A delicious and simple recipe with step-by-step photos for Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu Pork) which you can make at home with everyday pantry ingredients in just 10 minutes!
Char Siu Pork
One thing I miss about living in Australia is being able to visit the local Chinatown, whether it be for a traditional Dim Sum breakfast, a browse through the colourful aisles of the Vietnamese grocer, or a visit to the Chinese bakery for their light and fluffy cakes.
Something I deeply miss are the restaurants where you can buy one of the Chinese roast ducks on display, as well as their crispy pork belly, or the ever popular Chinese barbecue pork (also known as char siu pork).
There is no Chinatown in Zurich. In fact, the Asian population here is very scant, but we are lucky to have a few amazing Chinese and Vietnamese grocers, as well as a growing number of south-east Asian restaurants.
That said, I still miss being able to pop into Chinatown to pick up something for a quick dinner. I miss being able to rely on good Chinese takeaway food, and I miss, quite simply, good Chinese takeaway food.
I have always felt that moving to Switzerland made me a better cook. In the absence of being able to buy many food items which I used to enjoy back in Australia, I have had to slowly learn how to recreate most of those dishes at home. Chinese barbecue pork, or char siu pork, is one of those dishes.
And like so many other things which I have re-created at home, making your own Chinese barbecue pork is incredibly easy, and the results are so delicious that this will become a regular dish in your home!
What is Char Siu Sauce?
A char siu sauce is a mix of various Asian pantry ingredients, including soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, and Chinese five-spice powder. I like to add grated fresh ginger to my marinade for a bit of warm heat.
The Chinese barbecue pork that you find in most Chinese restaurants often has a tinge of red in the meat, either from using red fermented tofu in the marinade, or from red food colouring.
Red fermented tofu can be tricky to find, depending on where you live, so my recipe below uses ingredients which are more readily available in most mainstream supermarkets, thus saving you a trip to a specialist Asian grocery store.
Although, if you have easy access to the latter, I highly recommend buying your Asian pantry ingredients there as the brands which they stock are more authentic in taste.
What Cut of Meat to Use for Char Siu Pork
The cut of meat I like to use for Chinese barbecue pork is pork tenderloin, simply because it is easy for the children to eat, and also because we love the succulence and tenderness of the cut.
How to Make Char Siu Pork
This char siu pork recipe is so easy that I frequently make this for dinner during the busy week.
Step 1
Simply mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl.
Step 2
Place the pork tenderloin pieces in a large zip-lock freezer bag, and pour over the marinade. I generally prefer to marinate meat in zip-lock freezer bags as it ensures that the meat will be evenly coated.
For this char siu recipe, it is best the marinate the meat overnight for maximum flavour. But I have made this recipe several times in a pinch, and even one hour of marinating will still give good results.
Step 3
To cook the char siu pork, I like to roast it in the oven over a pan of boiling water. The water helps to create steam in the oven, which helps to keep the pork moist while it is roasting.
To do this, simply place a wire rack over a roasting tray, and half fill the tray with boiling water.
But if you don’t have a wire rack to use like in the photos below, you can also simply roast the meat directly on the tray. In which case, you should first line the tray with aluminium foil to allow for easier cleaning later (the sugars in the marinade will burn easily).
Step 4
The meat should sit on the wire rack above the tray, and it should not be in contact with the water below.
Step 5
Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan, together with 2 tablespoons of honey. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it is thick and syrupy.
Step 6
Use the sauce to baste the pork every 10 minutes or so. I like to apply a thick layer of sauce each time to give extra flavour, and to help with the caramelisation.
Step 7
Once you have roasted the pork for about 30 minutes (and you should have basted the pork about 3 times during this period), turn the oven onto broil (or grill).
Position the meat as close as possible to the grill, and let it caramelise until it is lovely and golden brown. Baste generously every 3 to 5 minutes, and watch the meat carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
What to Serve with Char Siu Pork
My family love this Chinese barbecue pork served simply with steamed Jasmine rice and some steamed Chinese greens on the side (pak choi or Chinese broccoli work really well here).
At other times, we love to fill steamed bao buns with slices of Chinese barbecue pork with some quick pickled carrots and quick pickled cucumbers. Please see my recipe for Sticky Pork Bao Buns for full details.
Any leftover Chinese barbecue pork is also delicious in Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao). Please see my recipe for Steamed BBQ Pork Buns for more details.
To make your own homemade bao buns, please see my easy recipe for bao buns with step-by-step photos.
More Chinese Recipes
If you love Chinese food, you might also enjoy the following Chinese recipes:
Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu Pork)
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Asian
A delicious and simple recipe for Chinese Barbecue Pork (Char Siu Pork) which you can make at home with everyday pantry ingredients in just 10 minutes!
