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Home » Blog » Recipes » Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

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Here’s my authentic Whole30-friendly, gluten-free Paleo Char Siu recipe: Cantonese roasted pork lacquered with a sticky-sweet marinade.

An overhead shot of Whole30-friendly Paleo Char Siu recipe: Cantonese roasted pork lacquered with a sticky-sweet marinade.

When I first switched to eating Paleo in 2010, the foods I missed eating the most weren’t pizza, pasta, or cake. Even then (waaaay back in the ancient, pre-Instagram era) I knew I could run Internet searches for Paleo-fied substitutes for those dishes. The stuff I craved the most—but couldn’t find adequate replacements for—were the Cantonese dishes of my childhood. To be clear, these weren’t the barely-recognizable Westernized versions of Chinese recipes; I’m talking about the plates of steaming-hot, perfectly seasoned meats and vegetables that my mom created in our family kitchen in Menlo Park, California, night after night.

A grainy shot of a Chinese mom wearing a heart-covered apron.
My mom—cooking as usual.

My mother isn’t one to share her secret recipes. (Or, as she says with a shrug, “I don’t know exactly what I put in that dish. Just a little bit of this, and a little bit of that.” Thanks, mom!) But over the years, I’ve cracked the code on a number of my childhood faves, making them Paleo-friendly to boot. [Want examples? Check out the Salt + Pepper Fried Pork Chops and Chinese Chicken in a Pot in our Ready or Not cookbook, the Paleo Chicken Chow Mein on the blog, the Siu Yoke (Crispy Roast Pork Belly) and Walnut Prawns in our first cookbook, and the Wonton Meatballs, Paleo Chicken Chow Mein, and Watercress + Chicken Soup on this blog.]

Still, there were some family recipes that I’d long ago decided were impossible to make Paleo, let alone Whole30-friendly. Many of these dishes demanded non-compliant ingredients (like store-bought hoisin sauce, which contains gluten, sugar, and other non-Paleo ingredients) or required overly complicated steps. I’ll admit that my laziness kept me from attempting a few of these recipes, too.

Step-by-step collage of the steps to make paleo char siu.

One of these dishes kept nagging at me: char siu, Cantonese roasted pork lacquered with a sticky-sweet marinade. You know what I’m talking about: the bright red hunks of meat that hang in the display windows of Chinatown BBQ joints. I missed char siu like crazy—especially my mother’s version. As a kid, I would linger at my mom’s elbow every time she sliced up her char siu, panting like a puppy desperate to catch a scrap of leftovers. I wasn’t subtle, and refused to budge until my mom slipped me a juicy piece of pork right from the cutting board. Fueled by these happy food memories and the reminder that persistence pays off, I made it my mission to come up with Paleo version of this porky delight.

It took longer than I thought it would.

I’ll spare you the details of my many failed experiments (including the batch that looked amazing, but literally stunk like skunk), but I’m happy to report that after weeks of testing, I finally came up with a char siu recipe that garnered unanimous approval from my finicky kids, my visiting in-laws, and even the pickiest eater in the family: ME. My Paleo version of char siu is even Whole30-friendly if you use fruit-sweetened jam and leave out the honey!

Note: It’s important to use a high-quality, 100% fruit jam in this recipe. I buy St. Dalfour brand (it’s not a sponsor—I just like the stuff, and it’s pretty widely available), and its plum, apricot, and peach spreads work equally well in this recipe.

Whole30-friendly jams that are used for the Paleo Char Siu recipe.

Let’s make some Paleo Chinese Barbecue Pork!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup plum, peach or apricot jam, sweetened with fruit juice
  • ¼ cup coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger (a.k.a. ginger powder)
  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 2  teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (if using a finer grain salt, only use 1 teaspoon)
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (optional garnish)

Equipment:

  • Small saucepan
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Whisk
  • Silicone spatula
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Large bowl
  • Silicone lid
  • Stainless steel wire rack
  • Rimmed baking sheet
  • Tongs

Method:

First, make the marinade and cool it to room temperature. Add the jam, coconut aminos, tomato paste, almond butter, honey (if you’re not doing a Whole30), fish sauce, Chinese five spice powder, and ground ginger to a small saucepan.

