Cha siu (叉燒/叉烞), which people often just call “Chinese BBQ Pork” in English, is a traditional southern Chinese dish that is often linked to Cantonese food. The phrase “cha siu” (cha1 shao1 in Mandarin, sometimes spelled “char siu”) means “fork-roasted,” which refers to the traditional way of cooking. A Chinese BBQ shop (懒亗) will have long strips of freshly roasted cha siu hanging by the window if you’ve ever gone by. If you get a better look, you can see that these red strips of barbecued pork are covered in a honey or maltose glaze. It is a mouth-watering sight.
Mama Lin knows that cha siu is one of my favorite things to eat. Every time I visit her, she’ll either buy or roast cha siu for me to take home. For some reason, I haven’t been able to see her as much this year, so I hadn’t had cha siu in a while. Finally, I asked Mama Lin to teach me how to make cha siu.
As part of their Pork as a Passport campaign, the National Pork Board asked me to share a recipe for this traditional Chinese dish. I’m thrilled to do so. Many cultures from all over the world cook with pork. The Pork as a Passport campaign shows how different pork dishes are from one country to the next and encourages us to try a new pork recipe to learn more about other cultures.
As some of you know, pork is a prominent ingredient in Chinese cuisine. Pork is often used in stir fries, to make classic bone broth (豬骨湯), spring rolls, and for dumplings. My siu mai (shumai) and pork and cabbage potsticker recipes are great pork dumplings to try. I’m going to share two Chinese recipes as part of the Pork as a Passport campaign. The first is this cha siu recipe.
Chinese barbecue pork, known as char siu, is a popular Cantonese dish of marinated, sweet and savory roasted pork. With its glistening red exterior glazed with maltose, char siu is a staple at Chinese barbeque restaurants and frequently found in other dishes like cha siu bao (barbecue pork buns) and char siu fried rice.
While undeniably delicious some people wonder – is char siu actually healthy? The sweet marinade and roasting process seem decadent, causing concerns about sugar fat, and carcinogens. This article will take a closer look at the nutrition facts of char siu to determine how healthy barbecue pork really is.
Char Siu Nutrition Facts
Let’s start by examining the nutrition information for a typical char siu recipe
For a 3 oz (85g) serving of char siu made with pork shoulder, the nutrition facts are
- Calories: 179
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Cholesterol: 34mg
- Sodium: 276mg
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 13g
Char siu is a leaner cut of meat, with only 4g of fat per serving. While the sugar content seems high at 10g, this is typical for a sweet and savory glazed meat. The protein content is a healthy 13g per serving.
Overall, while char siu has more sugar than plain roasted pork, the nutrition facts are reasonable for an infrequent treat. Moderating portions to 3-4 oz is key to keeping char siu as part of a balanced diet.
Is Char Siu High in Fat and Calories?
One concern with barbecue meats is potentially high fat and calorie content. However, char siu is not an inherently fatty cut of pork.
Using pork shoulder helps keep char siu leaner than pork belly or ribs. The pork is also roasted instead of fried, further reducing the fat content.
A 3-4 oz serving ranges from 179-239 calories, which is considered a moderate calorie count for a protein serving. Char siu made with a leaner cut like pork tenderloin would have even fewer calories and less fat.
As a caveat, the nutrition facts can change significantly if char siu is served in a sauce, fried rice, or steamed bun. When enjoying char siu in other dishes, be mindful of excess calories from starch, oil, or sugary sauces.
Does the Sugar in the Marinade Impact Health?
Char siu gets its signature red color and sweet flavor from a marinade that contains sugar. Recipes call for around 1/4 cup of white sugar per 3 pounds of meat.
For some, this raises concerns about blood sugar spikes or increased risk of diabetes. However, the sugar becomes concentrated on the exterior of the meat during roasting. The interior pork does not absorb much sugar at all.
When trimmed of excess glaze, a serving of char siu only contains 10g of sugar, which is 4% of the daily value. This is a moderate amount compared to the 39g in a 12oz can of soda.
Enjoying an occasional serving of char siu made with a reasonable amount of sugar is unlikely to negatively impact blood sugar levels or diabetes risk in healthy individuals. As always, moderation is key.
Does Roasting Create Carcinogens in Char Siu?
High temperature cooking methods like grilling, smoking, and roasting have been linked to carcinogens forming on meats. These compounds are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs).
