Easy, delicious, juicy, succulent authentic Cantonese BBQ pork (char siu) made right in the comfort of your own home. Learn how to make Chinese char siu using either your oven or air fryer. You’ll never want to buy Chinese BBQ pork again after trying this recipe!

What is Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)?

If you’ve ever walked past a Chinese BBQ restaurant before then no doubt you’ve probably come across a row of glossy red-colored meat strips hanging from the window.

Chinese BBQ pork also known as char siu or 叉燒 in Cantonese is a famous Chinese BBQ pork dish that is commonly served at Chinese restaurants. This BBQ dish along with Chinese roasted pork (燒肉) and Chinese roasted duck (燒鴨) is the pinnacle of southern Chinese BBQ.

Traditionally, you’ll see pork shoulder being used in a Chinese char siu recipe. Pork shoulder is used as it has the perfect ratio of meat to fat, leaving you with a thick juicy piece of meat that isn’t dry.

Chinese-style barbeque pork is first marinated for several hours using a variety of different seasonings and spices before finally roasting the pork and applying a sweet maltose or honey char siu glaze on top of the char siu.

What you’re left with after the whole roasting process is a highly addictive sweet and salty soft and slightly charred smoky piece of pork shoulder meat.

And yes, you want a little bit of char on the edges of the char siu to give it a little crunch and elevate its texture.

Today I’m going to show you how to make an authentic Chinese char siu from scratch right in the comfort of your own home.

And to make things simple and easy for everyone, I have two versions of making homemade char siu: an air fryer char siu recipe, and an oven char siu recipe so that no one is left out!

The meat selection and preparation process is the same for this Hong Kong-style char siu recipe, the only difference is the roasting process.

Let’s have a look at what you’ll need for this Cantonese char siu recipe.

Chinese BBQ Pork Char Siu Ingredients

4 pounds of boneless pork shoulder (around 1800g)

Marinade:

7 Tablespoons of Lee Kum Kee char siu sauce
4-5 cloves of minced garlic (approximately 2 Tablespoons)
3-4 cloves of minced shallots (approximately 2 Tablespoons)
4 Tablespoons of Light soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of Hoisin sauce
2 pieces of fermented red bean curd
4 Tablespoons of Chinese rose cooking wine
3 Tablespoons of white sugar (45g)
1 teaspoon of five-spice powder
1 Tablespoon of chicken powder

Honey glaze:

200ml of honey
1 Tablespoon of Light soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of Water

Ingredient Notes

Pork shoulder: For the pork shoulder, try to look for ones that have a good ratio of meat and fat on it. If it’s too lean then it will become dry when roasting but if it’s too fatty well…there goes your waistline 😞 plus you probably want to have a bit of meat in every bite.

Char siu sauce (Lee Kum Kee Brand): You will need to get the Lee Kum Kee brand of char siu sauce for this recipe. It has ingredients in the sauce that not only give the char siu extra flavor but also helps give it a nice reddish color.

Fermented red bean curd: Fermented red bean curd adds extra flavor and color to the char siu, helping the char siu develop an extra darkish red color.

Hoisin sauce: For the hoisin sauce, I highly recommend using the Lee Kum Kee brand. The hoisin sauce will add a tonne of flavor to the char siu pork recipe and also sweeten it up as well.

Chinese rose cooking wine: You can use any brand of Chinese rose wine just as long as it’s Chinese rose wine. Chinese rose cooking wine adds a nice fragrant floral flavor to the char siu so try not to omit it if possible.

Substitutions

Pork shoulder: The best alternative would be pork butt if you can’t find pork shoulder. You can also use something like pork belly or pork loin, however, they will be either very fatty or a bit lean, leading to a dryer piece of meat.
Fermented red bean curd: You can use red food coloring or beet juice as a substitute for fermented red bean curd, but of course, you will sacrifice flavor!
Honey: You can substitute Chinese maltose for honey if you prefer.
White sugar: You can substitute brown sugar for white sugar if you prefer.
Chinese rose cooking wine: I highly recommend that you use it but in case you can’t find it then either vodka or Chinese Shaoxing wine would work as a substitute although it will lack the floral notes for the Chinese barbecued pork recipe.

How to Select the Right Cut of Pork for Making Char Siu

The first step towards making a good char siu is selecting the right cut of pork!

Depending on what type of cut of pork that you use, it could make or break your char siu.

The best cuts of pork for making char siu are either pork shoulder or pork butt. With pork shoulder coming out on top.

That’s because it has the best ratio of meat to fat, making your char siu tender and juicy with a good amount of meat.

When selecting pork shoulder, look for a good ratio of meat and fat, with some marbling and tendons on the pork shoulder.

Also if you can, try to look for cuts of pork shoulder that are even throughout the whole piece of pork shoulder. That is because if you have uneven sections in the pork shoulder, it will cook unevenly and you’ll end up with either some sections that are overcooked and dry or undercooked.

Another point you should consider is whether or not there are bones in the pork shoulder. I recommend only buying boneless pork shoulder to use!

