Chinese Char Siu Pork Rice Bowl

Name: Chinese Char Siu Pork Rice Bowl
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cantonese
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of thick surface fat, cut with the grain into strips about 2 inches (5 cm) thick and 6 inches (15 cm) long; ⅓ cup (90 g) hoisin sauce; 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce; 3 tbsp (63 g) honey; 2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing wine; 2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1 tsp (2 g) Chinese five-spice powder; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 1 tbsp (14 ml) toasted sesame oil; ½ tsp (1 g) ground white pepper; 1 tbsp (21 g) honey, for the glaze, stirred into the reserved marinade; 1 tbsp (15 ml) water, for the glaze; 1½ cups (300 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in a bowl of cold water, swirled and drained 3 times until the water is nearly clear; 1⅔ cups (400 ml) water, cold, for cooking the rice; 4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold, straight from the fridge; 1 lb (450 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise (quartered if larger than 4 inches / 10 cm wide), rinsed well and drained; 1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal; 1 tsp (3 g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Strips of pork shoulder soak in a hoisin, honey and five-spice marinade, then roast and broil until sticky and lacquered at the edges. Serve them sliced over jasmine rice with garlicky bok choy, a firm-yolk egg and a glossy sauce made from the reserved glaze.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Wait: 4 hr 15 min
Total: 5 hr 30 min
Makes: 4 generous bowls

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the char siu pork
2 lb (900 g) boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed of thick surface fat, cut with the grain into strips about 2 inches (5 cm) thick and 6 inches (15 cm) long
⅓ cup (90 g) hoisin sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (63 g) honey
2 tbsp (30 ml) Shaoxing wine
2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 tsp (2 g) Chinese five-spice powder
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp (8 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tbsp (14 ml) toasted sesame oil
½ tsp (1 g) ground white pepper
1 tbsp (21 g) honey, for the glaze, stirred into the reserved marinade
1 tbsp (15 ml) water, for the glaze
For the bowls
1½ cups (300 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in a bowl of cold water, swirled and drained 3 times until the water is nearly clear
1⅔ cups (400 ml) water, cold, for cooking the rice
4 whole (200 g) large eggs, cold, straight from the fridge
1 lb (450 g) baby bok choy, halved lengthwise (quartered if larger than 4 inches / 10 cm wide), rinsed well and drained
1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado
2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 tsp (3 g) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment (10)

Large zip-top bag (1 gallon / 4 L) or non-reactive dish
Rimmed baking sheet, 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Wire cooling rack that fits inside the baking sheet
Aluminum foil
Instant-read thermometer
Heavy medium saucepan with tight lid (3 quart / 2.8 L)
Large skillet or wok, 12 inches (30 cm)
Small saucepan (1 quart / 1 L)
Silicone or basting brush
Sharp chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 4 hours of marinating (overnight, up to 24 hours, gives the best flavor), so start this recipe well ahead of dinner.
Ask the butcher for boneless pork shoulder (also sold as pork butt) with some marbling. Lean cuts like loin dry out in this recipe.
Line your baking sheet with foil before you start, because the honey glaze caramelizes onto the pan and is very hard to scrub off.
Use a clean brush and clean bowl for the reserved glaze. It must never touch the raw pork or the marinade bag.
Check that your broiler works and that the rack will sit about 6 inches (15 cm) below it.