Marinating meats before high heat cooking has been shown to reduce PAH and HCA formation significantly. The sugars and spices in char siu marinade help prevent carcinogen development during roasting.
Studies show roasted red meats have fewer PAHs than fried or grilled. Roasting char siu in the oven is gentler than cooking over an open flame. Using indirect heat also lowers carcinogen risk.
While no cooking method is 100% risk-free, the marinade and moderate roasting temperatures used for char siu help limit potential carcinogen formation.
Is Char Siu Pork Healthy Overall?
Analyzing the nutrition information and risks associated with ingredients, char siu has a relatively healthy nutrition profile.
A serving of char siu roasted without burnt edges contains:
- Reasonable calories and fat for a lean protein
- Low sodium and cholesterol
- Higher sugar than plain pork, but concentrated in the glaze
- Lower carcinogen risk than directly grilled meat
Enjoyed in moderation alongside vegetables and grains, char siu can absolutely be part of a balanced diet. For those limiting sugar, the interior meat has minimal absorption of sweet marinade.
Char siu is also packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. Pork is a complete protein containing all essential amino acids. Char siu is an excellent source of thiamin, selenium, zinc, vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, and niacin.
So is char siu healthy? While high sugar and charring are valid concerns, science shows this Chinese barbecue pork is relatively nutritious and safe when consumed occasionally in reasonable portions. Using a leaner cut like pork tenderloin can further improve the nutrition profile.
With its delicious balance of sweet and savory flavors, char siu remains a beloved treat in Chinese cuisine. Taking care not to burn the exterior and enjoying it alongside vegetables can make this roast pork recipe an enticing, nutritious addition to your diet.
Tips for Making Healthier Char Siu at Home
When making char siu at home, there are several easy ways to boost nutrition:
-
Choose a lean, well-marbled cut like pork tenderloin or pork shoulder instead of pork belly.
-
Reduce added sugar in the marinade to 1-2 tablespoons.
-
Use natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup or fruit juice instead of white sugar.
-
Avoid charring the exterior by roasting at a lower temp (350F) for longer.
-
Roast on a rack over a pan to allow fat to drip away from the pork.
-
Enjoy char siu in moderation as part of a balanced plate with veggies and grains.
-
Trim excess fat after cooking and blot away any sugary glaze before eating.
With a few simple tweaks, homemade char siu can be a delicious and nutritious addition to a healthy diet when enjoyed in moderation. Savor the sweet and savory flavor of Chinese BBQ pork knowing it provides protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
HOW TO MAKE CHA SIU (CHINESE BBQ PORK)
I suggest using pork shoulder for this recipe because it’s not too fatty or too lean (see picture below). To keep the cha siu from being too dry after cooking, the pork needs to have some fat on it. When you pick out the pork at the store, make sure that there are swirls of fat running through it.
At the butcher counter of Chinese or Asian supermarkets, it’s easy to find pork shoulder that doesn’t have any bones packed in 1 to 2 pound chunks. Ask the butcher for about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of pork shoulder.
But at most grocery stores, pork shoulder (also called pork shoulder roast, pork butt, or butt roast) is sold with the bones still in it. Find a piece that is between 2 to 2 1/2 pounds. You’ll have enough meat for this recipe after cutting off the bone and the thick piece of fat that’s usually on the meat’s edge.
You can usually find pork shoulder without bones at the store. They are usually sold in 3 to 4 pound pieces. You can buy a whole piece, cut it in half, and use the other half for something else.
Some people like more indulgence and use pork belly to make cha siu. I prefer leaner cha siu, which is why I recommend using pork shoulder.
Cut off any thick strips of fat that are on the outside of the pork shoulder (see picture below).
The next step is to cut the meat from the bone if your pork shoulder comes with one. This is because cha siu is not usually made with the bone in. You’ll likely end up with several pieces of pork that are not uniform in shape (see photo below).
I usually end up with a larger strip of meat along with 2 smaller pieces. I often cut the big strip in half so that the meat cooks at about the same rate. My mom would say to leave the large piece in tact and just cook that piece for longer.
If you started with boneless pork shoulder, cut the meat into strips of about 2 1/2 inches wide. Make sure the meat isn’t much thicker than 1 1/2 inches.
Add sugar, rice cooking wine, hoisin sauce (or oyster sauce), paprika, and kosher salt to a bowl and mix in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Cayenne pepper isn’t usually used in cha siu, but I add it to give the pork a natural red color.
