Lazy Weekends · Chinese
Cantonese Char Siu
Pork shoulder marinated in fermented bean curd and maltose, roasted until the edges char and the whole thing wears a lacquered red glaze.
Why This Works
Maltose is far less sweet than sugar but browns harder, which is how char siu gets a mahogany lacquer without tasting like candy. Pork shoulder's fat and connective tissue survive high heat, so the outside can char while the inside stays moist.
The Upgrade
Slice the pork only after it rests. Cutting it hot lets the juices run out onto the board and the glaze go dull.
Chef's Secret
Michelin TechniquePut water in the pan beneath the rack. Sugary drippings scorch on dry metal and fill the kitchen with acrid smoke that ends up flavoring the meat.
Ingredients
Total time including resting: 800 min
Directions
Whisk all the marinade ingredients together, reserving the extra maltose. Coat the pork strips thoroughly and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Heat the oven to 425F. Set a rack over a roasting pan filled with an inch of water, which catches drips and keeps the oven from smoking.
Lay the pork on the rack and roast for 20 minutes, reserving the leftover marinade.
Simmer the reserved marinade in a small pan for 3 minutes to make it safe to brush on, then stir in the extra maltose.
Flip the pork, brush with the glaze and roast for another 15 minutes.
Brush again and roast a final 8 to 10 minutes, watching closely, until the edges blacken in patches and the surface shines.
Rest for 10 minutes, then slice across the grain into thin pieces.
Wine Pairing
Pinot Noir
Red Wine
The BottleDomaine Drouhin Oregon Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
Char siu is sweet, savory and lightly spiced, so it needs fruit without heavy tannin. Pinot's red-cherry sweetness mirrors the glaze while its acidity and earthy undertone handle the five spice and the pork fat.
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