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RateIngredients
For the marinade
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons runny honey
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
- 1 inch (2 cm) knob of ginger, peeled and finely grated
For the Chinese Barbecue Pork
- 2 tablespoons runny honey (extra for the glaze)
- 2 pieces of pork tenderloin, approx 1 lb (500 g) each
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Place the pork into a large ziplock freezer bag and pour the marinade inside. Make sure the pork is well-coated in the marinade.
- Place the bag into the fridge and leave it to marinate for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight.
- When you are ready to roast the pork, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature in the marinade (this will take about 30 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) (without fan).
- Place a wire rack over a large roasting tray and half fill the tray with boiling water. The rack needs to be high enough so that, when the meat is sitting on top of the rack, the meat should not touch the water. The water helps to create a steam in the oven to cook the pork and to keep it moist.
- Place the pork on the wire rack.
- Do not discard the marinade in the freezer bag.
- Roast the pork for about 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes or so with the reserved marinade (see next step).
- Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and add the extra 2 tablespoons of honey. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer gently for a few minutes until the sauce is thick and syrupy. Use this sauce to baste the pork.
- After 30 minutes, turn the oven to grill (or broil) mode on high heat. If possible, place the tray as high as possible in the oven under the grill. Baste the pork generously every 3-5 minutes, making sure that it is browning nicely and doesn’t burn. Once the pork has caramelised nicely, remove the tray from the oven.
- Let the pork rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Kitchen Notes
COOKING WITH PORK
The size and thickness of pork tenderloin can vary greatly, so you may need to adjust your cooking times accordingly.
COOKING MEAT PERFECTLY
The best way to check if the meat is perfectly cooked is to use a digital meat thermometer. Simply insert the needle into the thickest part of the meat, and the temperature should read between 145-160°F (60-70°C) for well-cooked pork.
WIRE RACK
If you don’t have a wire rack, simply roast the pork directly on the roasting tray, but line it with aluminium foil for easier cleaning later.
MAKE-AHEAD TIPS
You can marinate the meat ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
OVEN TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 337
- Sugar: 31.9g
- Sodium: 543.3mg
- Fat: 10.8g
- Carbohydrates: 36.2g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 24.9g
- Cholesterol: 74.1mg
Update
This post was originally published on 23 March 2017. It has been updated with new photos and more comprehensive recipe notes.
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If you can’t get to Chinatown then bring Chinatown to you – your Charsiu Pork looks amazing.
Thanks, Gillian!
This pork looks so juicy and flavorful! Yum!
★★★★★
Thanks, Sarah! That’s what I love about using tenderloin – the meat is always so lovely and succulent 🙂
A wonderful way to cook pork, the chinese flavours are amazing. A great recipe to be able to make this at home.
★★★★★
Thanks, Helen 🙂 Indeed, it’s great to be able to make this at home, especially since it is relatively easy to make and always a family favourite.
WOW! This looks fabulous and soooooo juicy!
Thanks, Brandi! It’s definitely a family favourite, and the children probably love it so much because the meat is so juicy and tender 🙂
My husband has been talking about trying to make this at home. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! Hope you will get a chance to try it soon!
Hi Thanh, I love your blog! I am wondering, are your recipes based on using a fan forced or convectional oven? Thanking you.
Thanks, Eloise!! I almost always use the oven in regular mode, i.e. as a conventional oven. I only recently learnt how to use the fan settings (i.e. convection oven) – something Mimi Thorisson showed me at her workshop 🙂 So for my recipes, you can assume that it is a regular oven with NO fan.
Mmm.. II am waiting for Summer and grill and chill 🙂 Amazing and mouthwatering photos. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Thank you! I’m looking forward to summer as well 🙂
This tenderloin is gorgeously glazed and cooked to perfection! I’m litteraly drooling! I need to try it as soon as I can 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you! Hope you will enjoy this recipe!
My first impression when I saw your photo is that your pork dish looks so much like Char Siu 叉燒. And it actually is lol. Char Siu is popular in Cantonese restaurants, but for home cooking, we only make it once or twice a year.
My mother is part-Chinese and she made this quite often when I was growing up. Well, more than once or twice a year 😉 But I agree that it is a special dish, but as it is relatively easy to make, I like to make it when we have guests.
I made this for my family in Easter Sunday. It is absolutely delicious and has become a favorite. Very simple to make and quick to cook. Couldn’t get any better than that
★★★★★
Thanks, Helen! I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed this dish 🙂 And how wonderful that you made it for Easter Sunday. I love that the recipe works for both special occasions and everyday cooking. Thanks for leaving your feedback 🙂
This looks so amazing I am making it this year as an alternative to Turkey for Christmas!