1
Trim and cut pork
- Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels.
- Trim off any thick slabs of surface fat, leaving thin streaks of fat for flavor.
- Cut the pork with the grain into strips about 2 inches (5 cm) thick and 6 inches (15 cm) long, so you get about 4 to 5 strips of similar thickness.
- Even thickness means even cooking.
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Ready when: Strips are uniformly about 2 inches (5 cm) thick.
Tip: If the pork is hard to slice, freeze it for 20 minutes first to firm it up.
2
Mix marinade and glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the hoisin, soy sauce, 3 tbsp honey, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, five-spice powder, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil and white pepper until smooth.
- Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) of this mixture into a small clean bowl, add the 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp water, stir, cover and refrigerate.
- This is your glaze and sauce, and it must not touch the raw pork.
- Pour the remaining marinade into a 1-gallon (4 L) zip-top bag.
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Ready when: Marinade is a smooth, thick, evenly dark-brown mixture with no streaks of honey.
Tip: Keep the reserved glaze covered in the fridge until you need it.
3
Marinate the pork
- Add the pork strips to the bag with the marinade.
- Press out the air, seal and massage the bag so every strip is fully coated.
- Lay the bag flat on a plate in the fridge.
- Marinate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight and up to 24 hours, flipping the bag once halfway through.
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Ready when: Pork is deep reddish-brown on the surface.
Tip: Don't go beyond 24 hours, or the pork turns slightly mushy from the salt and wine.
4
Set up pan, cook rice
- Remove the pork from the fridge and let it sit in the bag for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.
- Combine the rinsed rice and 1⅔ cups (400 ml) cold water in a medium saucepan with a tight lid.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once, then cover, reduce to low and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- The cooked rice stays warm, covered, for at least 30 minutes while the pork roasts.
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Ready when: Rice grains are tender, fluffy and separate, with no standing water in the pan.
Tip: Keep the lid on the whole time. Lifting it lets steam out and leaves the rice undercooked.
5
Roast first sideOven 400°F / 205°C
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center.
- Lift the pork out of the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bag, and discard the used marinade.
- Arrange the strips on the wire rack with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them.
- Roast for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface is dark and tacky, with a few browned spots at the edges.
Tip: If drips smoke heavily, add ½ cup (120 ml) hot water to the foil under the rack.
6
Baste, flip, roast againOven 400°F / 205°C
- Take the pan out of the oven.
- Use a clean brush to coat the tops and sides of the pork with about half of the reserved glaze, then flip the strips over and brush the other side with the rest of the glaze, saving 2 tablespoons for later.
- Return to the 400°F (200°C) oven and roast for 15 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part reads 175°F (80°C).
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Ready when: Thickest part reads 175°F (80°C) and the glaze is deep mahogany and sticky.
Tip: Pork shoulder is safe at 145°F (63°C) but stays tenderer and more sliceable at 175°F (80°C) because its connective tissue has time to soften.
7
Broil and restOven 500°F / 260°C
- Switch the oven to broil on high (about 500°F / 260°C) and move the rack so the pork is about 6 inches (15 cm) from the heating element.
- Broil 3 to 4 minutes, watching constantly, until the edges blacken in spots and the glaze bubbles.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and rest 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, simmer the last 2 tablespoons of reserved glaze in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 minutes to make a sauce.
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Ready when: Edges are charred in spots and the surface is glossy; sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Honey burns in seconds under the broiler, so stay by the oven and pull the pan as soon as the edges darken.
8
Boil the eggs
- While the pork rests, bring a medium saucepan of water, about 4 inches (10 cm) deep, to a full rolling boil over high heat.
- Lower the cold eggs in gently with a spoon, reduce to a steady gentle boil and cook for exactly 8 minutes.
- Transfer to a bowl of ice water for 3 minutes, then peel under running water and halve.
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Ready when: Whites are fully set and yolks are firm at the edge with a slightly creamy center.
Tip: Add eggs to already boiling water for consistent timing and easier peeling.
9
Sauté the bok choy
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the sliced garlic and stir for 15 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the bok choy cut-side down and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes until golden.
- Flip, add 2 tbsp water from the tap and the oyster sauce, cover and steam for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: White stems are tender when pierced with a knife and leaves are bright green and wilted.
Tip: Make sure the bok choy is well drained, since water on the leaves will splatter in the hot oil.
10
Slice and assemble
- Slice the rested pork across the grain into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices.
- Divide the rice among 4 bowls.
- Fan the pork slices over one side of the rice, then add the bok choy and 2 egg halves to each bowl.
- Drizzle the warm glaze sauce over the pork and rice, then scatter with the scallions and sesame seeds, if using.
- Serve right away while everything is warm.
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Ready when: Slices are juicy and tender with a glossy mahogany edge.
Tip: Slicing against the grain makes the pork noticeably more tender.

Good to know

Tips

Roast on a wire rack so hot air circulates around the pork. Without one the underside stews and does not caramelize.
Pork shoulder strips thicker than 2 inches (5 cm) need extra roasting time, so cut them evenly and check the temperature in the thickest strip.
Keep a separate glaze portion from the start. It gives you safe basting and a sauce with no raw-pork contact.
Save any leftover pork for fried rice or a char siu sandwich the next day.

Make ahead

"Marinate the pork up to 24 hours ahead. You can also roast the pork a day ahead, cool it, and refrigerate it whole; slice and reheat just before serving. Boil and peel the eggs up to 2 days ahead and store them in the fridge."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store pork, rice, bok choy and eggs in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze sliced pork in an airtight container for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge; cooked rice freezes for up to 1 month. To reheat, microwave pork and rice with a splash of water, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes, or warm the pork in a covered skillet over low heat until steaming hot."

Substitutions

Shaoxing wine → dry sherry. Use the same amount. Mirin also works, but reduce the brown sugar to 1 tbsp.
boneless pork shoulder (pork butt) → boneless country-style pork ribs. Cut into 2-inch (5 cm) thick strips and roast the same time; check for 175°F (80°C).
baby bok choy → choy sum or broccolini. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer for thick stems, until tender when pierced.
jasmine rice → short-grain white rice. Use 1⅓ cups (315 ml) water for 1½ cups rice and cook the same way.