Making the marinade for my Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork).

Whisk the marinade as you heat it to a simmer over medium heat.

Cooking the marinade for Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork).

Once the sauce is smooth and bubbling, transfer it to a measuring cup and cool to room temperature. (You can store the marinade in the fridge for up to 4 days and use it when you’re ready to roast the pork.)

Simmering the sticky sauce in a medium saucepan for Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork).

Next, prepare the pork. Blot the pork shoulder dry with a paper towel and slice the meat into 2-inch strips of even thickness.

Someone drying and slicing up pork shoulder.

The pork strips should be roughly uniform in size. It’s fine to have fatty pieces of pork because: (1) it’s tasty, and (2) you don’t want want to end up with dry char siu.

Four pieces of pork shoulder on a cutting board.

Sprinkle the kosher salt all over the pork pieces. Place the pork in a large bowl or zippered storage bag…

Sprinkling kosher salt on pork shoulder for Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork).

…and pour all except ⅓ cup of the cooled marinade onto the pork. Cover the reserved marinade and store it in the fridge.

Pouring the marinade on the salted pork shoulder for Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork).

Use your hands (a.k.a. nature’s tongs) to coat the marinade all over the pork strips.

A hand is pictured mixing the Paleo Char Siu marinade with the pork shoulder pieces.

Cover the bowl with a silicone lid or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours.

A large silver mixing bowl covered with a silicone lid.

When you’re ready to roast the pork, preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position. Place the pork on an oven-safe wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.

The marinated pork shoulder pieces are placed on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast for 30 minutes, flipping the pork pieces at the halfway point.

A pair of tongs are seen flipping Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) as it bakes in the oven.

Remove the pork from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F.

Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) at the halfway point from the oven.

Brush half of the reserved marinade on the top of the pork pieces.

Brushing on additional marinade on the Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Pour enough water into the bottom of the pan so that you have a thin layer coating the bottom. This will keep the drippings from burning while the pork cooks.

Water is poured into the rimmed baking sheet of the Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Roast for 25 minutes, and then flip the pork pieces over and brush on the remaining marinade.

Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com

Roast for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the pork is slightly charred on the edges.

An overhead shot of Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) on a rimmed baking sheet and wire rack, right out of the oven.

Rest the pork for 10 minutes, and then slice against the grain into chompable pieces!

Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) sliced into 1/2-inch pieces on a wooden cutting board.

Arrange the pork on a serving dish…

Pieces of Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) arranged in a spiral in a blender and white Japanese serving bowl.

…garnish with sliced scallions, and serve!

An overhead shot of Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) in a blue and white Japanese bowl topped with sliced scallions.

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for 4 months. And if you keep your eyes glued to my blog, I might just show you a tasty way to re-purpose your leftover char siu in the very near future!

Use the leftovers to make my Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice or Paleo Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen Salad)!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) by Michelle Tam https://nomnompaleo.com
Print Recipe
4.93 from 27 votes

Paleo Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Here's my authentic Whole30-friendly, Paleo Char Siu recipe: Cantonese roasted pork lacquered with a sticky-sweet marinade.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 hr 20 mins
Marinating time2 hrs
Total Time3 hrs 30 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: gluten-free, paleo, pork, Primal, Whole30
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 531kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • ½ cup plum jam sweetened with fruit juice (peach and apricot jam also work)
  • ¼ cup coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon almond butter creamy
  • 1 tablespoon honey optional
  • 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
  • 2   teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher if using a finer grain salt, only use 1 teaspoon
  • 2 scallions trimmed and thinly sliced (optional garnish)