★★★★★
I hope you will enjoy the recipe!
delicious! I’ve made it twice in 3 weeks already. Thank you
★★★★★
Oh that’s great to hear!! So glad you have enjoyed this recipe – it’s one of my all time favourites 🙂
Just made this and it was the best char Sui I’ve made. I’ll be making it again and again and again!!!!!
That’s wonderful to hear! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Made this recipe last night and wow never cook anything Chinese before so a real beginner here all was spot on will be doing it again many times thank you for sharing. I had with sweet broccoli snap peas and rice
Forgot to put stars on 5 outta 5
★★★★★
Thanks so much for your feedback! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
This is amazing, taste beautiful. Would definitely recommend it
★★★★★
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
I️ just drooled!!! This looks heaven! I want some! YUM!
★★★★★
Thank you!!
It looks delicious. It try it.
I hope you will enjoy the recipe!
Just took it out of the oven and it looks and smells great. Do you use the leftover marinade as a sauce on rice (since it has been boiled and simmered a while)? If not, what would you recommend?
Yes, you could definitely use the leftover marinade as a sauce on the rice or vegetables, but only if you have simmered it beforehand and used it as a glaze as per the recipe. As the marinade has been used for raw meat, you need to simmer the sauce to cook off any raw meat that might be in the marinade. I think having some extra sauce to drizzle on the rice is a must 😉
Wow, just found this recipe! I will adapt it to BBQ since I don’t use oven during summer.
Hello,
I know what you mean about not using the oven during summer – way too hot! I’ve made this a few times using the BBQ too and the results are delicious. You just have to be careful about the glaze catching as it can burn easily. Good luck!
Hey! Do you have any suggestions for how to cook the pork if I don’t have a roasting rack?
If you don’t have a roasting rack, you could place the meat directly on a roasting tray and baste it every so often as per the recipe. Cooking the pork on a roasting rack over a tray of water helps to keep the meat tender because the water creates steam in the oven. However, if you roast the meat instead by cooking it directly on a roasting tray, so long as you don’t over-cook the meat, it should still taste great 🙂 You could also cook the meat on a barbecue!
Wow! This is the best recipe for Char-siu. I prepared it as directed and it is super moist and oh, so flavorful. I sliced it and arranged on a tray with hot mustard for dipping as an Hors D’oeuvres. The guests all raved about how wonderful it was. Not one slice was left!
★★★★★
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you and your guests enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Tried this recipe a few nights ago – amazing!! I didn’t have a wire rack so I roasted it in the pan lined with aluminum foil as suggested. It was easily the best pork I’ve ever had. I would just suggest making a little more marinade – I ran out while basting. Can’t wait to make this again!
★★★★★
Hi Shannon,
Oh that’s great to hear! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. If you have extra marinade for the glaze, that also makes a lovely sauce when served with rice 🙂
This is so lovely! My mother used to make this. I remember the rack in the roasting pan. Such wonderful ingredients. Thanks!
Hi Mimi! Yes, the ingredients are fairly simple and make for a really delicious dish 🙂
Beautiful photos and presentation as always…this sounds like one of the recipes I will enjoy: it has all of my fave ingredients. Thank you!
Thank you! It’s definitely a favourite in our home too 🙂
I just made this char siu pork did the quick 3 hour marinade and it was spectacular! I will be trying it again with a 24 hr marinade to try the enhanced flavour version… so good definitely reminds me of the authentic china town vendors I love. Thanks a bunch!
★★★★★
Hi Justin,
Great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Marinating the meat overnight will definitely give a bit more flavour, but sometimes it’s just nice to get a head start the night before so you have less to do on the day of serving. Thanks for popping by!
Excellent! Just like in a restaurant. I will broil/ grill it a little longer next time to really get a nice char on it. I will also make a little extra sauce because that was really delicious. One recipe that really came out great!
Hi Pattie,
So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! I also like to have a nice char on the pork too 🙂 Thanks for leaving your feedback!
What else can i say, except wow oh wow! This was so good. Couldn’t find my wire racks so roasted on aluminum foil. Made it with plain white rice and drizzled the extra marinade on the rice and my goodness…. making it again this week!
★★★★★
Hi Jessica,
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! It’s a favourite with my friends and family too 🙂
I make Chinese roast pork frequently with bottled lee kum kee rib or char sui sauce and Ah-So sauce but today I used your recipe and added a little Ah-so sauce to the marinade for the red coloring…cant wait to taste it. Note: leftovers good for making lo mein or fried rice or even as a side for this dish.
