Char Siu BBQ Pork

Char Siu is that salty-sweet, reddish Chinese bbq pork that comes sliced-up on a bed of rice, drizzled with drippings.  By definition, Char Siu means "Fork Roasted."  This recipe, from GBC's BBQ class, is relatively simple, and quite good.

3 lb Pork Shoulder, cut into 2-inch thick, long strips

Marinade:

• 300 ml Hoisin Sauce
• 200 ml Oyster Sauce
• 100 ml Honey
• 50 ml Soya Sauce
• 30 ml Chinese Cooking Wine (or Brandy)
• 5 g Cinnamon, ground
• 5 g Star Anise, ground
• 5 g Sichuan Peppercorn, ground

Combine all ingredients of marinade.  Coat and marinade pork strips (overnight, if possible).

There are several ways you could cook it.

In class, we made hooks out of coat hangers and hung the strips of meat in a vertical oven (over a drip pan with water) at 350F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Then we mopped the meat in excess marinade and cooked at a higher temperature for the last 10 minutes, to get a nice crispy-caramelized finish.  Drippings were lightly salted and reserved for drizzling/ dipping.

Alternative method:  In a bbq, cook over indirect heat on the upper rack with a skillet (with about 1 cm of water) underneath to catch the drippings.  Baste with drippings.  Cook until pork is tender an caramelized.

Let the meat rest before slicing thinly.  Serve on steamed jasmine rice with drippings as a soaking sauce.