Honey-Glazed Chinese-Style BBQ Pork
Honey-glazed BBQ pork is one of those dishes that looks special but is surprisingly easy to prepare at home.
This recipe was inspired by the sweet and savory flavor of Chinese BBQ pork, but I simplified the marinade using ingredients that are easy to find in most North American supermarkets. You don't need to make a trip to Chinatown or search for a long list of specialty ingredients.
The pork is marinated in a flavorful sauce, then roasted and brushed with honey glaze as it cooks. The result is tender, savory pork with a beautifully caramelized exterior and just enough sweetness from the honey.
What I especially like about this marinade is its versatility. I use the same basic sauce for pork, chicken, and beef, adjusting the marinating and cooking time depending on the meat.
It's a useful sauce to keep in your recipe collection because once you learn the basic formula, you can use it in many different ways.
About the Marinade
The marinade is where most of the flavor develops, so give the meat enough time to absorb it before cooking.
For the best result, I like to prepare the meat ahead of time and let it marinate in the refrigerator. During roasting, I brush the pork with the glaze several times to build up that characteristic shiny, caramelized coating.
The honey goes on during cooking rather than doing all the heavy lifting in the marinade. Because honey contains a lot of sugar, it can darken quickly under high heat. Adding it gradually gives you better control over the color and prevents the outside from burning before the meat is cooked.
Serving Ideas
Slice the BBQ pork and serve it with steamed rice and vegetables, use it in noodle dishes, or add it to sandwiches and other meals.
And if there are leftovers, that's excellent news rather than a kitchen failure. Chinese-style BBQ pork has an impressive ability to find employment in tomorrow's fried rice.
Roast in the oven at 325 F
Supplies:
Mixing bowl medium size or stand mixer
Spatula
Scale
Silicone matt
Baking tray
Yield:
Two pieces beautiful BBQ pork
Ingredients:
Basic Meat Marinate sauce:
3 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Dark soy sauce (for deep color and flavor)
2 tbsp Fish sauce (can replace with fermented soybeans)
2 tbsp Honey
Give it a mix. Now you have the sauce. It has the balance of salt and sugar to taste, but home cooking is up to your preferences. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar or honey. That is the beauty of home cooking
Honey-Glazed Chinese-Style BBQ Pork
Yield: About 1 kg (2 lb) pork
Pork
1 kg (2 lb) pork shoulder, divided into 2 pieces
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
Marinade
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small piece fresh ginger, finely grated
or 1 tsp ground gingerRed food coloring, optional
Honey Glaze
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp reserved clean marinade
Prepare the Pork
Divide the pork shoulder into two approximately equal pieces.
Sprinkle the five-spice powder evenly over the pork.
In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, Chinese cooking wine, garlic, ginger, and food coloring, if using.
Before adding the marinade to the raw pork, reserve 1 tablespoon in a separate clean container for the finishing glaze.
Pour the remaining marinade over the pork and coat thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. For deeper flavor, marinate for up to 48 hours.
My Make-Ahead Method
I often prepare two pieces of pork at the same time. I cook one and freeze the second piece in its marinade for another meal.
Thaw the frozen pork completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
That's a very good cookbook note because you're not merely telling readers how to cook something; you're showing them how you actually use the recipe at home.
Grill or Oven-Roast
Preheat the grill or oven to approximately 325°F (165°C).
Place the pork in the center and cook over medium-low heat. If grilling, close the lid.
Cook for approximately 30 minutes, then turn the pork and cook the second side for another 30 minutes.
Cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the pork, so use temperature as your final guide rather than relying only on the clock.
Glaze
Combine:
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp reserved clean marinade
Brush the glaze generously over both sides of the pork.
Continue cooking for approximately 10 minutes per side, watching carefully because the honey will caramelize and darken quickly.
Cook until the pork is safely cooked through. Your original recipe uses an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C); if that's the doneness and texture you've tested and prefer for this recipe, keep that instruction in your book.
Pork shoulder after marinated overnight in the fridge
Allow the pork to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Kitchen’s Note
Dark soy sauce: This provides deeper color as well as flavor.
Five-spice: Use it lightly. Your ½ teaspoon gives background warmth without allowing five-spice to take over the entire neighborhood.
Coloring is optional. Traditional Chinese-style BBQ pork often has a distinctive red exterior, but the food coloring contributes appearance rather than flavor. The pork will still develop a beautiful caramelized color from the dark soy sauce, honey, and roasting.
For a more caramelized finish: Apply the honey glaze toward the end of cooking. Putting a heavy honey coating on too early can cause the exterior to burn before the pork is ready.
Slices BBQ with fried noodles
