Char siu is the reason the Cantonese roast meat counter smells like a party you weren't invited to. Those glossy mahogany pork strips hanging behind the glass — lacquered red, charred at the edges, glistening with honey — are one of Chinese barbecue's greatest hits, and they're absolutely doable in a regular home oven.

The name means "fork-roasted" (叉燒), a nod to the days when long strips of pork were skewered on forks and roasted over an open fire. Today most home cooks trade the fire for the oven, and with the right marinade the results are close enough to the restaurant version that you'll wonder why you ever stood in line at the siu mei counter.

Sliced char siu BBQ pork with caramelized red edges on a white plate, topped with chopped scallions

What Makes Char Siu Char Siu

Glossy char siu pork strips hanging on hooks in a roast meat shop

Three things define it. First, the marinade: a salty-sweet mix of hoisin sauce, honey, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, and five-spice powder that both flavors and colors the pork. Second, the cut: pork shoulder or pork butt, with enough fat marbled through it to stay juicy under high heat. Lean cuts dry out — the fat is the whole point. Third, the char: high oven heat plus a final blast under the broiler crisps the sugary edges into that signature caramelized crust.

The deep red color comes from red fermented tofu or a touch of red food coloring in the marinade. Restaurants use fermented bean curd for both color and a subtle savory depth; if you'd rather skip the coloring, beetroot powder works too. The flavor won't suffer.

Ingredients

For the pork

2 lb (900g) pork shoulder (butt), cut into strips about 3 inches wide
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons honey, plus 2 tablespoons for glazing
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon red fermented tofu (or 1/4 teaspoon red food coloring)
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Whisk the marinade: in a large bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, light and dark soy sauces, shaoxing wine, five-spice powder, garlic powder, sesame oil, red fermented tofu, and salt. Stir until smooth.

2. Marinate the pork: add the pork strips and turn to coat every surface. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours. The longer the better — this is where the deep flavor comes from.

3. Set up the oven: preheat to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Arrange the pork strips on the rack, reserving the marinade.

4. Roast, basting: roast for 20 minutes, then brush the pork generously with the reserved marinade and flip the strips. Roast 20 minutes more, basting once more halfway through.

5. Broil for the char: switch the oven to broil. Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey thinned with a spoon of hot water over the pork and broil 2–3 minutes per side, watching closely, until the edges darken and caramelize.

6. Rest and slice: let the pork rest 10 minutes so the juices settle, then slice across the grain into 1/4-inch pieces. Serve warm.

Tips and Variations

Don't skip the wire rack. Air circulation underneath the pork lets the marinade caramelize on all sides instead of steaming the bottom.
Use the marinade wisely. Reserve a clean spoonful for basting before the raw pork goes in — once it's touched raw meat, it shouldn't go back on the cooked pork without a good boil. Simmering leftover marinade for 3 minutes makes a great drizzle sauce.
Make-ahead friendly. Marinated raw pork keeps in the fridge for 2 days, and cooked char siu reheats well wrapped in foil at 325°F.
Serve it like the roast shops do: over steamed jasmine rice with a drizzle of the cooked marinade sauce, or slice it thin for noodle bowls. Char siu also freezes beautifully for up to 2 months.
If you want a stronger char, a quick pass with a kitchen torch after broiling gives restaurant-style blistered edges.

Choosing the Right Pork

Pork shoulder (also sold as pork butt) is the classic pick, and for good reason: its marbling keeps the meat tender through a hot roast and a broiler blast. Buy it bone-in or boneless; either works as long as you cut it into long strips roughly 3 inches wide. The strips expose more surface area to the marinade than chunks do, which means more of that sticky glaze in every bite.

If you prefer a leaner roast, pork tenderloin is an option — but cut the roasting time by about 10 minutes and watch it carefully, because it has very little fat to protect it. Whatever you choose, avoid thin, pale, watery-looking pork; good char siu starts with pork that has a deep pink color and visible white marbling.

Serving Ideas

Char siu roast pork over steamed white rice with bok choy

Char siu rice (叉燒飯): the classic. Sliced pork over a bowl of steamed jasmine rice with a spoonful of the boiled marinade sauce and a handful of blanched bok choy. Simple, perfect.
Char siu bao filling: chop leftover pork and fold it into fluffy steamed buns — it's the same filling bakery shops use.
Noodle bowls: toss thin slices into wonton noodles or a bowl of egg noodles with a light soy-based broth.
Char siu fried rice: diced char siu is one of the best fried rice additions you can make; it brings its own seasoning to the party.
Banh mi twist: char siu, pickled daikon and carrot, cucumber, cilantro, and a smear of mayo on a crusty baguette. Not traditional, but hard to argue with.

Storage and Reheating

Cooked char siu keeps 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Slice it before storing so leftovers are ready to go into lunches and fried rice. It freezes well for up to 2 months — wrap portions tightly in foil, then bag them. To reheat, warm slices in a covered skillet over medium heat with a spoon of water, or wrap in foil and heat at 325°F for 10–12 minutes. Skip the microwave if you can; it toughens the caramelized edges.

Common Questions

Can I make char siu without red fermented tofu? Yes. The fermented tofu adds savory depth and the signature red color, but the pork will still taste great without it. A pinch of beetroot powder or a few drops of red food coloring can stand in for the color.

Do I need to marinate overnight? A full 8–24 hours gives the deepest flavor, but even 4 hours produces good char siu in a pinch. Just don't skip marinating entirely — the surface glaze alone won't carry the dish.

Why did my char siu burn instead of caramelizing? Honey burns fast. The broiler step needs constant watching: 2–3 minutes per side is usually plenty. If your broiler runs hot, pull the rack down a notch.