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Make the best Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) at home! Tender, juicy, and packed with smoky-sweet flavor, this easy recipe beats any restaurant version. Try it today!
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This Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) is absolutely out of this world! Tender, juicy, and packed with that perfect balance of smoky sweetness—it’s everything you want in a bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Most Chinese restaurants serve Char Siu, or Chinese Barbecue Pork as a side dish or appetizer. If you’ve ever had Char Siu at a Chinese restaurant, you know how incredible it can be. The best ones serve it up with a glistening, caramelized glaze that clings to the juicy pork. But let’s be real—more often than not, it turns out dry and underwhelming. That’s why I had to make it myself, and let me tell you, this homemade version is a game-changer.
With this easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll get mouthwatering Char Siu every time. No more dry, disappointing BBQ pork—just juicy, flavorful perfection right from your own kitchen.
Ingredients for the Best Chinese BBQ Pork
The best part? You can find everything you need at a regular grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need:
The Pork:
- Pork Tenderloin – My favorite cut for this recipe, but you can also use pork shoulder, pork belly, or pork butt.
The Marinade:
- Teriyaki Sauce – I love using Mr. Yoshida’s, but any favorite brand will work.
- Chicken Broth – Use low-sodium if you want to cut back on salt.
- Soy Sauce – Low sodium or regular, whichever you prefer.
- Hoisin Sauce – This adds a sweet, savory depth of flavor. Just a couple of tablespoons is all you need!
- Chinese Five-Spice Powder – Optional, but trust me, it elevates the dish.
- Garlic – Fresh minced garlic makes all the difference.
- Red Food Coloring – Just a few drops for that classic red hue.
Optional Additions:
- White pepper
- Dried red peppers
- Cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
How to Make Char Siu Like a Pro
After getting my Camp Chef Pellet Grill, I knew I had to try making Chinese BBQ pork at home. Let me tell you—it turned out better than I ever imagined.
I did a high smoke until the internal temperature was just right, wrapped it in foil to let the juices settle, and took my first bite. It was heavenly. Better than any restaurant Char Siu I’ve had (and I’ve had a LOT).
Cooking Methods
The secret to amazing Char Siu is cooking it right. While smoking gives the best results, you can still make this recipe without a smoker. Here are a few methods:
- Smoking (Best Method!) – Low and slow over wood chips for that authentic flavor.
- Grilling – Cook over indirect heat to avoid drying it out.
- Oven Roasting – Roast at 375°F, basting regularly for a juicy finish.
Pro Tip: Internal Temperature is Everything
Don’t rely on cooking time alone—use a meat thermometer! The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork to an internal temp of at least 145°F. I pull mine off at 147°F, wrap it in foil, and let it rest. The temp will rise a few more degrees, and you’ll end up with juicy, tender pork every time.
Want it more done? Keep it in the oven (or on the grill) a little longer, but don’t go over 160°F or you’ll risk drying it out. And nobody wants sad, dry pork.
The Many Ways to Serve Chinese BBQ Pork
Char Siu is incredibly versatile. Here are just a few ways to enjoy it:
- As an appetizer with hot mustard (seriously, SO good)
- Sliced over fried rice (best fried rice ever!)
- Mixed into noodles for an easy meal
- Stuffed into bánh mì sandwiches (mouthwatering!)
- Chopped up for Char Siu Bao (BBQ pork buns)
Got leftovers? Store them in an airtight container in the fridge and toss them into stir-fries, rice bowls, or even ramen!
Questions about Chinese BBQ Pork
It typically includes soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and Chinese five-spice powder. Some recipes call for sherry, but it’s not essential.
Not quite! Char Siu is a Cantonese-style BBQ pork that’s sweeter than traditional roast pork.
This pork dish gets it color from a little red food coloring. An authentic Char Siu recipe is made with fermented red bean curds, which don’t have a lot of flavor but add color to the meat. It’s easy to make without red bean curds; just add red food coloring for the same effect.
