Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, (preferably dark soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 4 tablespoons Chinese Shaoxing wine, (or dry sherry)
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese chile bean paste ((optional))
  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 2 pounds pork shoulder or belly
  • 1-2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or malt vinegar ((optional))
  • 1-2 sliced fresh chiles, (for garnish (optional))

Instruction

  • Make the char siu sauce by mixing all the ingredients except for the pork in a blender and pureeing for 1 minute. Pour into a bowl. Put the pork into a plastic container that will just about fit it, and coat with a little of the char siu sauce. Leave at least 1/2 of the sauce for basting later. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 2 days.
  • Get your grill going, leaving some space for indirect heat. If you are using a gas grill, turn off all but one burner. If you are using charcoal, leave an open space on one side of the grill. If you are using a smoker, set it to 225°F. Make a drip pan out of aluminum foil and set that under where the pork will be. You are looking for slow, steady heat here, never hotter than 300°F. Alternately, you can cook the pork in the oven at 225°F
  • Set the pork on the grill over the drip pan and away from the direct heat. Cover the grill and cook until it's tender, which will take between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how large a piece of pork you started with and whether it's wild or farmed. Baste the pork with the char siu sauce every 45 minutes or so. Turn the pork every hour.
  • To serve, cut into bite-size pieces and toss with the remaining char siu sauce. A splash of Chinese black vinegar or malt vinegar right at the end is a nice touch. Garnish with sliced fresh chiles and serve with white steamed rice, some pickles or fermented mustard greens and lots of cold beer.