Instructions 

  • Make the marinade and cool it to room temperature: add the jam, coconut aminos, tomato paste, almond butter, honey (if you’re not doing a Whole30), fish sauce, Chinese five spice powder, and ground ginger to a small saucepan. Whisk the marinade as you heat it to a simmer over medium heat.
  • Once the sauce is smooth and bubbling, transfer it to a measuring cup and cool to room temperature. (You can store the marinade in the fridge for up to 4 days and use it when you’re ready to roast the pork.)
  • Next, prepare the pork. Blot the pork shoulder dry with a paper towel and slice the meat into 2-inch strips of even thickness. The pork strips should be roughly uniform in size. (It’s cool to have fatty pieces of pork because you don’t want want to end up with dry char siu.)
  • Sprinkle the kosher salt all over the pork pieces. Place the pork in a large bowl or zippered storage bag and pour all except ⅓ cup of the cooled marinade onto the pork. Cover the reserved marinade and store in the fridge.
  • Use your hands to coat the marinade all over the pork strips. Cover the bowl with a silicone lid or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours.
  • When you’re ready to roast the pork, preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position. Place the pork on an oven-safe wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Roast the pork for 30 minutes, flipping the pork pieces at the halfway point (15 minutes).
  • Remove the pork from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
  • Brush half of the reserved marinade on the top of the pork pieces. Pour enough water into the bottom of the pan so that you have a thin layer coating the bottom. The water will keep the drippings from burning while the pork cooks.
  • Roast the pork for 25 minutes, and then flip the pieces over and brush on the remaining marinade. Roast for an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until the pork is slightly charred on the edges.
  • Rest the pork for 10 minutes, and then slice against the grain into chompable slices. Arrange the pork on a serving dish and garnish with sliced scallions, and serve! Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for 4 months.

Video

Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 33g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. aimee from small eats says

    July 18, 2017 at 1:07 am

    This is AMAZING! This has been a food I’ve missed for such a long time, that also carries so many memories for me. I am so so so appreciative that you’ve made this recipe, it’s made my day 😀

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:47 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
    • Jane says

      March 24, 2021 at 8:40 am

      5 stars
      I made this 2 nights in a row. One night beef ribs and the other night pork loin. The marinade is on point. I am missing char Siu back in LA or Hong Kong. I live in Japan but plum sauce was a challenge to find here. I decided to tweak it and used yuzu jam instead. Thank you! It’s delish! Arigato gozaimashita!

      Reply
  2. Katherine Nobles says

    July 18, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    I used to make batches of this and freeze it. This recipe looks wonderful. I wonder how it would taste if I cooked it on the outdoor grill? And, I may cheat and use the country style ribs from Costco. Already sliced!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      I bet it would work on an outdoor grill!

      Reply
    • Nat says

      January 17, 2022 at 6:01 pm

      Hi!! Which cookbook is your char siu recipe in? I want to buy that cookbook! 🙂

      Reply
      • Michelle Tam says

        January 18, 2022 at 10:40 pm

        The newest one, Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go!

        Reply
  3. Msarb says

    July 18, 2017 at 3:33 pm

    I LOVE CHAR SIEW. My mom makes it too, and there’s sugar in it unfortunately. St Dalfour is a great brand of jam. Thank you thank you thank you! I am trying it this weekend, been waiting ever since you first teased it in your instagram! Also regarding cuts for char siew, you can get the best cuts from Chinese butchers. My mom told me to just tell them I’m making char siew and they will give me the best cut, aka nicely marbled with fat.

    Sorry for all the caps I am just too excited!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      Great tip!

      Reply
      • Msarb says

        July 22, 2017 at 7:02 pm

        Hi Michelle! I just made this, followed it to the T, and I think the key takeaway for me was this: You MUST have a fatty cut. There’s just no way you can have ‘lean’ char siew. Okay, fine, you can and miss out the joy and light in life, and you will make the char siew sad. Shoulder was too lean, so next time, I will be going to the Chinese butcher or trying skinless pork belly. But seriously though, it’s all about the fatty bits..

        Reply
  4. ying says

    July 18, 2017 at 4:10 pm

    OMG YOU DID IT!! You are amazing!!!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. TaureanRabbit says

    July 18, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    I’m so excited for this! Even though it’s not Paleo or W30, I can now use this as the filling for homemade baked char siu bao. My littlest can now enjoy char siu without any consequences.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:45 pm

      Sounds good!