In addition, regarding meat selection, I’d recommend buying a big piece of pork shoulder that you can then trim and cut yourself in whatever way you want vs pre-cut pork shoulder pieces like pork shoulder steaks. Oftentimes, the pre-cut shoulder steaks will be cut in the opposite direction of the muscle fibers.

What this means is after roasting, you will then slice the shoulder steaks in the same direction as the muscle fibers, which will make it taste tough when you chew on it.

Also, char siu is typically cut in thick long strips as you typically see being hung out on the window display at Chinese BBQ restaurants, rather than as a shoulder steak.

Lastly, if the pork shoulder that you buy has a big layer of fat on top then you will need to trim some of it off before using it.

But don’t throw it away!

It can be used for a variety of things such as making lard, adding little chunks of it into various dishes such as Chinese steamed pork patties to make the meat juicy and moist, or even frying it and throwing it on top of dishes as a garnish such as with wonton noodle soup.

We don’t waste food in my household!

How to Make Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

This section on how to make Chinese BBQ pork is divided into 3 parts:

How to cut the pork for making char siu
Marinating the pork
Roasting the pork

The char siu air fryer recipe and the char siu oven recipe steps are the same except for the roasting part. Make sure to follow the correct instructions for whichever roasting method you are using.

How to Cut Pork Shoulder for Making Char Siu

I’m going to be assuming that you’re using pork shoulder for this classic char siu recipe.

If your pork shoulder has a big layer of fat on it like mine does, we’re going to first trim it off and then save that layer of fat for use in other recipes.

Next, cut up and divide the pork shoulder into 4 pieces of equal size about 1.5-2 inches thick. You can trim off a little bit of excess fat if you want but don’t go overboard with it otherwise the char siu will become dry when roasting.
When slicing into the pork shoulder, make sure that you’re cutting along the muscle fibers that run along the pork shoulder. This way after roasting, you will cut against the muscle fibers (perpendicular) when slicing the char siu into slices leading to softer and tender char siu slices.
There is one caveat to this though: some butcher shops cut the pork shoulder in such a way that the long end of the pork shoulder runs against the muscle fibers. If you want to cut long strips from the pork shoulder you’ll need to cut against the muscle fibers first as cutting along the muscle fibers will yield short pieces. If you find yourself in this situation then first cut the pork shoulder in the opposite direction of the muscle fibers then after roasting the char siu, make a cut in the middle of the piece of char siu along the muscle fibers to divide it into 2 or divide the piece into 1/3 by making 2 cuts of equal distance. After doing this, you can now cut against the grain when slicing the char siu.

Marinating the Char Siu

In a bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients and mix everything well together.

Take out 5 Tablespoons of the marinade for later use in basing the char siu while roasting.
Now in a large bowl, add in your cut pork shoulder pieces and then add in the marinade.

Mix everything well together.

Mixed pork shoulder with marinade in bowl

Now place some plastic wrap over the large bowl and then let it marinade in the fridge overnight. Likewise, you can add the pork shoulder and marinade inside a large ziplock bag as well, making sure to squeeze out all of the air prior to closing the bag and placing it in the fridge.

Covering pork shoulder and marinade mix with plastic wrap

Let the char siu marinate for no more than 12-14 hours.

Roasting the Char Siu Using the Oven

When you’re ready to cook the char siu, preheat your oven to 350°F and take the char siu out of the fridge.
Add char siu strips to a wire rack on top of a baking tray lined with aluminum.

Placing marinated pork shoulder onto wire rack

Now, prepare the char siu honey glaze by adding in your honey, soy sauce, and water in a small bowl, mix everything well together and set it aside.

Brush the excess marinade sauce that we took out of the marinade on top of the char siu on the side facing up and then roast the char siu in the oven for 10 minutes in the middle rack when the oven temperature reaches 350°F.

Brushing marinade onto char siu before roasting

Take the char siu out of the oven after ten minutes, flip it over on the opposite side for each piece, and apply the char siu marinade again on top of the char siu.

Place the char siu back into the oven for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take the char siu out of the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
Flip the char siu over again and apply the honey glaze generously to the side facing up along with the sides of the char siu.

Place the char siu back into the oven and continue cooking it for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take the char siu out of the oven and flip it over again.
Apply the honey glaze on the side facing up and along the sides of the char siu and cook for another 10 minutes.
Take the char siu out of the oven after 10 minutes and then let it rest for another 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting into it and serving it.
The total roasting time should be 40 minutes.

Picture of char siu finished roasting in oven

Roasting the Char Siu Using an Air Fryer

When you’re ready to cook the char siu, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (In some models of air fryers, pre-heating is not necessary such as the ninja air fryers) and take the char siu out of the fridge.
Add char siu strips to the air fryer basket. You can place the char siu strips directly on top of the air fryer plates.

Placing pork shoulder inside of air fryer tray

Brush the excess marinade sauce that we took out of the marinade on top of the char siu and then roast the char siu in the air fryer for 10 minutes at 350°F.

