Easy Rice Cooker Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
Char Siu, Chinese BBQ pork, is SO easy to make at home in a rice cooker. This foolproof recipe lets you create restaurant-quality Char Siu with no effort!
Equipment
- Rice cooker
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork shoulder/pork butt
- 1/2 cup water
Marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- ½ tbsp Chinese white wine or vodka
- ¼ cup honey plus extra for glazing
- 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
- ½ block red bean curd
- 1 tsp red bean curd juice
- 2 drops red food coloring optional
Instructions
Prepare the Pork:
- Cut the pork into 1-inch thick slices.
- Use the back of a knife to pound the meat gently on both sides. This tenderizes the meat and helps it absorb the marinade.
Make the Marinade:
- In a ziplock bag, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Chinese white wine or vodka, honey, garlic, red bean curd, red bean curd juice, and red food coloring if using.
- Seal the bag and use your hands to crush the bean curd and mix the marinade thoroughly.
Marinate:
- Add the pork slices to the bag, squeeze out as much air as possible to ensure the meat is fully submerged in the marinade.
- Massage the meat for a minute, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Avoid marinating for more than 24 hours as it can toughen the meat.
Cook in the Rice Cooker:
- Place the marinated pork into the rice cooker along with the marinade and 1/2 cup of water. Set the rice cooker to the "Cook" function.
- Flip falfway through the cooking process, flip the pork slices to ensure even cooking.
Glaze
- Once the pork is done, brush on additional honey for a glossy finish (optional). Reserve the juice to serve with the char siu.
Serve:
- Slice the Char Siu into ¼ inch thick pieces and serve with steamed rice or fried rice. Pair it with blanched gai lan or bok choy for a complete Cantonese meal.