Char Siu 叉烧 | The Council Cookbook

The Origin

Walk through any Chinatown in the world, and you'll see them: glistening red-lacquered strips hanging in shop windows. This is char siu — the universal symbol of Cantonese cuisine.

Guangzhou

Guangdong Province, China

广东省 · 广州市

Canton — the gateway to China. Where dim sum was perfected, where roast meat became an art form, where the philosophy "anything that walks, swims, or flies can be food" was taken to its delicious extreme.

Style Siu Mei (燒味)

Method Charcoal Roasting

Heritage 2,000+ Years

The Fork and the Fire

The name tells you everything: chā (叉) means "fork," shāo (烧) means "to roast." Long strips of pork, threaded onto forked skewers, roasted over open flame.

The technique dates back centuries, but char siu as we know it — with its lacquered crimson glaze, its edge of char, its intoxicating sweetness — reached its peak in the siu mei shops of Hong Kong and Guangzhou in the 20th century.

These weren't restaurants. They were shrines to roasted meat. Walk in, point at what you want, watch them chop it with rhythmic, practiced strokes, carry it home in a plastic bag. The best ones still have lines around the block.

The red color traditionally came from red fermented bean curd. Today, most shops add food coloring. We're going traditional — the color will be more bronze than crimson, but the flavor will be authentic.

"The best char siu should have some char. If it doesn't, it's just roast pork."

Did You Know?

In Cantonese, calling something "char siu" is the highest meat compliment — and a common term of endearment. Parents might call their child "char siu bao" (叉烧包), comparing them to the beloved BBQ pork bun. It means you're so sweet and precious, they could eat you up.

The Craft

Char siu is about building layers — of marinade, of glaze, of heat.

Mì — The Honey

Maltose and honey create the lacquer — sticky, glossy, slightly bitter when caramelized. Without it, you just have roast pork. With it, you have char siu.

Jiāo — The Char

Those blackened edges aren't mistakes — they're the point. The Maillard reaction at its most primal. Sweetness meeting flame.

Féi — The Fat

Pork shoulder with good marbling is essential. The fat bastes the meat from within, keeping it moist despite high heat. Lean pork makes dry char siu.

The Ingredients

Two stages: the marinade that penetrates, the glaze that lacquers.

The Meat

1 kg Pork shoulder (butt) Cut into 2-inch thick strips along the grain. Some fat is essential.

The Marinade

The Soul

3 tbsp Hoisin sauce 海鲜酱
2 tbsp Honey 蜂蜜
2 tbsp Light soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Red fermented bean curd 南乳 Optional, but traditional. Adds color and funk.
2 tsp Five-spice powder 五香粉
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp White pepper

The Glaze

3 tbsp Maltose or honey Maltose gives that professional shine. Honey is more accessible.
1 tbsp Hot water To thin the maltose for brushing
Reserved Marinade from the bag

The Method

Patience is the secret ingredient. The marinade needs time. The roasting needs attention.

The Marinade

Start this the night before, or at least 4 hours ahead.

Cut pork into strips about 2 inches thick, going with the grain. Pierce all over with a fork to help marinade penetrate.

Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until the red bean curd is fully incorporated.

Add pork to a large zip-lock bag with the marinade. Massage thoroughly. Squeeze out air, seal. Refrigerate for 4-24 hours, flipping occasionally.

Patience Pays

Overnight is ideal. The sugars and aromatics need time to penetrate the meat. Four hours is the minimum; 24 hours is the maximum before the salt starts to cure the texture too much.

The Roasting

High heat, constant basting, charred edges.

Remove pork from fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Reserve the marinade. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) with a rack in the upper third.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place a wire rack on top. Arrange pork strips on the rack.

Setup Matters

The wire rack allows heat to circulate and fat to drip away. The foil catches drips for easy cleanup — the sugary marinade will smoke and burn on a bare pan.

Mix the maltose with hot water to make it brushable. Combine with 2 tablespoons of the reserved marinade. This is your glaze.

Roast for 15 minutes. Flip. Brush with glaze. Roast another 10 minutes. Flip again, brush with glaze. Continue roasting and basting every 5 minutes until the pork reaches 145°F (63°C) internal and has beautiful char spots — about 25-35 minutes total.

Critical Moment

Don't fear the char. When the glaze starts to blacken at the edges, that's flavor developing. You want about 20% of the surface with dark caramelization. But stay present — the sugar can go from caramelized to burned quickly.

The Rest & Serve

The final essential step everyone skips.

Remove from oven and brush with one final coat of glaze. Let rest for 10 minutes — the juices need to redistribute.

Slice against the grain into ¼-inch pieces. Serve over rice, in bao, tossed with noodles, or just eat it straight. It's that good.

The Sauce

Heat the remaining reserved marinade in a small pot until bubbling. Drizzle over the sliced char siu for extra gloss and flavor.

Ways to Elevate

The difference between home-cooked and restaurant-quality.

Torch the Finish

After resting, hit the surface with a kitchen torch for extra caramelization and that professional char-shop look.

Use Real Maltose

Find maltose at an Asian grocery. It's stickier and caramelizes differently than honey — that's what gives authentic char siu its distinctive lacquer.

Smoke It First

If you have a smoker, cold-smoke the marinated pork for an hour before roasting. Adds another dimension entirely.

What to Make With It

Char siu is an ingredient as much as a dish.

Char Siu Bao 叉烧包

Dice the char siu, toss with a sweet-savory gravy, encase in fluffy white buns. The dim sum classic.

Char Siu Fried Rice

Day-old rice, diced char siu, egg, scallions. Simple perfection. The pork's sweetness against the wok hei.

Char Siu Ramen

Slice thick, torch until edges crisp, lay over a bowl of rich tonkotsu. The Cantonese-Japanese crossover.