READ MORE: 50+ Best Grill Recipes
More Chinese Recipes You’ll Love
General Tso’s Chicken
Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
Pork Potstickers
Miso Glazed Salmon
Easy Kung Pao Chicken
P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef
Make this Chinese BBQ Pork recipe and let me know how it turns out! I promise, once you try homemade, you’ll never go back to the restaurant version. Enjoy!
How to Make Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu)
Chinese BBQ Pork Recipe
Equipment
- Smoker Pellet Grill
- Outdoor Barbecue Grill
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin (or 2 pounds pork tenderloin tips)
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce we used Mr. Yoshidas
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4. cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder optional
- a few drops red food coloring optional, it just gives it that Chinese BBQ pork look
Instructions
- Place pork in a large Ziploc bag.
- Combine all remaining ingredients in medium-sized bowl and pour into Ziploc bag with the pork. Press out all the air from the bag, seal tightly, and refrigerate. Marinade 4+ hours or overnight (the longer the better).
- Remove pork from fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to allow pork to reach close to room temperature. Drain marinade choose cooking method below:
To smoke the pork (preferred method):
- Set smoker/pellet grill to “high smoke” (220-degrees F) and remove when internal temperature reaches 147-degrees F* (this should take appx. 1 hour. Remove from smoker and wrap in foil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
To grill:
- Grill over medium heat until internal temperature reaches between 147-160* (medium rare to medium). Remove when desired temperature is reached, wrap in foil.
To Oven Roast the Pork:
- Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Roast for appx 1 hour or until internal temp reaches at least 147 degrees.
To serve:
- Slice into 1/4″ slices and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want the pork a little more done, simmer it longer in the oven.
- Just don’t let the internal temp get above 160 before removing it from the grill or baking pan or you will have dry pork and you will be sad.
- Let the pork rest on a rack and baste with the leftover drippings from the pan.
Thank you so much for teaching how to make pork. I haven’t been able to master this yet and I will be trying it out this weekend! go now
was great baked in oven so good i bought an indoor smoker to try it that way
i was wondering should this be smoked dry style or wet style
We have only smoked it dry style!
I have a smokehouse I use for smoking salmon but I cannot get that high of a temperature. Could I just smoke it in the smokehouse for a couple of hours and finish in the oven?
Delicious and tender. Everyone loved it. I did use oyster sauce instead of teriyaki because that’s what I had on hand.
Did people put the four garlic cloves in whole? Or do they get minced before going in?
Thanks
You can do it either way, but minced will help spread the flavor around more in the marinade. I corrected it on the recipe. Thanks for asking!
I was actually looking for a recipe for carnitas when I came across this one. I almost passed it up the first time, but the smoker as a preferred cooking method caught my eye. I thought I would go ahead and try it since I knew I had all the ingredients already, it was going to be a spectacular sunny Saturday(rare in Seattle for April), and smoking some meat sounded fabulous. I figured that even if it did not come out, I could turn it into fried rice or something else.
I followed the recipe, with one sub: I used sweet soy sauce instead of regular. I used KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki sauce as well. My tenderloins were not overly large, and Fred Meyer(Kroger Co) sells their brand two in a bag, so both of them went in the ziploc for pretty much the whole day. I set the smoker to 210 degrees, as my smoker tends to run slighty hot on one side.
An hour and ten minutes later I pulled them thinking I had over-cooked them because I lost track of time! I wrapped them in foil and let them rest for about 10 minutes, and then in walked my cooking partner in crime and resident food critic–my 21 year old son.
He asked what it was and as soon as I told him, off came the foil. We both tried a slice of it standing at the kitchen counter.
This is probably the best tenderloin recipe we have ever made. The flavor was absolutely wonderful. The sweetness with the slight hint of five spice was such a perfect balance. The meat was so tender I was completely blown away! My son kept commenting how good it was and kept coming back for more–that means winner for me!
Definitely on our list of top ten recipes! Cannot wait to try more from this site! Thank you for creating and sharing!
