Char Siu, the Cantonese barbecue pork, is known for its deep red color, sweet-savory flavor, and glossy glaze. This roasted meat is a popular topping for various noodle dishes, including its Japanese adaptation, chashu, often served with ramen. While chashu is traditionally slow-braised pork belly, authentic Char Siu is fork-roasted, providing a distinct, caramelized flavor and texture that elevates a bowl of ramen.
Selecting and Preparing the Pork
The choice of pork cut is important for achieving the desired texture and moisture retention during roasting. Pork shoulder (pork butt or scotch fillet) is a preferred cut because it offers a balanced ratio of lean meat to intramuscular fat. This marbling helps the meat remain juicy during the high-heat roasting process. Pork belly is another option, providing a richer, fattier result that melts beautifully into the hot ramen broth.
Before marinating, the pork should be cut into long, thick strips, approximately one to two inches wide. This shape increases the surface area for the marinade to penetrate and ensures more even cooking. Trimming any excessive fat cap from the pork shoulder is advisable to ensure a better meat-to-fat balance, but retain a good amount of fat for flavor and succulence.
Crafting the Essential Marinade
The Char Siu marinade is a complex blend of sweet, savory, and aromatic components that create the pork’s signature flavor profile. The savory base uses soy sauce and hoisin sauce, providing umami depth and a slight sweetness. Chinese five-spice powder is a defining aromatic, characteristic of Cantonese barbecue, contributing notes of:
- Star anise
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Sichuan peppercorns
- Fennel seeds
Traditional recipes use fermented red bean curd for the iconic red hue, which also adds savory depth and saltiness. Alternatively, red food coloring or beet powder can achieve the vibrant color without altering the flavor profile. Sweeteners like honey, maltose, or brown sugar are incorporated to balance the savory elements and form the final caramelized glaze. Maltose is often favored for its ability to create a thick, glossy coating. The pork should be marinated for a minimum of four hours, but ideally overnight, to allow the flavors to fully permeate the meat.
The Step-by-Step Cooking Method
The traditional method for cooking Char Siu involves high-heat roasting, which creates a charred exterior and tender interior. Begin by preheating the oven to a moderate temperature of 320°F (160°C), and place the marinated pork strips on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. The rack allows heat to circulate evenly around the meat, promoting uniform cooking and glazing.
The initial roasting phase at the lower temperature, typically for 30 minutes per side, gently cooks the pork and renders some internal fat. While the pork cooks, simmer the reserved marinade with additional honey or maltose to create a thick, syrupy glaze. This glaze is brushed onto the pork and repeated multiple times during the final stages of cooking.
To achieve the characteristic char and glossy finish, increase the oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) or higher for the last 10 to 20 minutes. During this high-heat period, baste the pork every five to ten minutes with the prepared glaze, allowing the sugars to caramelize and form a sticky, dark crust. The meat is finished when its internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). Once removed from the oven, the Char Siu must rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb the internal juices.
Finalizing and Serving for Ramen
Proper slicing maximizes the tenderness of the Char Siu when served in hot ramen broth. The rested pork should be sliced thinly, about a quarter-inch thick, and always against the grain. Slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, making the meat easier to chew and more tender.
Slice the Char Siu just before serving to prevent the meat from drying out, as the hot broth will quickly warm the slices. The leftover cooking drippings and glaze collected on the pan are a concentrated source of flavor and should not be discarded. These drippings can be scraped up and added directly to the ramen broth, serving as a tare or seasoning base to enrich the soup. A final brush of the reserved glaze onto the sliced pork adds shine and sweetness before placing it on top of the noodles.