The Woks of Life - Char Siu

Ingredients

• 1350 g pork shoulder, boneless, with marbling of fat (or pork collar), cut into strips 5-7 cm thick
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 50 g granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 2 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp five-spice powder
• 0.25 tsp white pepper
• 0.5 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, optional, or dry sherry
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp molasses, or dark cane syrup
• 0.13 tsp red food coloring, optional, for color only
• 2 tbsp maltose, or honey, for the glaze
• water: 1 tbsp hot water for the glaze, plus about 350 ml (and later 250 ml) in the roasting pan

Method

1. Cutting the meat: Cut the pork into strips or pieces about 5–7 cm thick. Leave the fat on: this adds flavor and keeps the meat juicy.
2. Making the marinade: Mix sugar, salt, five-spice powder, white pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, the optional red food coloring, and the garlic. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade separately in the fridge for the glaze.
3. Marinating: Rub the meat with the remaining marinade in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
4. Preparing oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 245 °C (475 °F) with the rack in the top third. Line a roasting pan with foil, place a rack on top, and arrange the meat with space between pieces. Pour about 350 ml water into the roasting pan under the rack.
5. First roasting: Roast for 10 minutes at 245 °C. Then lower the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and roast for another 15 minutes. Watch closely: if the meat colors too fast, reduce the temperature.
6. Turning: Turn the meat over, rotate the pan half a turn, and add about 250 ml of water if the pan is dry. Roast for another 15 minutes at 190 °C.
7. Glazing: Mix the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade with maltose or honey and 1 tablespoon hot water. Generously brush the glaze onto the meat, turn it over, and brush the other side.
8. Final roasting: Roast for another 10 minutes at 190 °C, until the meat is caramelized and cooked through (minimum core temperature 63 °C). For more color, grill for 1-2 minutes while watching carefully.
9. Resting: Brush once more with the remaining glaze and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Any unused meat: cool, divide into portions of about 115 grams, and freeze.