No.57 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Char siu

Made famous by The Leung family

Photo: Michael, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

From The Woks of Life. The Woks of Life is No. 4 on the Hot 100.

Cantonese barbecued pork hangs in every Chinatown window; The Woks of Life recipe is one of the most cooked Chinese recipes online.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in The Woks of Life.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) boneless pork shoulder (butt), cut into strips about 2 inches thick
• For the marinade: 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce (for color)
• 1 tbsp red fermented bean curd plus 1 tsp of its liquid (optional, for color and depth)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp honey mixed with 1 tbsp hot water, for glazing

Steps

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients. Set aside 2 tablespoons for basting.
2. Coat the pork in the rest, cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
3. Heat the oven to 475F (245C), or as high as it goes. Line a sheet pan with foil, add 1 cup water, and set a rack on top. Lay the pork on the rack.
4. Roast 25 minutes. Flip, add water to the pan if dry, and roast 15 minutes more.
5. Mix the reserved marinade with the honey water. Baste the pork on both sides and roast 10 minutes.
6. Flip, baste again and roast 5 to 10 minutes more, until the edges char and the glaze is sticky and caramelized (internal temperature 160F).
7. Rest 10 minutes, then slice and serve with rice, or use in fried rice and buns.

Chef's tips

• The water in the pan stops the drippings burning and keeps the meat moist.
• Pork shoulder is best; leaner cuts dry out.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in The Woks of Life by Bill, Judy, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung: get the book.

← No. 56Pork and chive dumplings→ No. 58Japanese chicken curry