Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu)
Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu) features tender, slow-grilled pork lacquered with a glossy, sweet-salty glaze layered with soy, hoisin, and honey, plus a hint of five-spice and cayenne for warmth. It’s juicy, gently smoky, and beautifully caramelized—perfect for a weekend cookout, sliced over rice or noodles, or served alongside crisp vegetables.
- Prep10 mins
- Cook2 hrs
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactPoor
- 24 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 48 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 4
- Heart Health
- 10
- Metabolic
- 15
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 46
- Performance
- 22
- General Wellness
- 1
Combine the soy sauce, honey, rice wine, hoisin sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, five-spice powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and curing salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce to medium-high.
- 2
Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- 3
Slice the pork in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise again to make 4 long, thick pieces.
- 4
Pour the cooled sauce into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the red food coloring.
- 5
Add the pork sections to the sauce and coat each piece. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
- 6
Preheat the grill to medium heat, 275 to 300 degrees F (135 to 150 degrees C), and lightly oil the grate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 7
Remove the pork sections from the marinade and let the excess drip off. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.
- 8
Move the pork sections to the grate over indirect heat on the preheated grill. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes.
- 9
Brush with marinade and turn the pieces. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. Do not use any more marinade on the cooked meat until after you boil it.
- 10
Pour the leftover marinade into a saucepan; bring it to a boil; then let it simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- 11
Use the boiled marinade to brush over the cooked pork.
- Calories 1740.73 kcal High 87%
- Protein 126.97 g Good Source 254%
- Carbohydrate 51.99 g 19%
- Total Fat 112.51 g High 144%
- Saturated Fat 35.5 g High 178%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 383.97 mg High 128%
- Sodium 2266.14 mg High 99%
- Dietary Fiber 1.09 g Low Source 4%
- Total Sugars 43.0 g --
- Added Sugars 10.56 g High 21%
- Calcium 10.24 mg Low Source 1%
- Iron 6.57 mg Good Source 37%
- Potassium 54.73 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin A 16.18 mcg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin C 1.25 mg Low Source 1%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Soy 🌱
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Garlic 🧄
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
- Food Dyes 🎨
About This Recipe
Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu) is a Chinese appetizer recipe made with 14 ingredients. It takes about 2 hrs 10 mins, serves 6, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Bone In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Brown Sugar, and Cayenne Pepper. Each serving provides about 1740.73 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu)?
- It is a Chinese recipe made with 14 ingredients, usually served for appetizer or side dish or dinner or lunch or snack.
- What is Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu) made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Bone-In Pork Shoulder Butt Roast, Brown Sugar, Cayenne Pepper, Five-Spice. The full list of 14 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu)?
- About 2 hrs 10 mins in total: 10 mins to prepare and 2 hrs to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 1740.73 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu) easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 14 ingredients and 11 steps.
- Is Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu) healthy?
- Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu) has an easyChef Pro health score of 26/100. Per serving, it provides 1740.73 calories and 126.97 g of protein, or 254% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 2266.14 mg (99% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 35.5 g (178% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 10.56 g (21% of the Daily Value). It contains Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Garlic, Alcohol and Food Dyes, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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