Cantonese Char Siu Pork (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
Thick strips of pork shoulder roasted until sticky, glossy and charred at the edges, then sliced for rice.
Made with Char siu marinade. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 30 + marinating
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.95 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make a batch of the char siu marinade first (see the base recipe). Spoon 40 ml into a clean small dish, cover and keep it in the fridge. This is your basting portion and must never touch raw pork.
- 2
Pat the pork dry and put it in a non-metallic dish. Pour over the remaining 80 ml of ready made char siu marinade and turn the strips until coated. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, turning once.
- 3
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Put a rack over a roasting tin, pour 200 ml water into the tin to stop the drips burning, and lay the pork on the rack. Roast for 25 minutes.
25 min - 4
Brush the pork with the reserved marinade, turn it over and roast for 20 minutes more.
20 min - 5
Brush again and roast for a final 10 minutes, until the edges are dark and sticky and the centre has reached at least 70C with no pink juices. Mix the honey with 1 tbsp hot water and brush it over for shine. Rest for 10 minutes.
10 min - 6
Meanwhile cook the rice following the packet. Stir fry the pak choi in the oil for 3 minutes, add the tamari and 2 tbsp water and cover for 1 minute.
3 min - 7
Slice the pork across the grain into thick slices and serve over rice with the pak choi and any tin juices spooned over.
Tips
- Pork shoulder gives the best result because the fat bastes the meat as it roasts. Leaner loin dries out quickly, so cut it thicker and watch the time.
- The water in the tin matters. It stops the sugars in the drips smoking and keeps the oven air a little humid.
- For deeper charring, finish the strips under a hot grill for 2 to 3 minutes at the end, watching closely because honey burns fast.
Storing and freezing
Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge once cooled within 1 hour. Freeze sliced pork in portions for up to 2 months and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use pork belly or pork loin instead?
Yes. Belly is richer and needs 15 to 20 minutes longer. Loin is leaner, so cut it into thick strips and cook it for a shorter time, checking that the centre reaches 70C.
Why must I keep some marinade back?
Marinade that has touched raw pork can carry bacteria. A separate clean portion is safe to brush on during cooking. Throw away the used marinade, or boil it hard for 2 minutes if you want to use it as a sauce.
Is this char siu gluten free?
Yes, when the marinade is made with gluten free hoisin and tamari as in the base recipe. It is also dairy free, egg free and nut free, but check each label.
More made with char siu marinade
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.