How to Make Vietnamese Char Siu Pork
Making char siu pork is not difficult; you might just not know the proper way to marinate the meat.
Ingredients
- 500g pork shoulder
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 2-3 shallots
- 1 piece of ginger
- 2 tablespoons char siu seasoning powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rose wine
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon five-spice powder (optional)
- 1 stalk lemongrass (optional)
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
Rinse the pork with coarse salt and clean thoroughly. Let it drain, then cut the pork into strips about 3 cm wide. Based on Cookbeo's experience, it's better to remove the skin as it can make the char siu pork tough.
If you prefer a slightly fatty and tender char siu, choose pork jowl. Alternatively, if you want a leaner cut that remains tender, use pork belly or pork shoulder.
Peel the shallots, garlic, and ginger, then rinse them.
Pound them into a fine paste using a mortar and pestle.
Marinate the Pork
Place the pork in a large bowl and marinate it with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, Chinese rose wine (or Shaoxing wine), oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Add 1 tablespoon of each of these ingredients. Then, add 2 tablespoons of char siu seasoning powder and 1 tablespoon of five-spice powder (if using) to the bowl.
Cookbeo uses a char siu seasoning packet from Thailand, which includes various spices for marinating the pork, including five-spice powder. Personally, I prefer the flavor of this brand over the Cholimex brand. You can find the Thai seasoning packet in dry goods stores or online, typically priced at around 35,000 VND per packet.
For the best flavor, marinate the pork for at least 2-3 hours, or ideally 3-4 hours. You can store the marinating pork in the refrigerator to keep it fresh during this time.
Cook the Char Siu Pork
There are many ways to cook char siu pork, such as pan-frying, baking in an oven, using an air fryer, or grilling over charcoal. In this recipe, Cookbeo shares how to make char siu pork using an air fryer:
Preheat the air fryer at 100°C (212°F) for 2 minutes. Then, line the bottom of the fryer with aluminum foil and place the pork strips on top. Set the temperature to 200°C (392°F) and cook for 10 minutes. After that, flip the pork strips and continue cooking at 200°C for another 5 minutes until fully cooked. If you didn't preheat the air fryer, extend the second cooking time to 7 minutes.
After 15 minutes of cooking in the air fryer, the char siu pork will have a dark golden-brown color, a glossy finish, and a tender, juicy texture without being dry. The aroma is irresistibly delicious.
Let the char siu pork cool, then slice it thinly and serve with baguette or hot rice, along with pickled vegetables or kimchi. The marinade can be simmered to make a sauce for drizzling over the pork or used as a dipping sauce for the pickles.