      Reply
  6. Andrew Huang says

    July 18, 2017 at 4:29 pm

    Yes, please post more Cantonese recipes! As I get older I find myself wanting to connect more with my cultural heritage, which I often ignored as a kid. But I could do without the restaurant menus where every single item is laden with wheat and vegetable oil…

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:45 pm

      I’ll do my best! I have a bunch of other Cantonese-inspired ones in my Recipe Index.

      Reply
      • Jos says

        July 23, 2017 at 4:32 am

        If you could come up with Paleo style Chinese sausage, that’ll be super awesome! 🙂

        Reply
        • Esther says

          November 7, 2021 at 9:27 pm

          I second that request! Yes please!

          Reply
  7. Liana says

    July 18, 2017 at 4:33 pm

    OMG I’m glad to hear that my mom isn’t the ONLY asian mom to give recipes like that! “I dunno, until it tastes good!” /facepalm

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:44 pm

      I’m afraid I’m gonna turn into that kind of mom!

      Reply
  8. Eve Nolon says

    July 18, 2017 at 4:40 pm

    This looks so amazing! Bless you for all of the hard work that went into perfecting this recipe.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 4:44 pm

      Ha! My kids are never happy when I’m recipe testing because they eat so many variations of the dish!

      Reply
  9. Stefani says

    July 18, 2017 at 6:48 pm

    I am so excited to try this recipe! My oldest is allergic to nuts; do you think I can sub out sunbutter for the almond butter?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 6:57 pm

      Yes!

      Reply
      • Stefani says

        July 18, 2017 at 8:25 pm

        Thanks so much!!!

        Reply
  10. Mary says

    July 18, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    Genius, no Supergenius. I love Char Siu.
    Thank you Michelle.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 20, 2017 at 9:40 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  11. eilish99 says

    July 18, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    I am a subscriber AND have already pre-ordered your cookbook, a sale you risk losing becuase of the popup irritant when I come in here. It DOES NOT allow me to close it, it just jitters. I am ALL for you selling your book, but please do so in a way that does not alienate your customers… ALLOW them to turn the intrusion off.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 11:01 pm

      I’m sorry for the annoying pop-up! You should be able to click the X to get rid of the box and it shouldn’t show up again if you have your cookies on. I’ll have our webmaster take a look!

      Reply
      • eilish99 says

        July 19, 2017 at 11:18 pm

        As I said before, the pop up only jitters when I try to close it.

        Reply
  12. Anna says

    July 18, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    So, given the cooking method, it seems like pork tenderloin might work great for this and save some work – or do you think it would be too lean and dry?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 18, 2017 at 9:13 pm

      I think you can use tenderloin if you cook low and slow 300 F until the internal temp is 145 F and then add more marinade and broil to char. Tenderloin is super lean so make sure you don’t overcook it!

      Reply
      • Kanya says

        January 27, 2018 at 2:14 am

        How long would you say we cook the tenderloin for?

        Reply
        • Kanya says

          January 28, 2018 at 1:01 am

          I made it tonight using the loin with Michelle’s suggestion. Baked at 300F for one hour and then I broiled it on high for about 5 minutes on each side. Came out perfectly and tasted just like the real deal! Thank you Michelle for a great recipe! You just spiced up my whole30 in a big way!

          Reply
  13. David Saenger says

    July 18, 2017 at 9:50 pm

    I love the char siu recipe for the Anova sous vide but would love to try it with this more healthy sauce. Do you think this would work? Also, many other char siu recipes call for pork belly. Could that work?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 20, 2017 at 9:39 pm

      Yes! I think you can cook the pork shoulder or pork belly sous vide and then slather on the sauce & broil for color and char!

      Reply
      • Erin Briggs says

        July 21, 2017 at 9:25 pm

        So, would you but the sauce onto the pork and then into the sous vide cooker, then put the rest of the sauce on and char in the oven?

