Chinese Roast Pork Char Siu Food

CHAR SIU (CHINESE BBQ PORK)

Steps:

• Cut pork with the grain into strips 1 1/2- to 2-inches long; put into a large resealable plastic bag.
• Stir soy sauce, honey, ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine, hoisin sauce, red food coloring or red bean curd (see Cook's Note), and Chinese five-spice powder together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until just combined and slightly warm, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the marinade into the bag with the pork, squeeze air from the bag, and seal. Turn bag a few times to coat all pork pieces in marinade.
• Marinate pork in refrigerator, 2 hours to overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove pork from marinade and shake to remove excess liquid. Discard remaining marinade.
• Cook pork on preheated grill for 20 minutes. Put a small container of water onto the grill and continue cooking, turning the pork regularly, until cooked through, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

CHINESE ROAST PORK (CHAR SIU)

Steps:

• Cut pork into neat billets about 6 by 3 by 1 1/2 inches and place in bowl. Put brown bean sauce, garlic, stock, salt, sugar, soy sauce and tomato paste in small saucepan and warm, stirring until everything is well blended. Remove from heat and stir in five-spice powder and sherry. Pour sauce over pork; mix to coat all pieces, cover and allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least 6 hours, turning a few times.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a large shallow pan half full of hot water on the bottom of the oven (or on the lowest rack). Wipe top rack, which should be at least 7 inches above the water, with paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Turn pork once more in marinade to coat well and place pieces directly on the rack, leaving spaces between them but arranging them so that the drippings will fall into the water (the water will also provide moisture during cooking). Bake 20 minutes.
• Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes more. (For sweeter pork, brush pieces lightly during the last 10 minutes with 2 tablespoons honey mixed with 2 tablespoons marinade.)
• Remove pork pieces from oven; if it will not be used immediately as an ingredient in one of the following dishes, cool, wrap and refrigerate or freeze until needed. To use, cut into pieces to match the dish you have in mind; for example, dice pork if dish contains diced vegetables.

CHINESE ROAST PORK (CHAR SIU)

Steps:

• First day preparation:
• To make the marinade, combine the first 8 ingredients in a freshly-sanitized plastic container just large enough to hold the pork snug - or - in a Ziploc plastic bag. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade for glaze. Add the pork, turn well to coat, and refrigerate at least 24 hours and not longer than 48 hours.
• Second day preparation:
• Preheat oven to 450°F Set a pan filled with 1" water on the bottom rack.
• Combine the honey, 2 Tbs. soy, sesame oil, and 1/4 cup pork marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside.
• Place pork strips on broiler pan and put on rack above water pan. Roast 10 minutes.
• Brush with 1/3 of the glaze, roast 10 minutes more, and then lower the heat to 350°F
• Brush with half of remaining glaze and roast 10 minutes more.
• Brush with remaining glaze and turn off oven. Remove from oven after 5 minutes and cool to room temperature on a rack (if using for Bao; otherwise, serve it up!).