If you want to make a nice BBQ pork for your family, you have to make it the Chinese way. This pork is very tender, easy to make, and better than what you will order in a restaurant. This pork has a red tint to it which can either be food coloring or natural bean curd which is fermented bean curd with red rich flavor. In a small mixing bowl add in the bean curd; mash the red bean curd until there are no more big chunks.

To it, add in hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine (optional), sesame oil (optional), honey, Chinese five-spice powder, white pepper, and grated garlic, and whisk until combined with a mini whisk. Cut the pork shoulder roast, along the direction of the meat’s grain, into long strips no larger than 2 inches thick. You can trim off big chunks of fat but don’t trim off too much. Pour the marinade over the pork and make sure all pieces are coated.

Marinate it for 24-48 hours (do not do less than this!), turning the pork halfway through to ensure even distribution of marinade. Combine the honey and the red bean curd liquid in a bowl (or cooked leftover marinade) to make the glaze. When ready to roast, preheat the oven at 375°F if convection (if your oven has a fan) or 400°F regular (no fan). Line a baking sheet with foil then put a roasting rack on it. Place the pork on the rack.

Roast for 15 minutes. Remove the pork after 15 minutes, brush the glaze on it using a pastry brush (don’t worry about the bottom side), then put it back for another 5-7 minutes or until the glaze has dried onto the pork. Remove the pork and glaze again, then put it back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes. You can put a little bit of water so that the drip age does not burn as smoke up. Glaze the pork again (you should glaze a total of 3 times), then roast until the pork is done.

If using a thermometer, the internal temp should reach 155°F before removing from the oven. If the pork has not browned or charred to your liking at this point, you can switch the oven to “broil” and broil the pork on the top rack, with the oven door open, for a few minutes to get some charring. Let the pork rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and eating. You can put the pork on rice or noodles or you can stuff it in a bun.

Ingredients;

  • 2 lb pork shoulder roast
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 2 cubes red bean curd + 1 Tbsp liquid
  • 1 Tbsp five-spice powder
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine, optional
  • ½ tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil, optional
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or mashed

Glaze;

  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2–3 tsp red bean curd liquid or cooked leftover marinade

Instructions;

  1. Cut the pork roast, along the direction of the meat’s grain, into long strips no larger than 2-inch thick. You can trim off big chunks of fat but don’t trim off too much.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, mash the red bean curd until there are no more big chunks. Add all remaining ingredients (except for the glaze ingredients) and whisk until combined.
  3. Pour the marinade over the pork and make sure all pieces are coated. Marinate in the fridge for 24-48 hours (do not do less than this!), turning the pork halfway through to ensure even distribution of marinade.
  4. When ready to roast, preheat the oven at 375°F/190°C convection (if your oven has a fan) or 400°F/200°C regular (no fan).
  5. Line a baking sheet with foil then put a roasting rack on it. Place the pork on the rack. Roast for 15 minutes.
  6. While the pork is roasting, combine the honey and the red bean curd liquid (or cooked leftover marinade) to make the glaze.
  7. Remove the pork after 15 minutes, brush the glaze on it (don’t worry about the bottom side), then put it back for another 5-7 minutes or until the glaze has dried onto the pork.
  8. Remove the pork and glaze again, then put it back in the oven for another 5-7 minutes.
  9. Glaze the pork again (you should glaze a total of 3 times), then roast until the pork is done. If using a thermometer, the internal temp should reach 155°F before removing from the oven.
  10. If the pork has not browned or charred to your liking at this point, you can switch the oven to “broil” and broil the pork on the top rack, with the oven door open, for a few minutes to get some charring.
  11. Let the pork rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and eating.