        Reply
  14. Jacinta Keeble says

    July 18, 2017 at 11:34 pm

    You are amazing Michelle!!!!!
    Can’t wait to try this

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 20, 2017 at 9:39 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  15. Miranda says

    July 19, 2017 at 9:06 pm

    Excited to try this! And I have to know where you got those awesome blue plates… do tell?!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 20, 2017 at 9:39 pm

      The plates are from Miya Company!

      Reply
  16. Huong Nguyen-Yap says

    July 19, 2017 at 11:53 pm

    Do you have a substitute for almond butter? My little person has a nut allergy!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 20, 2017 at 9:38 pm

      Sunbutter works!

      Reply
      • Carla says

        July 25, 2017 at 4:34 pm

        THANKS for the question & the answer, that’s exactly what I was looking for too! Can’t wait to try this it looks amazing!

        Reply
  17. doris mathieson says

    July 21, 2017 at 5:43 pm

    How did you have 3 lbs of pork wind up in just 4 pieces? My 3 pound roast made many more—did I do something wrong?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 22, 2017 at 1:05 am

      Nope! If you have smaller pieces, you just cook them for less time at the end!

      Reply
  18. Nicole Evangelista says

    July 21, 2017 at 7:24 pm

    I used one pound of flank steak- no honey and about 1/4 cup of raspberry jam because it was what we had on hand. I also made my own chinese 5 spice because we didn’t have it. I was missing one of the spices so more like chinese four spice but regardless- AMAZING. Best thing I’ve ever made.

    If you’re using flank steak, I altered the cooking time so that it roasted 25 minutes each side on 350. Then brushed on the marinade, turned the heat to 400 and cooked on one side for 25 minutes.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 22, 2017 at 1:05 am

      Wow! Good to know!

      Reply
    • Amy Monticello says

      May 15, 2021 at 1:09 pm

      I was reading the comments to see if this could be done with beef instead of pork. I was thinking a roast. Did you cut the steak into smaller pieces to roast it, or not until serving? Thank you.

      Reply
  19. Jos says

    July 23, 2017 at 4:33 am

    Would applesauce work or do I need to use the jam?

    Reply
  20. M-B says

    July 23, 2017 at 2:41 pm

    This was delicious! We made it exactly as written using the plum jam. Thank you for taking the time to create this recipe and then sharing it with us!

    Reply
  21. Christine says

    July 23, 2017 at 6:51 pm

    My Taiwanese mom also gives me recipe instructions like your mom! We’ll need to start secretly videotaping them while they cook.
    Quick question: Do you need to roast the pork on a wire rack? I don’t have a wire rack and I’ll too lazy to buy one. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 23, 2017 at 7:19 pm

      I think so! You can do it without the rack, but it won’t cook as evenly.

      Reply
  22. Avishek Saha says

    July 24, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Super thorough post!

    Reply
  23. KTD says

    July 27, 2017 at 1:53 am

    If we don’t eat pork – is there another meat we could sub?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      July 27, 2017 at 2:57 am

      Use the sauce as a BBQ sauce and brush on grilled chicken when it’s almost finished cooking!

      Reply
  24. Jen B says

    August 2, 2017 at 11:23 pm

    I just made this tonight. Followed the recipe to the letter, except I doubled everything so we would have leftovers. It is soooo good! I will definitely make this again. My only issue was that after the recommended cooking time, some of the pork still felt a little bit too rubbery. I put it back in the oven at 350 for a while longer to make the pork more “melty”.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      August 3, 2017 at 5:19 am

      Yay! Traditional char siu is chewier, but you can totally cook pork shoulder longer to get more of an American BBQ pork texture!

      Reply
  25. Michelle says

    August 3, 2017 at 11:22 pm

    Looking forward to trying this. What would you serve this with? Thanks!

