Chinese Barbequed (BBQ) Pork

Chinese Barbequed (BBQ) Pork, originally uploaded by krisalis903.

So seeing as how the woman behind the counter at First Chinese BBQ adamantly refuses to let me camp out in their kitchen, I had to find another way to have this delightful dish whenever I wanted.

I scoured the interweb for a recipe that looked like First Chinese BBQ’s pork tasted, which is a talent I’ve developed and refined over the years. I eventually settled on the recipe from Cooks Illustrated since those guys are so particular about their recipes AND I already paid for an annual subscription so I may as well put it to use.

I altered it a little, adding a 1/2 teaspoon of red food coloring to the finished glaze and green onions to the marinade.

Recipe for Chinese Barbequed Pork

• 4 pound boneless pork butt (Boston butt) , cut into 8 strips and excess fat removed, see illustrations below (also see illustrations for removing the bone from a bone-in pork butt, if necessary)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 2 green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (from 4- to 6-inch piece)
• 2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1/3 cup honey

1. Using fork, prick pork 10 to 12 times on each side. Place pork in large plastic zipper-lock bag. Combine sugar, soy, hoisin, sherry, pepper, five-spice powder, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in medium bowl. Measure out 1/2 cup marinade and set aside. Pour remaining marinade into bag with pork and green onions. Press out as much air as possible; seal bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
2. While meat marinates, combine ketchup and honey with reserved marinade in small saucepan. Cook glaze over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from sauce pan and add red food coloring.
3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack on sheet.
4. Remove pork from marinade, letting any excess drip off, and place on wire rack. Pour 1/4 cup water into bottom of pan. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, crimping edges tightly to seal. Cook pork for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until edges of pork begin to brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Turn on broiler. Broil pork until evenly caramelized, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove pan from oven and brush pork with half of glaze; broil until deep mahogany color, 3 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip meat and broil until other side caramelizes, 7 to 9 minutes. Brush meat with remaining glaze and continue to broil until second side is deep mahogany, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut into thin strips and serve.