Chinese Barbecued Pork (Char Siu) - Cook's Illustrated

By RobinPD

Published in Cook's Illustrated, March-April 2007. Pay close attention to the meat when broiling -- you are looking for it to darken and caramelize, not blacken. Serve with rice and vegetables. Leftover pork can be used in fried rice.

Ingredients

• 1 (4 lb) boneless pork butt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce or 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup honey

Preparation

Step 1

1 Cut pork butt in half lengthwise. Turn each half on cut side and slice each half into 4 equal pieces (you will end up with 8 strips). Trim excess hard, waxy fat, leaving some fat to render while cooking.

2 Using fork, prick each piece of pork on all sides. Place pork in large plastic zipper-lock bag. Combine sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sherry, pepper, five-spice powder, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in medium bowl.

3 Measure out 1/2 cup marinade and set aside.

4 Pour remaining marinade into bag with pork. Press out as much air as possible; seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

5 While meat marinates, combine ketchup and honey with reserved marinade in small saucepan. Cook glaze over medium heat until syrupy, 4-6 minutes.

6 Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300°F Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack on sheet. Spray the wire rack and rimmed pan with vegetable oil spray (this will help to facilitate cleanup).

7 Remove park from marinade, letting any excess drip off, and place on wire rack. Pour 1/4 cup water into bottom of pan. Cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping edges tightly to seal. Cook pork 20 minutes.

8 Remove foil and continue to cook until edges of pork begin to brown, 40-45 minutes.

9 Turn on broiler (do not use a drawer broiler). Broil pork until evenly caramelized, 7-9 minutes. Remove pan from oven and brush pork with half of glaze; broil until deep mahogany color, 3-5 minutes. (Watch carefully; do not allow to blacken.).

10 Using tongs, flip meat and broil until other side carmelizes, 7-9 minutes. Brush meat with remaining glaze and continue to broil until second side is deep mahogany, 3-5 minutes.

11 Cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut into thin strips and serve.