Chinese Barbeque Pork (Char Siu)

Ingredients

• 0.67 cups soy sauce
• 0.5 cups honey
• 0.5 cups Chinese rice wine , or sake or dry sherry
• 0.33 cups hoisin sauce
• 0.33 cups ketchup
• 0.33 cups brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic , crushed
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 0.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 0.13 teaspoons pink curing salt , Optional
• 1 boneless pork butt , 3 pound
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring , Optional
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt , or to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Place soy sauce, honey, rice wine, hoisin sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, five-spice powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and curing salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.

2. 2

   Cut pork in half lengthwise. Cut each half again lengthwise forming 4 long, thick pieces of pork.

3. 3

   Transfer cooled sauce to a large mixing bowl. Stir in red food coloring. Place pork sections into sauce and coat each piece. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 12 hours.

4. 4

   Preheat grill for medium heat, 275 to 300 degrees F (135 to 150 degrees C) and lightly oil the grate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. 5

   Remove sections of pork from marinade and let excess drip off. Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.

6. 6

   Transfer pork sections to grate over indirect heat on the prepared grill. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes. Brush with marinade; turn. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. Do not use any more marinade on cooked meat until after you boil it.

7. 7

   Place leftover marinade in a saucepan; bring to a boil; let simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Now you can use it to brush over the cooked pork.