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This is the archived version of the Milk Street website and is no longer up to date.

Please visit 177milkstreet.com to see the current website with all of the latest recipes!

Cantonese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu)

Makes about 2 pounds

1½ hours 1 hour active, plus refrigeration and grill prep

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In Hong Kong, our favorite iterations of char siu, or savory-sweet Cantonese barbecued pork, were from Sun Kwai Heung BBQ Food and Hoi Kee Roast Meat. To make char siu, fat-rich pork is cut into long strips, seasoned sometimes with a rub but more commonly with a marinade, then hung on hooks and cooked over a live fire. In the final stages, a maltose glaze is applied that creates a lacquered sheen and helps develop deliciously charred edges. For our version, we make a wet rub and apply it to strips of pork shoulder. Without an apparatus to hang the meat, we use indirect (or low) heat to cook it on an outdoor grill, then brush the strips with a honey-based glaze and char them directly over the fire. (We also offer oven instructions; see below). Char siu is sliced for serving. It can be paired simply with rice and a steamed vegetable such as Chinese broccoli or bok choy. It’s commonly used in fried rice and stir-fried noodles and is a fine garnish for noodle soups. It’s also a fantastic filling for Vietnamese-style bánh mì sandwiches. If possible, store leftovers as whole strips, rather than slices. They will keep in the refrigerator up to five days; reheat on the middle rack under the broiler for five minutes, flipping once halfway.

Makes about

2 pounds

Tip

Don’t use an assertive honey that would compete with the other flavors. Clover honey is a good, neutral choice. Orange blossom honey, with its citrusy notes, works nicely, too. For the best texture, don’t undercook the pork. Make sure the pieces reach 160°F to 165°F on the cool side of the grill before glazing then caramelizing over the hot side of the fire.

1½ hours

1 hour active, plus refrigeration and grill prep

Ingredients

  • ¼

    cup packed light brown sugar

  • 2

    tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

Reviews
Michael F.
September 8, 2025
Unbelievable
Followed the directions exactly. This was outstanding. I expected to have some leftovers to bring for lunch tomorrow. My family of 4 devoured it and is already asking when I’m making it again. Thank you Milk Street team.
Janet F.
July 22, 2025
Try Boneless Country Ribs
At my butcher counter, the boneless country ribs ARE pork shoulder. Bought these and saved a step in the process. Recipe was spot on and make sure to cook enough pork to make the fried rice the next day. Another winner!
Scott P.
July 1, 2025
My favorite recipe for pork tenderloin
This was the most delicious and tender pork tenderloin! Thank you! The glaze made a great charred skin to seal in all the juices. Wow! I marinated it for 24 hours and that really paid off in flavor.
Andrew S.
May 18, 2025
So good!
Delicious. Would love grill variations with the latest controlled Temperature technology (Masterbuilt/Traeger). Personally set the first round of temperature for 350 and finished at 500.

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