Hi Dawn- so happy to hear this recipe was such a success for you! Thanks for the nice comment! I am so glad you and your son enjoyed this so much 🙂
Super recipe…literally better than China town. Only change I made was to cook on my smoker vs in the oven. Thank you for sharing this excellent recipe!
Made this today, it was perfect – very reminiscent of restaurant-style; both nostalgic & delicious. Did the oven method due to winter limits on outdoor grilling/smoking, but plan to try those methods come summertime. Also made my own five spice seasoning as I find much of the premade available in stores to overdo the anise. Anyway, thanks, great part of a Sunday dinner!
Can you use liquid smoke if you don’t have a smoker?
I haven’t tried using liquid smoke in this recipe, but I think it would work!
This was so delicious and flavourful! It’s going to be a regular over here, thank you!
What a delicious new way for me to make pork. I love how easy this recipe is too!
I made your recipe at home very tasty, delicious thank you add more recipes
I made this yesterday following the recipe, it tasted really good but it definitely didn’t have that red look on the outside, which I wanted. In the end, I let the meat cool and brushed red food coloring on to get the look
Need to use two teaspoons of food coloring. A few drops will do very little if anything. I have a simplistic recipe and it’s so like restaurant flavor and color and tenderness. This will give you the red around the pork. Enjoy! 😊😋
This looks amazing! I’m now off to the store to buy myself a pellet grill so I can make this Char Siu!!
This recipe was delicious, I made it on the grill it was the best pork loin I ever made, and that’s exactly what my husband said, this is a keeper.
This Chinese BBQ pork char siu was incredible! I wish I had doubled the recipe for leftovers. This delicious recipe’s a keeper!
When I put this in the oven tomorrow, do I cook it in the ingredients I marinated it in overnight?
Sorry. I just read the recipe again and found the answer!
Excellent Every time!!!!! Game day winner, I also have done this many ways by far this is the easiest ! Myself being a hunter and avid outdoorsman is that I e done this with duck and goose breast also! But I will note when cooled delude honey and brush it on and the add chopped green onion then slice! The honey factor came from the wild game but is awesome with the pork as well ! Thanks for the share
Hi Kevin- So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for sharing how you have had success with wild game as well. I love the idea of adding honey. YUM! Thanks for your comments and for the 5-stars!
I always make too much of the sauce, / marinade. Can left overs be frozen? The sauce? I do not let sit as time recommends. I baste and slow smoke cook with real mesquite. Just saying. Amazon has some awesomeness ch. Mustard in bulk that is awesome too.
I haven’t tried freezing the sauce so I’m not sure! Let us know how it goes if you try it!
I made this in the oven, I ended up with a pound and a half pork tenderloin. Which I cooked for 45 minutes. I did use my roasting pan and rack. I added the Chinese five spice and oh my it was so good! Next time I want to do it on the grill. I made brown rice and stir fry vegetables to go along with it. It reminds me of the spareribs you get at the Chinese restaurant. I wonder if it would work for chicken as well?
I don’t know why it wouldn’t work for chicken, you can use the same seasonings and it should still taste great. It would just be like your typical BBQ chicken. If you try it let us know how it turns out!
It sure will!!:)
Add some orange juice to the mix for marinating and you will have some amazing barbeque chicken!
I made this just like recipe (without the 5 spice) and it was great. Can’t wait to make again. Only thing is the outside did not turn red..like the picture , and I was really hoping it would so it would look like the restaurants. Any suggestions as to why it didn’t turn red. I marinated overnight.
Did you use the red food coloring?
What type of wood do you recommend? Hickory, oak, mesquite?
Hickory or applewood are both really good with pork!
Any hardwood works well
Do you ise any wood or BBQ smoke chips when you smoke the Pork?
We smoke the pork in a smoker so we use the Camp Chef wood pellets. If you don’t have a smoker, you can use wood chips in a smoker box on your grill. Hope this helps!