Chinese Style Roast Pork

Chinese Style Roast Pork

Love those little bits of pork you find in fried rice? Now, make Chinese Style Roast Pork the star of your next dinner with this simple and easy recipe.

Chinese Style Roast Pork Dinner

Chinese Style Roast Pork is most commonly associated with the little bits of tasty red meat dotting dishes like Fried Rice and Lo Mein found at Chinese take out restaurants across America. However, traditionally roast pork is served as crisp belly (Siu Yuk), coated in a highly sweet deep red BBQ sauce (Char Siu) or accompanied with soy or hoisin sauce.

The Inspiration

I wanted to taste what Chinese Style Roast Pork was all about without it being masked as a condiment. Now, roast pork is on just about every Chinese take out menu across America. For me, roast pork is the best part of fried rice and Lo Mein. Problem is, it never plays center stage in American. In my opinion this is why this little morsel of goodness is taken for granted. We’ve seen it and eaten it so many times that maybe we forget just how good it really is.

The Ingredients

  • Chicken Stock
  • Soy Sauce
  • Rice Vinegar
  • Brown Sugar (Not Pictured)
  • Chinese Five Spice
  • Chili Garlic Paste
  • Hoisin Sauce
  • Sesame Oil
  • Fresh Garlic Clove
  • Red Food Coloring
  • Semi Lean Cut of Pork, I used Pork Shoulder

Chinese Roast Pork Ingredients

Preparation

Combine the first ten ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. I just used a stick blender as it is quick and easy. You will notice the food color and brown sugar are missing from the ingredient pic. Apparently I was getting ahead of myself and wanted to leave the food color out on purpose as it is optional. I guess I thought the sugar was optional as well.  Anyway, the reason the red food color is optional because some people do have an aversion to food coloring being used. What I used was a red coloring gel, but I did not use much. I guess if I want to get the color really red I will have to use a bit more…..I just figured it was better to play it a bit safe.

Chinese Pork Marinade

Pop the pork in a zip lock storage bag. Pour the marinade into bag. Shake up to coat well, squeeze out air, seal bag and pop pork in fridge for 6-36 hours. A longer marinade will create a deeper flavor and deeper color. (my pork got a 48 hour marinade due to car trouble, so as you can see, I might have needed more gel)

Bagged

Once the pork has marinaded long enough, remove from bag and reserve liquid. Set pork on foil lined baking sheet set with a cooling rack.

Racked

Set racked pork in a preheated 350° oven for about 3 hours. During the roast time, periodically brush or pour some of the reserved liquid over the pork to create a thicker glaze. Also, watch for the ends of the pork. Due to the sugar and long roast time they may get a bit over caramelized and get dark. If this begins to happen, either cut off and eat *smiley face* or cover in tin foil.

This is what the pork should look like once fully roasted and tender.

Roasted Pork

I like to let the Chinese Style Roasted Pork rest for about 10 minutes once done. This allows the juices to get back to where they belong so they don’t escape after my first cut. Served this delicious roast pork with brown rice, steamed broccoli, stir fried veggies simply with a side of garlic or hoisin sauce.

Chinese Style Roast Pork

Chinese Roast Pork
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
5 hrs 10 mins
 
Love those little bits of pork you find in fried rice? Now, make Chinese Style Roast Pork the star of your next dinner with this simple and easy recipe.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 5 People
Author: Nate
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup Chicken Stock
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Chili Garlic Paste
  • 2 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 each Clove Garlic Fresh, Crushed
  • TT Red Food Coloring (optional)
  • 2.5 lbs Pork Shoulder, Butt, Tenderloin
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients except pork, whisk together until sugar dissolves.
  2. Place pork in large ziplock bag and pour marinade into bag. Marinate for 6-36 hours. Flipping bag every so often.
  3. Remove pork from bag and place on tinfoil lined baking sheet set with rack. Reserve marinade.
  4. Place all in preheated 350° oven for approximately 3 hours. Spoon some of the reserved marinade over roasting pork every half hour or so.
  5. If pork begins to over caramelize do to sugar, loosely cover with tinfoil.
  6. Once pork has finished roasting and is sufficiently tender, remove from over and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  7. Slice. Serve. Enjoy!