★★★★★
Hi Rona,
I hope you enjoyed this recipe for char siu pork! I always love when we have leftovers of this dish 🙂
Loved this recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
This was amazing! So glad I found it on Pinterest
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve made this twice. It is a wonderful jumping off point. The second time, I added a tablespoon of rice vinegar to balance the sweetness. I only roasted for 25 minutes, and started the basting/broiling process 5 minutes earlier to ensure deep caramelization without overcooking. This is one of my go-to pork recipes now! Thanks for sharing it with us!
★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! I always enjoy reading people’s variations to the recipe, and this sounds great!
Fantastic recipe!!! I’ve made this recipe twice and my family say it is their favorite dish now. The second time I added Sriracha to the marinade. I highly recommend it! A very useful recipe to have.
★★★★★
Can I cook this ahead then reheat?
Hi Victoria,
The meat will be a little drier when you reheat it, but that is what I do with leftovers, and it still tastes great. However, this pork is best when it is served the day it is cooked. Hope this helps!
Best recipe!
★★★★★
Thank you!
We just made this as well as your bao buns for dinner tonight and served with quick pickled cucumbers and carrots plus cilantro and green onion. It was fabulous and will go into our rotation for special weekend dinners. The pork was easy! The bao took some time but for a lazy weekend at home they were a fun project. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Amy,
So glad you enjoyed these recipes! The bao buns go perfectly with the bbq pork, so I’m so glad you made everything together. Thanks for popping by!
Made this dish twice and both times I followed it to a T and both times were a bust. The pork didn’t turn out the way that it should be. Not sure what I’m doing wrong. Couldn’t get the marinade syrupy it was still pretty watered down. I added more honey but didn’t work. I’ll give it a try a 3rd time.
★★★
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I also made the little Bao Buns and they were amazing! We lived in Hong Kong for year so it’s like a trip down memory lane.
Hi Tara,
So glad you enjoyed both recipes! I can’t wait to make the bao buns and char siu pork again myself. Thanks for popping by!
Great recipe! I would recommend turning the pork over at the very end for a few minutes. I have made this recipe a few times and each I found the center at 150° and the very bottom (only about a 1/4 inch at the thickest part) temping at 135°
★★★★★
Hi Carl,
Thanks for your feedback! Glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Can the pork be frozen (uncooked) in the marinade? I’ve got some marinating in the fridge right now and I think it may be too much for one dinner. I was considering freezing half of it for another time. Thx
Hi Doug,
Yes, the uncooked pork can be frozen in the marinade. In fact, it will be even more flavourful upon defrosting 🙂 Enjoy your dinner!
Excellent recipe !
Made again today. Fantastic recipe.
Really simple to make.
★★★★★
Hi Andrew,
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! It is indeed an easy recipe, and it feels easier each time you make it. Happy cooking!
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it. Thank you!
Hi Sharon,
I hope you will enjoy this recipe!
I cooked this for my family tonight. It was absolutely delicious. I served it with egg fried rice and stir-fried broccoli and peppers. Everyone loved it. I cooked one 600g joint of meat as that was what I had. I halved all the marinade ingredients and that was actually enough to feed the 4 of us (just). Next time I will try and get 2 x 1lb joints as my son was looking for seconds! Thanks for the recipe, from a cook in Scotland.
★★★★★
Hi Suzie,
That’s wonderful to hear that you all enjoyed this recipe! I usually make the full recipe with two pieces of pork loin just in case someone is extra hungry and wants seconds or thirds 😉 Any leftover cooked meat can be tossed into a fried rice the next day. But it sounds like you had a wonderful feast with your delicious cooking!
I have made this and it is beautiful. Am I OK to cook the meat in the morning and reheat sliced with the stir fry veg in the evening.
★★★★★
Hi Michael,
Happy to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe. As with most recipes, they are often best eaten right away. However, when making this Chinese Barbecue Pork, I usually make the whole recipe or 1.5 times the recipe so that we can have leftovers.
I have tried to reheat a whole cooked pork loin wrapped in foil in the oven, which still tasted great, but it was a little dry on reheating. But that was easily fixed by adding more sauce when serving. But for leftovers, I usually chop up the meat to use in something like a stir-fry or fried rice.
So, if possible, I suggest you cook the meat right before serving, or make extra sauce if you plan to reheat the meat. I hope this helps!
Found this delicious recipe and your website on a google search for BBQ pork, so easy to prepare, simply cooked it on a foil lined bakin tray, then grilled on high for 5 minutes and my family polished it off – totally ! Served it with Pak Choi and steamed rice (I also made twice the sauce for a dipping sauce). The only complaint I received…. I didn’t make enough !!
