Oven-roasted Char Siu (BBQ Pork)

One thing about being miles away from home is the missing of mouth-watering delicacies that we grew up eating, especially when we are in a western country where South-east Asia cuisines become a rare find. But thanks to the internet, some (in fact most) of these food cravings can easily be satisfied from the abundance of homemade recipes shared online by many from all around the world.

One particular food my husband craves is this Char Siu, a type of roasted meat in Cantonese cuisine traditions. My husband is a typical carnivore and he cannot have his meal without a meat dish. The traditional cooking method for this roasted meat is having long strips of seasoned boneless pork skewered with long forks over a fire, slightly charring the outside of the meat. I must say it is the marinate that makes this meat so tasty and unique. 

This Char Siu recipe is definitely a winner because the ingredients required are conveniently found at the oriental food section in most western supermarkets, and if not, at the local oriental supermarket. And it's pretty mess-free and the distinct flavour of the meat can be replicated with just the use of an oven. 

Oven-roasted Char Siu (BBQ Pork)

I'm sharing this amazing and deliciously flavoured Oven-roasted Char Siu (BBQ Pork) with blog event, CookBlogShare hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes;

and monthly link up party, Our Growing Edge (May 2015) hosted by Jordan and Cindy from My Daughter and I, an event that aims to connect food bloggers and inspire us to try new things.

This is also a prelude of my upcoming post as I continue with the fun of bread-making. Be sure to stay tuned! ^_^

Oven-roasted Char Siu (BBQ Pork)

Recipe referenced and modified from: Food Made with Love

Ingredients Required

Marinate:
2 tablespoons Lee Kum Kee Char Siu sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt

400 grams pork fillet (or any tender cut)

Bakeware Used

Large baking sheet lined with aluminium foil

Preparation Steps

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinate and mix well.
2. Toss the pork fillet in the marinate and make sure that the meat is well coated.
3. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours (better overnight).
4. Preheat oven to 355 degrees F (180 degrees C).
5. Arrange the marinated pork in a deep dish or baking sheet lined with aluminium foil. 
6. Brush the surface of the pork with the excess marinate and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. You may cover the top with another sheet of foil if the surface of the pork get burnt easily.
7. Flip the pork over, brush the flipped side of the pork with the excess marinate and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. 
8. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to cool before cutting into smaller pieces and serve as desired.

The Dream Baker's Experiment

1. I omitted the Shaoxing wine and replaced garlic salt with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon regular salt as I didn't have the required ingredients. I do not know how much the Shaoxing wine would enhance the taste of the Char Siu. But I understand that there is an ingredient in the garlic salt that helps retain moisture. In any case, the Char Siu still turned out succulent and delicious.
2. I did not have much excess marinate to brush the pork fillet as many times as recommended in the original source recipe. I only managed to brush and flip my pork fillet once (as per recommended in my above recipe).
3. I roasted the pork fillet for a good 25 minutes, flipping once after 15 minutes. The pork fillet were almost cooked through during the first flip, and I continued to let them roast until they were slightly charred on the edges.
4. The roasting duration varies according to the thickness of the pork fillet, and roasting time should be adjusted accordingly. The pork fillet used in my above recipe were no more than 1-inch thick.

It is advisable to check the doneness of the Char Siu by slicing through after 15 minutes into roasting. Unlike baking, it is ok to open the oven and check on these Char Siu as appropriate to prevent the Char Siu from getting burnt. The black char as seen in the picture above is the result of the burnt marinate, not the pork fillet. ^_^

I'm having my oven-roasted Char Siu over white steamy rice with sliced cucumber and a sunny side-up. Yum~

What are you having for dinner? ^_^

Dare to dream.

The Dream Baker