Char Siu Sauce (叉烧酱)

March 30, 2026

Char siu sauce © kvalifood.com

Char siu is Cantonese barbecued meat - pork marinated in a sweet-salty sauce and roasted until the surface turns sticky and caramelised. The sauce works as both marinade and glaze. The red colour you see in restaurants traditionally comes from fermented red bean curd, not artificial colouring. This version is a quick home blend with bean curd for depth and authenticity, without having to cook a sauce from scratch with whole spices.

Ingredients

Marinade

2 tbsp light soy sauce (生抽)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1½ tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
1 cube fermented red bean curd (南乳, ca. 15 g), mashed with a fork
½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
2 cloves garlic (ca. 10 g), finely chopped
¼ tsp white pepper

Glaze

3 tbsp reserved marinade
1½ tbsp honey
1 tbsp warm water

Directions

Mash the bean curd in a bowl with a fork until smooth and creamy.

Add soy sauce, hoisin, honey, sugar, Shaoxing wine, five-spice, garlic and white pepper. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved.

Set aside 3 tbsp of the marinade in a small bowl - this becomes the glaze. Cover and refrigerate.

Use the rest as marinade for the meat. Place the meat in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better, up to 24 hours.

When the meat is ready to cook, mix the reserved marinade with honey and warm water. Stir until smooth.

Brush the glaze on the meat during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Apply 2-3 coats to build up the sticky surface.

Notes

Without bean curd: Leave it out and use 1 extra tbsp hoisin instead. The sauce loses some depth but still works fine.
Maltose in the glaze: Gives a more authentic, thicker glaze than honey. Warm the maltose 10-15 seconds in the microwave so it can be stirred in.
Meat choices: Traditionally pork neck cut into long pieces, about 3 cm thick. Also works on chicken thighs, spareribs and neck chops.
Oven temperature: 390-430°F (200-220°C), with grill/broil for the last couple of minutes for caramelisation.
Rose wine: Replace the Shaoxing wine with Chinese rose wine (玫瑰露酒) for a more floral flavour - this is the traditional Cantonese variant.
Shelf life: The sauce without meat keeps 2 weeks in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer.