Char siu is a Cantonese-style roast meat marinated in a glossy red sauce flavored with five-spice powder, honey, soy sauce, and hoisin. Char siu (originally chā sīu, meaning “fork-roasted”) refers to pork that’s been marinated, skewered, and cooked over an open fire.

Is char siu supposed to be red?

A lot of char siu recipes call for red bean curd or paste, which can give it a red tint. Recipes without red bean paste often call for red food dye to give it that distinctive color. Without the addition of red bean curd or red food dye, char siu should be a dark brown color.

Char Siu Pork

CHAR SIUâSTYLE PORK TENDERLOIN served with grilled scallions — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Active Time:

30 mins

Marinate Time:

8 hrs

Total Time:

9 hrs 40 mins

Servings:

Char siu is among the oldest marinades on record; the earliest known recipe is 3,000 years old. Our version is as close as you can get to this Cantonese classic when cooking at home, with a sweet, salty, tangy, and rich sauce that results in a flavorful pork tenderloin.

The combination of hoisin, soy sauce, and honey gives this juicy roasted pork tenderloin a savory sweetness and glossy sheen. Cook down the marinade into a thick sauce for glazing the pork during the last few minutes of roasting. Serve leftover pork in lettuce wraps with rice, or thinly slice it and add to warm, brothy ramen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is char siu?

Char siu is a Cantonese-style roast meat marinated in a glossy red sauce flavored with five-spice powder, honey, soy sauce, and hoisin. Char siu (originally chā sīu, meaning “fork-roasted”) refers to pork that’s been marinated, skewered, and cooked over an open fire.
Is char siu supposed to be red?

A lot of char siu recipes call for red bean curd or paste, which can give it a red tint. Recipes without red bean paste often call for red food dye to give it that distinctive color. Without the addition of red bean curd or red food dye, char siu should be a dark brown color.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Fermented red bean curd is made from preserved soybean curd and has a pungent sweet-and-salty flavor. Find it at most Asian grocery stores or online at jubileegrocery.com.

Suggested pairing

Try an Oregon Chardonnay with orchard fruit, such as Adelsheim Willamette Valley.

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Ingredients

Char Siu Marinade

1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons fermented red bean curd liquid, plus 1 (1/2-inch) piece preserved curd (optional)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, grated (about 1 teaspoon)
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

Pork Tenderloin

1 (1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin (about 2 inches thick), silver skin removed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Grilled scallions, for serving (optional)

Directions

Make the char siu marinade

Whisk together soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, honey, hoisin sauce, bean curd liquid and preserved curd piece (if using), rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and Chinese five-spice powder in a medium bowl until smooth.

Make the pork

Place pork in a large ziplock plastic bag, and pour in char siu marinade. Press out as much air as possible, and seal bag; shake bag to evenly coat pork in marinade. Place bag with pork on a large plate or rimmed baking sheet, and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and place an oven-safe wire rack on top. Remove pork from bag, and place on wire rack; pour marinade into a small saucepan. Sprinkle pork with salt, and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring marinade in saucepan to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of thickened marinade in a small bowl, and set aside for brushing pork. Reserve remaining thickened marinade for serving or for another use.
Roast pork in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove pork from oven, and brush all over with about 1 tablespoon thickened marinade. Return pork to oven, and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 135°F, 7 to 12 minutes, brushing occasionally with remaining thickened marinade (about 1 tablespoon). Remove pork from oven, and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest about 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with reserved thickened marinade and grilled scallions, if desired.