Now, prepare the char siu honey glaze by adding your honey, soy sauce, and water in a small bowl. Mix everything well together, and set it aside.
Take the char siu out of the air fryer after ten minutes, flip it over on the opposite side for each piece, and apply the char siu marinade again on top of the char siu and on the sides.

Brushing marinade again onto pork shoulder

Place the char siu back into the air fryer for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take the char siu out of the air fryer and increase the temperature to 400°F.
Flip the char siu over again and apply the honey glaze generously to the side facing up and the sides of the char siu.

Place the char siu back into the air fryer and cook it for another 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, take the char siu out of the air fryer and flip it over again.
Apply the honey glaze on the side facing up and along the sides of the char siu and cook for another 10 minutes.
Finally, take the char siu out of the air fryer after 10 minutes and then let it rest for another 10 minutes at room temperature before cutting into it and serving it.
The total roasting time should be 40 minutes.

Blog image of char siu on top of bowl of rice with Chinese vegetable

Tips

To create a little extra char on the side and edges of the char siu, cook it one more time at 400°F for 3-5 minutes after flipping it over again and applying the honey glaze. Make sure to watch it carefully as you can easily over brown it!
When slicing the BBQ char siu, make sure to make cuts that run against the muscle grain (perpendicular to the muscle fibers). This will ensure that your char siu won’t be tough when you chew on it but instead remain soft and tender.
Add about 1/2 cup of water to the baking tray while roasting the char siu in the oven to prevent the sauce that drips down from the char siu from burning and creating a lot of smoke in your oven.
Wait 10-15 minutes before slicing the char siu after roasting it. This will result in the char siu becoming more juicy and tender as the juices get redistributed in the meat.
Don’t discard the drippings and sauce after roasting the char siu. Instead, drain out all of the fat and use the drippings as a sauce for the char siu or as an all-purpose sauce to drizzle over cooked rice.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

Not cutting the char siu pieces after roasting perpendicular to the muscle fibers, leading to a rough chewy piece of meat.
Not marinating the char siu long enough. The char siu should ideally be marinating overnight in your fridge for at least 8-12 hours.
Cutting too soon into the char siu after it has finished roasting, leading to the juices all leaking out and making the char siu dry. Wait 10-15 minutes after roasting before slicing into the char siu.

Char Siu Storage Tips

The cooked char siu can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it if you’d like. Place it in a freezer bag and make sure to remove all of the air in the bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. When ready to use, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat it in the microwave. Make sure to slice the char siu after re-heating not before otherwise, it will become dry!

How to Serve Char Siu

You have many options when it comes to serving char siu. You can eat the char siu pork with rice which is what you typically see at Chinese bbq restaurants.

Another variation of this is serving the char siu pork together with a bowl of freshly cooked hot rice, some Chinese broccoli, and a fried egg on top. Char siu sauce or soy sauce will then be drizzled on top.

You can use the char siu to make fried rice like my Vietnamese fried rice recipe.

The char siu can also be added in as a topping for making Cantonese pan-fried chow mein noodles.

You can use the char siu as a filling for making char siu bao (baked bbq pork buns) or steamed bbq pork buns.

You can also use the char siu as a filling for making char siu puffs.

What to Serve Together With Char Siu

While enjoying this char siu recipe, you might also want to add some additional side dishes such as Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce, Hakka-style Chinese stuffed tofu, and some Chinese eggplant with ground pork.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Cut of Pork Should I Use for Char Siu?

Traditionally Chinese BBQ restaurants use pork shoulder to make char siu as it has the best ratio of meat and fat for making char siu and that is what I would recommend. If you cannot find pork shoulder or you don’t like it for some reason then pork butt is another great option.

Pork ribs would also work as well as it has a good meat and fat ratio. Pork tenderloin tends to be on the dryer side while pork belly tends to be more fatty.

I Can’t Eat Pork, Can I Use Another Protein?

Chicken works well, especially chicken legs.

How Do I Make My Char Siu Red in Color?

In this traditional Chinese BBQ pork recipe, you’ll find two ingredients that will give your char siu a nice dark red color, the red fermented beancurd and the char siu sauce. Other alternative ingredients that you can use to get a nice reddish color include food coloring and beet juice.

I Can’t Find Red Fermented Bean Curd, What Can I Use as a Substitute?

Just leave it out.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

Cantonese-Style Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 Pieces

Equipment

1 Oven
1 Air Fryer
1 Wire rack
1 Baking Tray

Ingredients

4 Pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder Around 1800g

Marinade

7 Tablespoons Char siu sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand)
4-5 Cloves Minced garlic
3-4 Cloves Minced shallots
4 Tablespoons Light soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
2 Pieces Fermented red bean curd
4 Tablespoons Chinese rose cooking wine
3 Tablespoons White sugar
1 Teaspoon Five spice powder
1 Tablespoon Chicken powder

Honey glaze

200 ml Honey
1 Tablespoon Light soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Water