Char Siu Pork | The Curry Guy

If there’s one dish that stops people in their tracks when they walk past a Chinese barbecue window, it’s char siu pork. That glossy red glaze, the slightly charred edges, the promise of sweet, savoury, sticky pork… it’s irresistible. The good news? You don’t need a restaurant oven or a Chinatown barbecue shop to make char siu at home. With a few key ingredients and the right method, you can make better-than-takeaway char siu pork in your own kitchen.

This is one of those recipes that looks complicated but really isn’t. Most of the work happens while the pork is marinating, and the cooking itself is straightforward. Once you’ve made it, you’ll find yourself doubling the recipe and looking for excuses to use it in everything.

What Is Char Siu Pork?

Char siu literally means “fork roast”, referring to the traditional method of skewering strips of pork on long forks and roasting them over charcoal. It’s a classic Cantonese dish, known for its sweet, savoury flavour and that unmistakable red glaze.

Traditionally, char siu is made with pork shoulder or neck, marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, fermented bean curd, hoisin, and spices, then roasted until sticky, lightly charred and juicy. It’s eaten on its own, served with rice or used as an ingredient in countless Chinese dishes.

Although traditionally cooked over fire, which I highly recommend doing, this is my oven roasted char siu pork recipe.

A Brief History of Char Siu

Char siu has its roots in southern China, particularly Guangdong province, where roasting meats over open flames has been a cooking tradition for centuries. Cantonese barbecue shops developed the technique to produce meat that was both preserved and incredibly flavourful.

As Chinese communities spread around the world, char siu became a staple of Chinese takeaways and restaurants, especially in the UK. Over time, the recipe adapted slightly to suit local tastes, often becoming a little sweeter and more glossy — but the soul of the dish remains the same.

Ingredients

There are many recipes for char siu pork but they are all quite similar. Below you will find the ingredients I use to make mine. I do add a little red colouring along with the fermented red bean paste but that is optional. Food colouring adds no flavour but it does give the meat a beautiful red colouring. The exact measurements of each ingredient can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Why You’ll Love Making This at Home

The biggest advantage of homemade char siu is control. You decide how sweet it is, how salty, how sticky, and how charred. You can use good-quality pork, avoid artificial colouring if you want, and cook it exactly how you like it.

It’s also incredibly versatile. Make a batch once and you’ve got the base for fried rice, noodles, bao buns, stir fries, and more. It’s one of those recipes that keeps on giving.

Popular Ways to Serve and Use Char Siu Pork

• With jasmine rice and greens
• In fried rice or noodle dishes
• Stuffed into bao buns
• Sliced over ramen or noodle soups
• In stir fries or omelettes

Once you have it in the fridge, you’ll find excuses to add it to everything.

Variations

• Honey Char Siu – replace sugar with extra honey
• Spicy Char Siu – add chilli oil or chilli flakes
• Air Fryer Char Siu – works brilliantly for smaller batches
• Chicken Char Siu – use thighs and reduce cooking time

Useful Equipment

1. Foil (for easy cleanup)
2. Roasting tin with rack
3. Mixing bowl
4. Whisk
5. Meat thermometer (optional but helpful)
6. Basting brush

Storage and Reheating

Char siu keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container with a little extra sauce if possible.

To reheat:

• Gently in a pan
• Wrapped in foil in the oven
• Quickly in the microwave (cover to retain moisture)

It also freezes beautifully. Slice before freezing for easy portioning.

Top Tips for Home Cooks

• Don’t skimp on the fat – lean pork dries out quickly. You should use shoulder, neck or pork belly.
• Baste often for that sticky glaze
• Use a rack to allow heat to circulate
• Watch the sugar – it burns fast, so don’t walk away
• Taste the marinade before adding the pork