Char Siu | Diethood

Char siu is Chinese BBQ pork and it’s packed with flavor! I make it at home with juicy pork tenderloin coated in a sweet and smoky, deep red Char siu marinade. 

Enjoy char siu bao with soft homemade bao buns sprinkled with crunchy herbs. You’ll never want to get takeout again!

When I made bao buns recently, I knew I wanted to knock the meal out of the park. Sweet and sticky char siu pork was the obvious choice (it’s one of my restaurant favorites, after all). This recipe came out SO GOOD, and just look at that color! I marinated the pork tenderloin in the fridge for a full 48 hours before roasting, and it made such a difference. I can’t wait to make this juicy, spicy Chinese BBQ pork again ASAP. It’s definitely on the menu for our next date night at home.

Why I Love This Char Siu Pork Recipe

• Make ahead. I leave this pork to marinate for a whole two days before roasting. It lets all the Asian-inspired flavors soak into the meat, not to mention it’s the secret to that gorgeous red hue! Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to get a head start on this week’s dinner.
• Extra juicy. The combination of a flavor-packed marinade and the right cooking method makes this the ultimate homemade char siu! Every bite is juicy, wrapped in a sweet and sticky Chinese-style sauce.
• Super easy! I’m all about a good takeout fakeout recipe, and this char siu is one of the simplest ways to recreate a restaurant favorite. Just marinate, roast, and enjoy! It’s a two-day process thanks to a lengthy soak in that delicious marinade, but it’s totally worth it.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Char siu sauce has a distinct Asian flavor thanks to hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese five-spice powder. And the beauty of making this dish at home is that I can make my pork as mild or as spicy as I like! 

Below are some quick ingredient notes. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with the full recipe details.

• Sugar – I like to use a combination of brown sugar and honey for a deeper, more caramelized flavor. You can use only brown sugar, or granulated sugar if needed.
• Hoisin Sauce – Hoisin sauce is a dark and sticky Asian condiment made from fermented soybeans, similar to soy sauce. It has other ingredients in the mix, like chili, fennel, and garlic. You’ll find it in most major grocery stores, or you can check your local Asian supermarket.
• Soy Sauce – You can also use tamari or coconut aminos. 
• Chinese Five Spice – Five-spice powder is a sweet, smoky blend of spices like cinnamon, anise, fennel, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorns.
• Sesame Oil – This can be regular refined sesame oil, or you can use toasted sesame oil for another layer of flavor. There’s really no substitute for sesame oil in recipes like this one.
• Food Coloring – Traditional char siu recipes relied on red fermented bean curd to give the pork its signature red color. Nowadays, most restaurants use red food coloring for a brighter red, so that’s what I use here.
• Pork Tenderloin – Other good pork cuts for char siu are pork belly, pork butt, and pork loin. I like pork tenderloin as it’s quick-cooking and tender. Pork loin will take longer to roast.

For Serving

• Bao Buns – These can be store-bought, or you can make homemade bao buns. 
• Garnishes – Thinly sliced green onions (I usually use just the greens) and sesame seeds make a nice, authentic garnish.

How to Make Char Siu

If you’ve ever made roasted pork tenderloin, you can make char siu! Even if you haven’t, the steps are super easy. Follow along here, and scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.

• Marinate the pork. Whisk together the marinade ingredients, including the red food coloring. Add this to a Ziploc bag with the pork and massage it in. Your pork tenderloin will need to marinate in the fridge for 48 hours. 
• Prep. Fast forward, and you’ll remove the pork from the marinade and place it onto a roasting rack set over a baking sheet. Save the marinade to brush over the pork while it roasts.
• Roast. Roast the pork at 350ºF for 25 minutes, basting it with the marinade halfway through. Once the inside of the pork hits 145ºF, switch the oven to broil for a couple of minutes to char the top.
• Rest. Take your pork tenderloin out of the oven and leave it to rest. I usually use this time to steam my bao buns!
• Slice and serve. Slice the char siu up thin and serve it in bao buns (see below), or you can serve it with rice or a stir-fry. See further in the post for suggestions.

Easy Char Siu Bao

Sweet and sticky char siu pork is the classic filling for char siu bao, one of my favorite Chinese takeout dishes. I use homemade bao buns, but you can use your favorite brand from the store, too. Here’s how to make it:

• Prepare the pork. Roast your pork and then rest and slice it as directed.
• Steam the buns. I like to keep a bag of frozen homemade bao buns in my freezer, so I can take them out any time. Steam the buns straight from frozen, for 5-10 minutes, until they’re puffed and warm.
• Fill the bao. Fold your freshly steamed buns around slices of char siu, and sprinkle over green onions and sesame seeds for garnish.

What Is Char Siu Served With?

When I’m not stuffing it into steamed buns, char siu goes great with a side of white rice and greens, like baby bok choy or broccolini. Otherwise, serve it with noodles and stir-fries, like chicken chow mein, spicy Szechuan chicken, or vegetarian kung pao tofu.

I love making our meal a restaurant-style spread with starters like spring rolls and crab rangoon, and a big skillet of steak fried rice for sharing!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Wrap any leftover char siu pork in plastic wrap or store it airtight in a Ziploc bag or container. It’ll last in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat. I like to reheat the pork slices in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until they’re warm throughout. It’s better than the microwave, in my opinion.

More Chinese Takeout Recipes