Red fermented bean curd (南) is what gives cha siu its red color, but it can be hard to find unless you go to an Asian supermarket. Many Chinese BBQ shops nowadays use red food coloring to give the cha siu the bright red color. I don’t keep food coloring in my pantry, so I had to figure out a substitute. By luck, the red color of paprika in my pantry drew my attention. I added paprika to my mom’s recipe and was pleased with how well the color of the Chinese BBQ pork turned out. Plus, the flavor of paprika complemented the other ingredients of the marinade.
Transfer all the pieces of pork into a bowl. Pour the marinade over the pork. Then, add the sliced ginger, scallions, and garlic to the bowl and mix everything.
Cover the bowl, and let the pork marinate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. If you’re making this during the day, turn the meat over every few hours to make sure the marinade covers all of it. If you marinate the pork overnight, toss the meat once in the morning. Then, toss the meat again right before you roast it.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and position an oven rack to the center position.
Get a half sheet baking pan (13” x 18”) or larger. Line the pan with aluminum foil. The marinade is going to drip down into the pan and burn during the roasting process. To ensure a swift cleanup, make sure to line the pan with foil.
Then, place 2 tall stainless steel steaming racks on top. Then, place a stainless steel cooling rack (12”x17”) on top (see photo below). What’s with the weird set-up? You don’t want to put the pork directly on the pan because the bottoms will steam instead of roast. My mom suggested this setup to elevate the meat while it roasts.
Carefully lay the marinated pieces of pork on the cooling rack. Make sure that there aren’t any pieces of scallions or garlic stuck onto the pork. Also, make sure there’s at least an inch of space between each piece of meat.
Carefully transfer the sheet pan into the oven and roast the meat for 20 minutes.
While the pork is roasting, pour the leftover marinade (including the scallions, ginger, and garlic) into a saucepan. Cover the saucepan and bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the marinade for another 2 minutes. Pour the leftover liquid marinade into a bowl. You’ll likely have about 3 tablespoons total.
Measure 1 tablespoon of the marinade and pour it into a separate bowl. Mix it with 2 tablespoons of honey.
Using oven mitts, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Brush the tops of the meat with the marinade (not the honey marinade mixture). Return the meat to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
Take the sheet pan out of the oven and flip all the pieces of pork over. This time, brush the honey marinade mixture over the meat. Return the meat to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
Take the cha siu out of the oven and check the temperature of the pork. You want the pork to be somewhere between 155ºF to 160ºF. If your pork pieces are thicker, you may need to roast them for an extra 5 to 8 minutes.
Once the cha siu reaches the appropriate internal temperature, turn off the oven. Flip over the pieces of cha siu and let the meat rest for a few minutes. Brush any remaining honey marinade mixture over the meat.
Slice up the cha siu and serve with my jasmine rice and Chinese garlic cucumber salad.
The steaming racks and cooling rack will have a lot of dark marinade stuck onto it. To clean them, I fill a large jelly roll pan with hot soapy water. Then I turned the cooling rack and steaming rack over so that their feet were facing up (see picture above). Let them soak for about an hour before scrubbing them with a stainless steel scrubber. Steel wool works as well.
Chinese BBQ Pork Recipe – Char Siu | Chinese Recipe
What is Chinese BBQ pork?
Sticky, crimson red Char Siu Pork – just like you get from the Chinese Barbecue meat shops! Also called Chinese BBQ Pork, it’s finger licking good and you’re going to be shocked how easy it is to make the Char Siu sauce that’s used to marinade the pork. No trip to Chinatown is complete without taking home a container of Chinese BBQ pork.
Why is pork not recommended to eat?
This is not true, some cuts like sirloin and pork rump steak, for example, are very healthy, even healthier than beef and chicken. Only the fattest cuts like bacon and crackling should be avoided.
How to cook Chinese BBQ pork in the oven?
Always start where the meat starts to be thicker; cut towards and into the thickest part, stop 1½ inches from the end and butterfly the meat. This method for breaking down the pork also applies to roasting Chinese BBQ pork in the oven.
How thick should Chinese BBQ pork be?
Some people enjoy Chinese BBQ pork made from a fattier cut, for example, pork leg, or even pork belly. You can adapt the recipe according to your preference. No matter which cut you use, you should cut it into pieces about 2” (6 cm) wide and 1” (3 cm) thick, so the baking time will remain the same.