    Reply
  26. Margaret Flitcroft says

    August 12, 2017 at 9:33 am

    Hi Michelle, I’ve been wanting to make this since I first saw it on instagram. Looks so delish! Well, I finally made it tonight. I marinated the pork shoulder for 24 hours, and my pieces looked about the same size as yours do in the pictures. I followed all your instructions, but my meat ended up a bit dry. What did I do wrong? Or is char siu supposed to be a bit tougher? The flavour was beautiful, but we all kinda felt like we were chewing for ages…..I’ve never said this before about a nomnom recipe, but I was a little dissapointed😕 Please point out my possible errors? Or is there perhaps a sauce of some kind I could add for moisture? I seriously want to love this dish!!

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      August 12, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      Did you slice the meat against the grain? Although Char Siu is not as tender as traditional American BBQ, it should still be chewable if it is sliced properly. Alternatively, you can cook it longer at a lower temp (before broiling at the end) to break down all the collagen and end up with super fork tender pieces.

      Reply
      • Margaret Flitcroft says

        August 12, 2017 at 10:21 pm

        Thank you. I think I’ll cook it lower and slower next time.

        Reply
  27. Melissa AG says

    September 1, 2017 at 5:05 pm

    Hi Michelle, I love this recipe—we’ve made it three times. I want to make it this weekend, but it’s going to be HOT and I can’t bear to turn on my oven. Do you have any advice for adapting this to the grill (in terms of temperature and grill time)? Thanks!

    Reply
  28. You says

    September 19, 2017 at 10:47 pm

    Love this recipe! One of my go-tos at my own home. Currently visiting my parents who have a fancy convection oven with a roast setting- any recommendations on how to adjust?

    Reply
  29. Sarah Yen says

    October 3, 2017 at 1:57 am

    This looks delicious but what I’m REALLY wanting to know is, where did you get your plates? >_<

    Reply
  30. Alyssa Phetsinor says

    October 16, 2017 at 3:18 am

    So glad to find an alternative to the seasoning pkg with synthetic dye. Made it today and it turned out great! I used peach jam. Can you tell the difference when using the plum or apricot? Wondering which one is the best. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  31. Ann says

    October 21, 2017 at 2:21 pm

    Sorry but I’m not sure I like the taste of the finished product though. Thanks for trying.

    Reply
  32. Taryn Tyrrell Reagan says

    October 25, 2017 at 5:29 pm

    Could Tahini be used in place of almond butter? I can get sun butter as stated in other comments for a tree nut allergy, but have Tahini in the pantry already.

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      October 26, 2017 at 8:58 pm

      I haven’t tried that substitution! I bet it would work though.

      Reply
  33. Anusha says

    October 30, 2017 at 7:36 pm

    Omg, I can’t believe you found a way to make this! We use this in Malaysian dishes like ‘char siew rice’ and ‘wantan mee.’ Eversince I have moved to Canada, I’ve been dreaming of making those dishes( whenever I’m having a cheat day) and this is the perfect solution! Thanks, Michelle!

    Reply
  34. Mandy Gomez Nevin says

    November 7, 2017 at 12:29 am

    I followed the recipe for the sauce exactly except I used a plum spread that was made with just plums and lemon juice. The flavor is good, but as it cooled at room temp it got very thick, almost like a paste. Good flavor, but wondering if I should thin it with some water or just spread on as is.

    Reply
  35. Crystal says

    January 3, 2018 at 7:22 pm

    rystal
    a few seconds ago
    We love this recipe! Have you ever thought about making in the instant pot? I know the texture would be a little different…

    Reply
  36. Jeanie Mitchell says

    January 18, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    I’ve been waiting to make this recipe forever. Well yesterday I made the marinade and tonight we put it on the smoker outside even though it’s only 35 degrees. It is literally one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The flavor was delicious and it turned out moist and tender. As we were putting it away in the fridge, we kept sneaking more bites. I cannot wait for the leftovers! Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply
  37. Barbara Gabbe-Harris says

    February 18, 2018 at 7:25 pm

    Oh my goodness! This is an incredible recipe! I haven’t made something this good in ages! Congratulations Michelle Tam! I never tasted your Mom’s Char Siu of course, but I bet you did her proud! I ended up marinating the pork overnight….cooked it just now…..I kept basting it and turning it….let it rest 10 minutes (which was hard! Wanted to dive right in!). I did take a photo…will see how I can send it. Thank you, Michelle. This is a FABULOUS dish! Happy Chinese New Year! ❤️👍💕❤️🎉

    Reply
  38. Talia Lavor says

    February 18, 2018 at 9:59 pm

    Could you use Tamarind instead of tomato paste?

