Deutsch This Char Siu Pork Chop recipe is a lip-smackingly delicious dish for a fast dinner fix.
The marinade couldn’t be easier: pork chops, Chinese Barbecue (Char Siu) Seasoning Mix, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and honey. It’s my go-to when I’m up against a deadline.
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❤️ Char Siu Pork Chops
Char Siu, originally from Guangdong province, China, is a Cantonese red barbecue pork. It falls under the category of Siu Mei (燒味), translating to “roast flavor” in Cantonese.
Other popular Siu Mei dishes include crispy roasted pork belly (Siu Yuk), soy sauce chicken, and white cut chicken (quite similar to the chicken in Hainanese chicken rice).
Traditional Char Siu marinade includes soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red yeast rice or red fermented bean curds for the red color, maltose for a luscious glaze, and grilling over an open fire.
For my char siu pork chops today, I opt for a shortcut by using Char Siu seasoning mix while adding a few extra ingredients to elevate the flavor.
Plus, I’ve got you with three cooking options : skillet, air fryer, or oven.
🐖 Ingredients
Pork:
Pork chops are my top choice when cooking – they’re lean and stay juicy. Check out my blog for some fantastic and simple Asian pork chop recipes like:
- Vietnamese lemongrass pork chops (a must for Cơm Tấm)
- Filipino toyomansi pork chops
You can also use pork loin, pork shoulder, or pork belly for this recipe.
Marinade:
- Char Siu seasoning mix: I use the dry mix from the Lobo brand, but any Char Siu dry mix or Char Siu sauce (like Lee Kum Kee) will work well.
- Oyster sauce, soy sauce and honey
📝 Instructions
Marinating
- Trim the edges of the pork chops, making 3-5 cuts per chop, each about 1 inch (2.5cm) deep. This technique keeps the pork chops flat during grilling or pan-frying.
- Tenderize the pork chops by pounding or piercing them with a fork.
- Mix together all the marinade ingredients, adjusting to your taste.
- Allow the pork chops to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Cooking
Allow the pork chops to come to room temperature before cooking.
With pan:
- In a pan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat. Brown each side of the pork chops.
- Once the chops are browned, pour in all the marinade along with 1/2 cup (120ml) of water. Cook the meat over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and forms a luscious glaze on the meat.
With air fryer:
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Place the marinated pork chops in the air fryer basket and cook them for 10 minutes.
- Afterward, flip the pork chops over, apply the marinade sauce all over the chops, raise the temperature to 390°F (200°C), and continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes.
With oven:
- Start by preheating the oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Place the pork chops on a grill rack with a drip tray underneath. Bake the pork in the oven for about 7 minutes, then flip, brush the sauce over the chops, and cook for another 7 minutes.
🥢 What to serve with Char Siu Pork Chops
With rice
You can serve the char siu pork chops with any type of Asian rice or as a topping for fried rice . Here are some recipes from my blog:
- Microwaved Jasmine Rice
- Instant Pot Sticky Rice
- Coconut Basmati Rice
- Char Siu Fried Rice
With bread
Sometimes, I use char siu as a filling for my Bánh Mì, and it turns out great. You can enjoy it with any type of bread you like.
Char siu can also be used as a filling for popular Chinese bakery items like Steamed Char Siu Bao (steamed buns with BBQ pork filling) and Baked Char Siu Bao.
An idea for your BBQ party
Why not host a summer BBQ party featuring Char Siu Pork Chops? Check out my blog for more Asian-style BBQ party ideas:
👲 Explore more easy Chinese recipes
- Tiger Eggs: Addictive Chinese fried hard-boiled eggs in a delicious sauce. Super easy to make in under 30 minutes.
- Instant Pot Hot Pot: A new way to utilize your Instant Pot for a family hot potparty.
- Easy Steamed Chicken Wings: If you’re tired of greasy crispy fried wings, give this simple and tasty recipe a try.
Thanks a bunch for giving my recipe a shot! If you enjoyed it, I’d truly appreciate a 5-star rating or a comment to let me know your thoughts. And don’t forget to stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube 🥰.
Easy Char Siu Pork Chops (5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 2 pound pork chops (900g)
- 3 tbsp Char Siu seasoning mix
- 1½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1½ tbsp all-purpose soy sauce (light soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
Marinating
- Make 3-5 cuts around the edges of each pork chop, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. This prevents the pork chops from curling up while grilling or pan-frying.
- Pound the pork chops or pierce them with a fork to tenderize.
- Combine all the marinade ingredients, adjusting to your taste.
- Let the pork chops marinate for at least 15 minutes
Cooking
- Before cooking, let the pork chops come to room temperature.
- With pan:+ Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat and brown each side of the pork chops.+ After browning, pour in all the marinade along with 1/2 cup (120ml) of water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the sauce thickens, leaving a luscious glaze on the meat.
- With air fryer:+ Preheat your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Cook the pork chops for 10 minutes.+ Flip the pork chops over, increase the temperature to 390°F (200°C). Brush the marinade sauce over the chops and cook for another 5-7 minutes.
- With oven:+ Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).+ Place the pork chops on a grill rack with a drip tray underneath. Bake in the oven for about 7 minutes, then flip, apply the sauce all over the pork chops and continue baking for another 7 minutes.
