Chinese BBQ Pork

[Old_Sarge]

T'other day I was browsing the meat aisle at the commissary, looking for nice butts (wink wink, nudge nudge) when I came across a few packages of pork butt strips. I'd never seen butt cut in this configuration, but it seemed like the perfect choice for recipe experimentation. I bought two 2-pound packs, giving me eight strips of butt to play with. Worst case scenario: if the recipe failed I'd be out four bucks and four pucks. I wasn't sure what to try with the meat...my family, knowing my love for Q, sent quite a few rubs and spice mixes for Christmas. However, while rummaging through the Man Cabinet, I dug up a 3-pound bag of Char Siu mix that I bought before we left Hawaii. I hadn't tried using it yet, but my wife had recently mentioned how she missed the Chinese BBQ from the numerous Cantonese butcher shops all over O'ahu, and how she wished she had some char siu-filled steamed buns. Since I love both adventure and my wife, I thought I'd give Chinese BBQ pork a shot. As a guy who struggles with Mandarin would say, here's the qingxing on the chao zhu roh:

Using the Char Siu powder as a rub, apply a thick coat to the butt strips. Gloves are a plus; my fingers are still pink from the red dye in the mix. Put the meat in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 27 hours (I rubbed at 10 am Friday and smoked at 1 pm Saturday...your mileage may vary).

Pull the pork from the fridge about 2 hours prior to smoking. Preheat your Bradley to 260* F, and use some of the Char Siu powder mixed with water to make mop. Keep the mop warm on the stove.

Set your smoker for a two-hour smoke at 220* F. I used hickory because that's all I have left. I think hickory's a good choice for this recipe but I'm gonna try oak next time just to compare.

Run the smoke for two hours, then mop the meat once the pucks are expended. Let the meat continue to cook on the Bradley for about two more hours or until you get an IT of 180. Pull and rest (you shouldn't need to FTC cuts this small, but whatever crumbles your cookie). The pork should look exactly like the meat you see hanging in the window of any given Cantonese grocery store (flies are optional). The meat will have a sweet, red glaze that tastes like Chinese Five-Spice seasoning and will be as moist and tasty as any 12-bucks-a-pound Cantonese BBQ that you've ever bought off a hook down at Ah Fook's Hong Kong Take-out.

Cut the meat in chunks; the overnight sit in the rub will have pushed some of the 'classic' Chinese pork pink ring into the meat. If you're a fan of Char Siu Bao (steamed buns with pork filling), I recommend the recipe here:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chinese-Steamed-Buns-With-BBQ-Pork-Filling/Detail.aspx

I know that Amazon sells Noh Char-Siu mix in 2.5-oz packets, or you can get the big three pound bag here:

http://www.marukaiestore.com/p-1355-noh-chinesebarbecue-char-siu-seasoning-mix-net-wt-48oz-3lbs.aspx

Bottom line: This was an extremely easy smoke that produced BBQ exactly like we used to spend lots of money on down at the Chinese butcher. I'm gonna try this next with 'country-style' pork ribs, a wet marinade, and Oak pucks. Also gonna do a duck (head and all, just like in the movie "A Christmas Story"...fa ra rarara, ra ra ra ra!) as soon as I can find a fresh one.

I'll post the pictures I took as soon as my daughter brings my camera back.

[Tenpoint5]

Ok What the heck do you be mopping that meat with? You left that out Sarge

[Old_Sarge]

Ok What the heck do you be mopping that meat with? You left that out Sarge

did not!  ;D

use some of the Char Siu powder mixed with water to make mop

[Tenpoint5]

Ok You win Must have been that last Velvet and coke I was sippin on that inter-feared with my reading capabilities

[Old_Sarge]

No worries; all the Celebration Ales I've had made me have to go back and check to make sure!  :D

[Quarlow]

Ok You win Must have been that last Velvet and coke I was sippin on that inter-feared with my reading capabilities

Velveeta and coke? what do you call that drink and does it get ya buzzed. Hehehe ;D ;D

[squirtthecat]

That sounds real good, Sarge!   I once had a 'BBQ Beef' plate lunch on the Big Island, that was bright red and sweet...   Might have been the same stuff?

I do remember it was very very good..

[Mr Walleye]

That sounds awesome Sarge!

There is a recipe in Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue book for this. It includes the recipe for the marinade as well. I'm going to have to give this a shot now that you have peaked my interest!  ::)

Mike

[ArnieM]

Sounds good Sarge.  That's what I like about this place.  I keep running across things I never would have thought of.  Broadens the horizons.