Hi Phil,
Thanks for your lovely feedback! Great to hear that everyone enjoyed this BBQ pork. Definitely make more next time 🙂
Have used the recipe countless times and it’s a huge hit every time! Highly recommend giving it a go!
★★★★★
Hi Eric,
Thanks for your great feedback and for trying this recipe! It’s a favourite in my family too 🙂
This looks so delicious and as much as we love Chinese roast pork, I am going to (try) to make it. One question, early on in your description of the recipe you mention using red fermented tofu or red food coloring in the marinade to achieve the same look as you see in restaurant roasted pork yet in the recipe ingredient list and directions it is not listed. Should it be used and was inadvertently left out?
Hi Mike,
I came up with this recipe using more commonly available ingredients which most people can find from their local supermarket. So yes, I intentionally omitted the red fermented tofu and/or red food colouring. If you do want your meat to have that distinct red colour, you can use this recipe as is, but add either a few drops of red food colouring OR a few teaspoons of beetroot powder. I hope you will enjoy the recipe!
Can the tenderloin be cooked sous vide then seared on the stove?
Absolutely delightful. I tried it for the first time this week with it marinating for only 3 hours. Have prepared another batch today to have on Sunday. The only thing I changed was adding rice wine
★★★★★
My family and I really enjoyed this recipe. Delicious served with plain rice and steamed veges. I will make more sauce next time because it was excellent drizzled on the rice.
★★★★★
Instead of a roasting rack I use whole carrots sliced in half and make a rack out of that
Hi Kathy,
That’s a great idea!
This char siu pork recipe is a keeper! The flavors are just amazing and the pork is always tender. I’m going to try your Char Siu Bao next time!
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious. I marinated the meat for just 30 minutes and it tasted wonderful. My family have already asked me to make this again on the weekend!
★★★★★
Excellent recipe! The taste is very authentic and the pork is so succulent and tender. I will definitely make this again.
★★★★★
Hands down the best Chinese barbeque pork recipe! I made this for the family for a mid-week dinner, but I think it would be great for a larger crowd too. Can’t wait to make it again soon.
★★★★★
This is such a fantastic and easy recipe. I’ve lost count how many times I have made it. It turns out perfect each time!
★★★★★
This is the best Chinese barbecue pork recipe. Turns out perfect each time. I recommend making extra sauce to drizzle over the pork and to serve with the rice. Winning recipe.
★★★★★
Oh this is a very very good recipe! Very yummy and tastes just like in restaurant. My kids love it!
★★★★★
Amazing recipe! The best char siu pork I have ever tasted.
★★★★★
Flavors were perfect. My family loved this dish.
★★★★★
I’m not sure if I ever commented on this fantastic recipe or not but last night I tried something new. I cooked it on the BBQ using the 7-6-5 method and it was the best yet! I served it with grilled Bok Choy for a beautiful, light, late summer meal that will definitely make regular appearances at my house. Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Ruth,
That’s great! It sounds delicious cooked on the BBQ!
Made this tonight turned out perfect so tasty.
★★★★★
Hi Kelly,
That’s great to hear! Thanks for popping by 🙂
just made it tonight, it was amazing!!! put it in bao buns but plan on having the left overs with rice tomorrow 😍 I’ve actually never cooked pork before and have only ever cooked with premade asian sauces so this was way out of my comfort zone… but it turned out absolutely perfect! My partner was very impressed. Thanks so much for this recipe and for the easy to follow and descriptive steps. It helps so much!!
★★★★★
Hi Jules,
Thanks so much for your feedback! So glad you and your partner enjoyed this recipe 🙂
What temp, per the meat, do we turn the oven on broil? Mine was at 78 degrees and I don’t feel comfortable broiling them meat until I understand the temp before the broil, after the broil, in order to rest the meat properly.
Hi Heidi,
After 30 minutes of roasting in the oven, the pork should be cooked through, so a meat thermometer should read 60-70°F. However, the roasting time will depend on the size and thickness of the meat. When broiling the meat, you should only need about 5 minutes or so caramelise the meat on the outside to make it nice and golden, but the timing will depend on how hot your grill is. After broiling, I recommend resting the meat for at least 10-15 minutes before carving. Hope this helps!
This is a family favorite! I have made it countless times and my family love it so much.
★★★★★
Hi just wondering when you baste it every 10 mins is that with the reserved marainde or the water in tray
Hi David,
You need to baste with the reserved marinade. Hope you will enjoy this recipe!