Char Siu

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fester

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Oct 20, 2010
102
14
SoCal
I decided to try something different to finally break in my 30" MES i got for Christmas. I bought a 8lb pork loin and cut into 4 pieces and marinated for 8 hrs (I was going to marinate overnight but got in too late and in no condition to handle food).

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After marinating I smoked for 1 1/2hrs at 250 using maple wood and removed at 155. I wanted to pull sooner but I wasn't happy with color after putting on a honey soy glaze I found online. I tried to char one on the grill after I pulled but this only dried it out.

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 I reduced the glaze and drizzled over the sliced pork and served with jasmine rice and baked garlic brussel sprouts.

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The family really liked this and want me to make this again. To my surprise we finished all this meat by snacking on the meat and making for lunch the next day. Next time I have a few changes to improve. 1. marinate overnight 2. take out of fridge early and sit on a rack to dry off marinade before smoking 3. I'll pull at 145 and wrap in foil and let sit for 30 min. I defiantly will use the glaze I used to drizzle over meat and use maple that gave the meat a good smoke flavor.
 
Looks like a great meal. Nice job! Yea the red color kinda thru me too. Then I realized what it was. 
 
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Well there Fester you did come up with a different marinade for sure. Now you have to love this place for there are some off the wall recipe from some off the wall folks around here for sure. But if you try the recipes they have really worked too.
 
Looks great and I too want to know about the taste as compared to unsmoked Char Siu
 
What kind of flavor does that Chineese bbq marinade give the meat?
It taste like a sweet Chinese 5 spice


Sooo is that like the red pork in the chinese resturants?
It was an attempt  for that but they don't use smoke.
 


Looks great and I too want to know about the taste as compared to unsmoked Char Siu
The smoke flavor was very mild because of the length of the smoke and maple is not very strong. But I thought that it was good with smoke.
 
 
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HOLY SMOKES GUYS!!! You get this powder stuff at a CHINESE MARKET! If you have access to a Chinese Market than you can buy the REAL ingredients and make some killer Pork and you won't be using stuff that should only be found in a CHEMISTRY SET! This is the real deal:

Char Siu...Chinese Roast Pork

1/2 C Soy Sauce, low sodium(Kikkoman Green cap)

1/4 C Brown Sugar

1/2 C Shaoxing Wine* or Mirin

1/2 C Hoisin Sauce, Koon Chun* is best.

 1Tbs Grated Fresh Ginger

 1 tsp Minced Garlic

1/2 tsp 5 Spice Powder or more to taste.

 1 Tbs Red Food Coloring

 1 tsp Sesame Oil (optional)

Makes about 2 Cups

Items with an" * " are available at Chinese markets, you can get el cheapo Hoisin and Mirin and the rest at your local Mega Mart

Marinate meat at least 24 hrs. 48 is better, for thick cuts like Loin

The Chinese roast Hot and Fast...400*F Three inch thick Pork Butt slices for approx. 2 hours or to 160*F and rest or 150*F for Pork Loin (Too Lean to go higher!)

If you want Low And Slow cook to 150*F for Butt, 140*F for Loin and then Sear on a HOT Grill for last 10*F and rest.

In American Chinese restaurants this is made in gas ovens but in China they use WOOD so a light smoke would be authentic here.

The marinade and de-fatted meat drippings can be BOILED and thickened to make a great tasting sauce.

I hope you enjoy this...JJ

BTW...Great for Ribs Too!
 
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Actually, it's kinda amusing.  I went to our local Asian Market where I normally buy my loose leaf tea and I was having some trouble locating some items, so I asked the owner where certain items were.  She showed me than asked what I was making.  I told her Char Siu.  She started laughing and said:  you're doing it the hard way.  She handed me a jar of Lee Kum Kee Chinese Barbecue Sauce  (Char Siu Sauce) and said: "this is the way we do it now."  I still bought the individual ingredients as well as the jar.    Then she mentioned that my list was missing a critical ingredient:  Roasted Sesame Seed.  Look's like this weekend, I'll be doing a comparison of four styles.  Package, Jar, and JPT's and Chef JimmyJ's recipe.  Better get another pork loin. 

 
HOLY SMOKES GUYS!!! You get this powder stuff at a CHINESE MARKET! If you have access to a Chinese Market than you can buy the REAL ingredients and make some killer Pork and you won't be using stuff that should only be found in a CHEMISTRY SET! This is the real deal:
 
Dave, Are you starting a new thread with you comparison? I still have some back-strap in the freezer ready for another batch.

I will patiently await your trials on recipes.................
popcorn.gif
 
Yes, definitely.  I can understand your "interest".  I made the mistake of mentioning this subject at a family dinner last sunday and now there are 10-12 "customers" so to speak, asking for leftovers.  They'll be the judges led by SWMBO, of course.

 
Dave, Are you starting a new thread with you comparison? I still have some back-strap in the freezer ready for another batch.

I will patiently await your trials on recipes.................
popcorn.gif
 
Oh boy! This will be fun! We're lucky to live in an area that has such great Asian groceries, aren't we? Thanks for all your time and effort on this Dave, a lot of people will soon have better Char Siu thanks to you !  
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Looks delicious to me Fester!

 
Actually, it's kinda amusing.  I went to our local Asian Market where I normally buy my loose leaf tea and I was having some trouble locating some items, so I asked the owner where certain items were.  She showed me than asked what I was making.  I told her Char Siu.  She started laughing and said:  you're doing it the hard way.  She handed me a jar of Lee Kum Kee Chinese Barbecue Sauce  (Char Siu Sauce) and said: "this is the way we do it now."  I still bought the individual ingredients as well as the jar.    Then she mentioned that my list was missing a critical ingredient:  Roasted Sesame Seed.  Look's like this weekend, I'll be doing a comparison of four styles.  Package, Jar, and JPT's and Chef JimmyJ's recipe.  Better get another pork loin. 

 
That is amusing. Can't wait to see what the verdict is. I've been wanting to try this for awhile but I'll wait to see what you think tasted the best.
 
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