Char Siu (Cantonese Barbecued Pork)

Char siu is the soul of Cantonese barbecue, the lacquered red pork that hangs in the glass-fronted shops of every Chinatown. Cantonese cooks have perfected it over generations, balancing sweet honey, savory soy, and warm five-spice until the meat picks up a deep, caramelized char. It is the pork your grandmother sliced over rice for Sunday dinner, and the same filling tucked into buns and fried rice across the city.

Sticky, smoky, and impossibly juicy

Great char siu walks a tightrope: the outside is sticky and faintly charred with a caramel edge, while the inside stays tender and moist. Cutting into it releases a little rush of juice, and each slice carries that signature rosy glow. A final brush of honey glaze gives the classic sheen, and a few minutes under the broiler adds the smoky, blistered spots that make it taste like the shop window. Serve it warm over rice with a spoonful of the pan juices.

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