Flavorful Chinese BBQ Pork Char Siu Recipe with Sticky Sweet Glaze Made Easy
This recipe delivers authentic Chinese BBQ pork with a sticky sweet glaze that’s tender, flavorful, and easy to make at home. Perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions, it balances savory, sweet, and smoky flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes to 12 hours 15 minutes (including marinating)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900 grams) pork shoulder
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- a few drops red food coloring (optional)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the pork shoulder, if desired, but keep some for juiciness. Cut the pork into a long strip about 2 inches thick. Pat dry with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, honey, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red food coloring if using.
- Place the pork in a resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the pork, ensuring even coating. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. Turn halfway through marinating.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
- Remove pork from marinade, reserving leftover sauce. Place pork on wire rack and roast for 25 minutes.
- Brush pork generously with reserved marinade, flip, brush the other side, and roast for another 20-25 minutes.
- During the last 10 minutes, brush the pork every 3-5 minutes with reserved marinade to build a sticky glaze. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Remove pork from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
Notes
Marinate overnight for best flavor and tenderness. Use a wire rack to prevent pork from sitting in juices and to help glaze caramelize evenly. Brush glaze frequently in last 10 minutes to build sticky texture. If glaze thickens too much, add a splash of water or Shaoxing wine to loosen. Rest pork before slicing to retain juices. Red food coloring is optional and cosmetic only.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 6-7 ou
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 28
Keywords: Chinese BBQ pork, char siu, sticky sweet glaze, hoisin sauce, five-spice, pork shoulder, easy Chinese recipe, homemade char siu