Cantonese Char Siu Pork (叉燒)

The lucky star of Asian barbecue. This traditional Cantonese-style barbecue pork opens many doors to flavourful dishes all over Asia - and it can be yours in under one hour.

Char siu pork is enjoyed all over Asia and beyond, but its origin lies in Hong Kong, where it started life as a barbecue preparation for wild boar. Nowadays, pork, usually shoulder or pork belly, is treated with an aromatic, sweet marinade and traditionally cooked low and agonisingly slow. Once tender, the meat is laminated multiple times with a sweet, sticky glaze which is often coloured an auspicious red. This two-stage cooking process produces a particular texture within the meat, creating a firm, sliceable texture with a crisp, lip-smacking crust. The good news is: you don’t have to cook it low and slow, the real trick is how it’s sliced. Here I’ll show you how to achieve great char siu in the oven and even in the air fryer, all in under one hour - and that’s including the paint job! It’s delicious when snatched on its own, but especially good when applied into various dishes including fried rice, steamed bao buns and my all-time favourite application: Malaysian Wonton Mee (GET THE RECIPE). Whichever path you wish to take, as always, I’m here to guide the way. Let’s go!