Char siu marinade
A sticky, sweet and savoury Cantonese barbecue marinade of hoisin, honey and five spice for pork, chicken and ribs.
Make this once, then cook it into 13 different dishes.
- Time15 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.97 a head
- Makesabout 300 ml, enough for 3 batches of char siu for 4 people
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
Put the hoisin, tamari, honey, sherry and brown sugar in a small saucepan.
- 2
Warm gently over a low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Do not let it boil.
3 min 30 s - 3
Take off the heat and stir in the five spice, garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
- 4
Taste. It should be sweet, salty and fragrant with a little warmth. Add a squeeze of lime if too sweet, or a spoon of honey if too salty.
- 5
Cool completely, then pour into a clean jar. You should have about 300 ml.
- 6
Before marinating, spoon a portion into a separate clean dish for basting. Only the rest goes onto the raw meat.
About char siu marinade
Char siu marinade is a sticky, sweet and savoury Cantonese barbecue sauce made from hoisin, honey, soy and five spice. It is what gives char siu pork its glossy red-brown, lightly charred crust.
It tastes sweet, salty and warmly spiced, with the garlic and ginger bringing a fresh edge. The honey and sugar caramelise in a hot oven or on the grill, which creates the dark, sticky edges that make char siu so addictive. Traditionally the pork is hung in a roasting oven, but a hot home oven and regular basting work well.
This version uses gluten free tamari and gluten free hoisin, because ordinary hoisin and soy contain wheat. One batch makes about 300 ml, enough for three batches of char siu for four people at about 100 ml each.
Tips
- Marinate pork shoulder or belly for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, turning it once. Chicken thighs need only 2 to 4 hours.
- Keep a separate small bowl of marinade just for basting and never dip a brush that touched raw meat back into it.
- Ordinary hoisin contains wheat, so look for a gluten free hoisin. Check the label too if you need to avoid nuts or peanuts, as some brands add them.
- Add 1 tsp of red fermented bean curd or a pinch of beetroot powder for the classic red colour. Both are optional.
- Cook at a high heat and baste every 10 minutes. Watch the last 10 minutes, as the sugar can burn quickly.
Storing and freezing
Keeps up to 1 week in a clean jar in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Marinade that has touched raw meat must be thrown away or boiled hard for at least 2 minutes before it is used as a sauce.
Dishes you can make with char siu marinade
Cantonese Char Siu Pork (Chinese Barbecue Pork)
GFDFEFChar Siu Pastry Parcels (Hong Kong Barbecue Pork Puffs)
DFEFNFChar Siu Chicken Thighs with Pak Choi and Rice
GFDFEFChar Siu Pork Fried Rice with Chilli Oil
GFDFNFChar Siu Roast Pork Noodle Soup
DFNFHPSticky Char Siu Pork Ribs
GFDFEFChar Siu Salmon with Pak Choi and Rice
GFDFEFChar Siu Tofu Rice Bowls with Pickled Onions
DFEFNFSticky Char Siu Pork Belly Bites with Cucumber Salad
GFDFEFChar Siu Pork Congee (Rice Porridge)
GFDFEFChar Siu Pork Lettuce Cups with Pickled Onions
DFEFNFChar Siu Pork and Pineapple Skewers
GFDFEFQuestions
How long should I marinate char siu?
For pork shoulder or belly, at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours in the fridge. Chicken thighs need 2 to 4 hours. Longer than 24 hours makes the surface of the meat mushy and over salty.
Is this char siu marinade gluten free?
Yes, if you use gluten free hoisin and gluten free tamari, as listed. It is also dairy free, egg free and nut free. It is vegetarian but not vegan because of the honey. Always check your sauce labels.
Can I reuse the marinade that touched raw pork?
Only after boiling it hard for at least 2 minutes. It is safer to keep back a separate portion for glazing before you marinate, and throw the used marinade away.
Can I use it on other things?
Yes. It works well on chicken thighs, ribs, salmon, firm tofu and aubergine. Fish and tofu only need 20 to 30 minutes in the marinade.
Why does my char siu burn?
The honey and sugar in the marinade scorch easily. Roast at 200C or lower, cover the tray loosely with foil for the first half of cooking and baste often. Keep the last 10 minutes uncovered to caramelise.
More base recipes
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.