30-Min Char Siu Pork Recipe (No Oven Needed)
This Char Siu Pork is a quick stovetop version of Cantonese BBQ pork made with a sweet-savory marinade and a glossy sticky glaze.
Ingredients
For the pork
- 1½ pounds pork butt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 cup water
For the marinade
- 2 pieces fermented red bean curd
- 2 tablespoons fermented red bean curd sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice wine
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- To prepare the pork, use a fork to pierce all over the pork butt. This helps the marinade absorb faster and speeds up the cooking process.
- To marinate the pork, in a bowl, mix together the fermented red bean curd, fermented red bean curd sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, honey, five-spice powder, and white pepper. Add the pork and coat well with the marinade. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- To sear the pork, in a pan over medium heat, add the cooking oil. Add the pork and sear for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
- To braise the pork, add the smashed garlic, remaining marinade, and water. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- To finish, uncover and increase the heat to high. Reduce the sauce for about 3 minutes, spooning the sauce over the pork frequently as it thickens. Slice the pork into small pieces and serve hot.
Video
Notes
• Pierce the pork first: Using a fork to pierce the pork helps the marinade penetrate faster, which is especially helpful for this quick stovetop method.
• Marinate longer for deeper flavor: While 5 minutes works for this fast recipe, you can marinate the pork for several hours or overnight for even richer flavor.
• Sear before braising: Browning the pork first helps build flavor and improves the final color of the Char Siu.
• Keep the pork partially submerged: During braising, make sure the pork stays in the sauce so it absorbs the full flavor of the marinade.
• Reduce the sauce for the glaze: Letting the sauce reduce at the end creates the signature sticky-sweet glaze that coats the pork beautifully.
• Slice against the grain: Cutting the pork across the grain helps keep the slices tender and easier to chew.
• Protein swap: This method also works well with pork belly if you prefer a richer, fattier Char Siu.