Full Steam Dumpling Char Siu

                                                        Char Siu: Chinese Barbecued Pork 

Full Steam Dumpling makes by far the best char siu bao that we can get in the Santa Cruz area. The secret is the roasted pork and sauce they use. Use this recipe to stuff some bao and wow everyone you serve it to. Thank you Edible Monterey Bay Magazine for providing this recipe from Full Steam Dumpling.

3-5 lbs pork shoulder 

For the marinade:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup light soy sauce

1/2 cup dark soy sauce

1/2 cup Shaoxing cooking wine

2 tbs sesame oil

2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbs sambal paste

2 cups stock or water (enough to cover pork)

For the char siu sauce:

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups honey

1/1/4 cups hoisin sauce

7/8 cup soy sauce

1 1/2 tbs Chinese five spice blend

1 1/2 tbs Korean chili pepper flakes

2 tbs sesame oil

2 tbs fermented bean curd (If you can score this, it takes the sauce to the next level)

Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl, except for the stock or water. Whisk well to dissolve the sugar. Slice the pork shoulder into pieces measuring about 8 by 3 by 3 inches. Cover with the marinade and add enough stock or water to cover the pork pieces. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours or preferably overnight.

The next day. preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the pork from the marinade and let it drip a bit. Place the pork on a wire rack over a baking tray and roast for 45 mins. Lower the oven temp. to 280ºF and roast for another 45 minutes, until slightly charred and the internal temp. reaches 165ºF.

While the meat is cooking make the chars siu sauce by combining all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring it to a slow simmer and stir well to dissolve the sugars. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors and spices marry and mellow out the hoisin sauce.

Brush the finished sauce on the pork towards the end of the roasting time or use it later for dipping.

Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 15-30 minutes and slice right in or refrigerate and enjoy it in fried rice, in sandwiches, on salads, on its own, or best of all in bao.

Note: If you don't have dark soy sauce, you can substitute regular soy sauce in a pinch. If you don't have Shaoxing cooking wine, you can substitute sake in a pinch.