[Tenpoint5]

Mike you will have to share that recipe if it works. I don't have that book yet and the B-day is a long ways off

[Mr Walleye]

I'll try to post it this afternoon for ya. I've been meaning to try it for some time now but just haven't got around to it. For some time now I've wanted to experiment with taking a butt and cutting it into 1.5 x 1.5 or 2 x 2 strips and marinate them various ways, then smoke... similar to what Sarge did here. I think it would be a great way to get the most of my favorite part... "The Bark".  ;)

Mike

[Ka Honu]

Char Siu is one of my faves and you'd think I'd know how to make it but it's just too easy to pick it up fresh at one of our gazillions of Chinese markets when the craving strikes.  It's also a good method for turkey tails or chicken.

[Tenpoint5]

Mike I searched for it on google and I found this is it pretty close?

Char Siu
4-6 servings

    * Pork butt, boneless -- 2-3 pounds
    * Hoisin sauce -- 3/4 cup
    * Soy sauce -- 1/2 cup
    * Rice wine or dry sherry -- 1/2 cup
    * Honey -- 1/3 cup
    * Sugar -- 1 tablespoon

Method

   1. Slice pork butt into strips about 2 inches wide and 5 inches long.
   2. In a large bowl, mix together the hoisin, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, honey and sugar. Add the pork strips and marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
   3. Preheat oven to 425°F. Add a rack to a roasting pan and fill the pan with water to come just below the rack. Wipe any excess marinade from the pork and line the strips up neatly in the roasting pan.
   4. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and roast for another 30-40 minutes, turning and basting frequently with the remaining marinade or with peanut or sesame oil.
   5. Cut into bite-sized pieces and serve.

Variations

    * Char Siu Bao (Chinese barbecue pork buns): prepare the recipe above and shred the meat with your fingers. Moisten with a little extra sauce and use as a filling for Chinese steamed buns, following the bao recipe.
    * Char Siu Shrimp with Bacon: Butterfly shrimp and marinate in char siu sauce for 30 minutes. Wrap the shrimp with bacon, skewer, and grill until cooked through.
    * Marinade Variations and Additions:
          o Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and/or 1 tablespoon minced ginger.
          o Add 2 teaspoons of Chinese 5-spice powder.
          o Substitute 1/2 cup pineapple juice for the hoisin sauce.
          o Substitute wet bean curd for the hoisin sauce (can be found in Asian markets).
          o Add 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.
          o Add 1 tablespoon hot bean paste for a spicier marinade.
          o Substitute Japanese mirin (sweetened rice wine) for the sherry.
          o Many recipes add up to 2 tablespoons of red food coloring to give a deep red color. This is generally unnessary.
    * Instead of pork butt, use pork spareribs and grill over a charcoal fire.
    * Marinate a whole pork loin, and roast as you normally would a whole pork loin.
    * If you like, baste with honey during last 10 minutes to give the meat an attractive glaze.

[Mr Walleye]

It's similar 10.5...

Although this is a recipe for a grill, I think this could be easily adapted to the Bradley. This recipe indicated re-using the marinade, which I'm not big on. I would just reserve some from the beginning as opposed to re-using it. Also, if you have a Reveo, this would be a perfect time for it to shine as opposed to the over night marinade.


Grilled Chinese Pork (Char Siu)
From the book "Paul Kirk's Championship Barbeque"

Char siu, also know as Chinese sweet roasted pork or Chinese barbequed pork, is a pork you get in Chinese egg rolls and eat with sweet-and-sour sauce, sesame seeds, and hot mustard. The pork needs to marinate for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

-   One 4 to 6 pound boneless Boston pork butt, trimmed of excess fat.
-   1 cup soy sauce.
-   ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar.
-   ¼ cup clover honey.
-   ¼ cup hoisin sauce.
-   2 Tbs gin or rum.
-   1 Tbs kosher salt.
-   2 cloves of garlic, pressed.
-   ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice.
-   ½ tsp red food coloring paste.

Butterfly or cut the butt in half and cut into strips 1 ½ inches wide and about 10 inches long. Trim any excess fat as you go along and place the pork in a 1 or 2 gallon zip-lock bag. Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium size nonreactive bowl and blend well. Pour the marinade evenly over the pork strips, seal the bag, shake to coat the strips, and let marinade for at least 4 to 6 hours or over night in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to cook, prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.

Remove the pork from the marinade. Transfer the remaining marinade to a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; let simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside.

Place the pork strips directly over the coals, cover, and grill for 30 minutes. Turn the strips, baste with reserved marinade, cover, and grill for another 30 minutes. Baste, turn, and cook 30 minutes longer, until just cooked through and still moist.

Slice and serve, hot or cold, with a dipping sauce.


Mike

[Tenpoint5]

Thanks Mike!

Sorry Sarge didn't mean to redirect your post.