, this dish is both tender and flavorful. It is often used as a side dish for noodle or rice dishes, but can also be served sliced as a main course. The version below is gluten-free.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time 45 minutes

Total time 55 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

800g of pork loin or pork shoulder (boneless)
2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
2 tablespoons of honey
1 tbsp gluten-free hoisin sauce (or mix BBQ sauce, sriracha and five-spice powder)
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce
1 tbsp of rice alcohol (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons of Chinese five-spice powder
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp of ketchup (optional, for color)
A few drops of red food coloring (optional, for the traditional color)

Preparation

1
Prepare the marinade:
2
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder, minced garlic, and ketchup. If you want to achieve the typical red color, add a few drops of red food coloring, although this is optional.
3
Marinate the pork:
4
Cut the pork into long, thick strips, about 5 to 6 cm wide. Place the strips in a plastic bag or airtight container and pour the marinade over them. Make sure all the meat is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
5
Preheat the oven:
6
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
7
Oven baking:
8
Place the pork pieces on a rack set on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil (to catch the juices and make cleanup easier). Reserve the remaining marinade for later. Bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
9
Glaze the pork:
10
While the pork is cooking, heat the remaining marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat until it thickens slightly (about 5 minutes). After 25 minutes of cooking, generously brush the pork with this thickened sauce and turn it over. Continue cooking for another 15 to 20 minutes, basting with the sauce every 5 minutes to achieve a nice caramelization.
11
Finishing :
12
Once the pork is well caramelized and tender, remove it from the oven. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it into thin strips.
13
Service :
14
Serve the Char Siu pork thinly sliced, accompanied by white rice, stir-fried vegetables, or gluten-free noodles. You can also use it to fill bao buns or spring rolls.
15
Trick :
16
For an even more authentic taste, you can grill the pork pieces on a medium-heat barbecue to achieve a beautiful charcoal caramelization