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Cantonese Style BBQ Pork over Rice (Char Siu with Rice) #hongkongrecipe #cantoneserecipe #chinesebbq #charsiu #bbqpork #pork #rice #roasted #dinner #dinnerrecipe #叉燒飯 | The Missing Lokness
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Cantonese Style BBQ Pork over Rice (Char Siu with Rice)

Course Main Course
Cuisine Cantonese
Keyword BBQ pork, cantonese BBQ pork, char siu, Chinese BBQ pork, Hong Kong BBQ, Hong Kong BBQ pork, Hong Kong BBQ pork rice, oven roasted BBQ pork, rice, 叉燒飯
Servings 2 people
Author Lokness

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pork butt
  • 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 cups hot cooked rice

BBQ Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons maltose
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3/4 tablespoon Chinese rose wine
  • 6 dashes ground white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 6 drops red food coloring (optional)

Sweet Soy Sauce:

  • tablespoons soy sauce
  • tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 pieces sliced ginger (peeled and smashed) (optional)
  • 1 green onion (cut into 1-inch long) (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic (peeled and smashed) (optional)
  • 1 small shallot (cut into 3 pieces)(optional)

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, combine all BBQ sauce ingredients. Heat over medium-low heat. Stir and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour about 1/3 cup to a small bowl and keep the rest in the saucepan. Set aside both to cool slightly.
  • In the meantime, work on the pork, trim off some the fat if needed, but don’t trim it all. Cut the pork into 4 - 5 (¾-inch thick) strips. Place them in the deep-dish plate or glass container. Add the garlic and then pour in the BBQ sauce from the saucepan. Rub all sides of the pork strips with the marinade and garlic. Best to place them flat in a single layer. Cover the plate with double layers of plastic wraps (so the smell doesn't get out to the fridge too much) and marinate for 24 hours.
  • For the BBQ sauce in the bowl, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon honey. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge.
  • 24 hours later, preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then top with a rack. If you don't have a rack, just it do on the baking sheet.
  • For the sweet soy sauce, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and water.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the pan and add the vegetable oil. Add the ginger, green onion, garlic, and shallot if using. Cook until slightly browned. Turn the heat to medium. Add the soy sauce mixture. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Remove the ginger, green onion, garlic and shallot. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Turn off the heat.
  • Back to the pork, wipe off most of the sauce and garlic with your hands. Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet. Baked in the oven for 5 minutes. Brush the pork with a layer of BBQ sauce (the one in the fridge). Continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Brush the pork once more with the BBQ sauce. Turn the heat up to 425˚F (220˚C) and cook for another 12 – 18 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and a little charred on some edges. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and rest for 3 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, place the hot rice on 2 servings plates. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of sweet soy sauce over each plate of rice.
  • Slice the pork into ¼ – ½-inch thick. Place over rice and serve immediately. Transfer the leftover sweet soy sauce to a small bowl and serve along with the dish.

Notes

  1. Pork butt is not the actual butt, it's the shoulder. When choosing the cut, get something that is a little fatty. Lean pork can result in dry and tough meat. Since pork butt usually comes in 2 – 3 pounds. Cut it in half or third. Use 1 part and freeze the rest for next time. Or you can double the amount of sauce and make them all at once. 
  2. Maltose is super thick, it may not be able to scoop or pour. To take maltose out of the jar, I used a pair of wood chopsticks (a metal spoon should work too). Keep both chopsticks together and stab into the maltose. Scoop and pull up high. The maltose can stand on its own at this point. Roll and collect. Roughly measure about 3 tablespoons of maltose. Place the maltose along with the chopsticks in the small saucepan. During the heating process, the maltose will melt and the chopsticks can be removed at that point.
  3. Maltose, Chinese five spice, Chinese rose wine and hoisin sauce can all be found in Chinese supermarkets. 
  4. For the sweet soy sauce, the ginger, green onion, garlic and shallot give the sauce more flavor and fragrant. It's not necessary, but I highly recommend it. Using 1 or 2 items is better not using at all. 
  5. When I have to brush the pork with BBQ sauce, I take out the baking sheet and do it on top of the stove. That way, I'm not keeping the oven door opened and not dropping the oven temperature too much. 
  6. When the pork is cooking, sauce dripped down to the bottom could start to char and burn a little. It's ok. You do want a little charred on some edges on the pork for better flavors. 
  7. If you are not sure if you pork is cooked through or not. You can take one out and cut in the middle to see if the pork is pink or not. If there is a tiny bit of pink, it's safe to eat. 
(Adapted from Rasa Malaysia)