    Reply
  39. Diana says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    What is the purpose of the almond butter in this recipe? I am looking for a substitute because I can’t have almond butter or sun butter. TIA.

    Reply
  40. Becca says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    I loved it so much I went back and bought 10lb shoulder and made 3 batches so I could share with my colleagues! Were adding it to my weekly rotation now.

    Reply
  41. Julia Dow says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    I bastardized this recipe and it still turned out great! I cannot wait to follow the a tual recipe. For people who are asking about subs, i made these non-sanctioned substitutes because i was in a rush! 1. Ketchup (gah!) For tomato paste. Soy sauce for coconut aminos. Tahini for almond butter. Orange ginger dalfours jam because thats what I had already. omitted extra ginger bc of the jam and didnt add any honey as ketchup is sweetened. It turned out very well. The only issue was as I am a small family of 2 I made 2 lbs of pork. It cooked much faster than the recipe and by 10 min into the 3rd 30 min session it was charring. I did a quick flip, baste and finished it after that. Outcome: very very good. Too much orange (follow the recipe!) Love your recipes! Though I like to eat veg and meat forward I am not strictly paleo but all of your recipes have been 🙌🏽 even when I am riffing on them!

    Reply
  42. Mesha Hudman says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    can pork loin be used instead of the shoulder?

    Reply
  43. Sarah S Yee says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Is there a reason the recipe says to cut the pork into strips before cooking but in the video you cook the entire piece of pork and don’t slice until the end?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      August 11, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      You need to cut the pork shoulder roast into long strips—just like in the step-by-step pictures.

      Reply
  44. Michelle says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Hi Michelle, thank you for all your amazing recipes. I have been following you for years now! I love everything you do for us. Keep up the great work. I do have one question about this recipe I cannot have the tomato paste or the Chinese 5 spice due to my auto immune conditions and food allergies. Do you have any other recommendations to substitute with? Thanks for your help and time 💞😍😚😚

    Reply
  45. Christina Cheung says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Could the almond butter be substituted with sunflower seed butter? Thank you!

    Reply
  46. Sylvie Manaster says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    What’s the best way to reheat this? Or to make it into something else?

    Reply
  47. Jackie says

    September 16, 2020 at 1:28 am

    I just made this in the Instant Pot: sliced and marinaded. Then took out of marinade, added 1 cup water mixed with a little of the left over marinade and added to bottom then placed the wire rack and meat on top of that. Pressure cooked for 20 minutes with quick release after about 15 minutes. Put on wire rack on baking sheet and brushed reserved marinade on. Then broiled at 450 5-8 minutes on each side until blackened. Yum!

    Reply
  48. tracey says

    February 8, 2021 at 10:07 pm

    5 stars
    Just made this for dinner tonight after you posted it on Instagram recently. It is absolutely delicious! Your recipe is super easy to follow w/the pictures & step by step directions. This is more flavorful than the Char Siu at my favorite restaurant. I’ll definitely make this again.

    Reply
  49. Jeannie says

    February 14, 2021 at 8:26 pm

    5 stars
    I was skeptical at first, but so glad i decided to try this out. It is the best ever Char siu!!! Tasted just like the real deal. You’re a genius Michelle!!

    Reply
  50. Elizabeth says

    February 21, 2021 at 3:42 am

    This was incredible!!

    Reply
  51. Jenae says

    March 3, 2021 at 4:14 am

    This couldn’t have possibly come out any more delicious! I’m so excited for leftovers and have so many, I’m going to have to give some away! Made it with a side of miso broccoli and it’ll definitely be on my menu again!

    Reply
  52. Liz says

    June 20, 2021 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is a treasure! I have missed char siu for a long time since cutting out most processed foods years ago… Question: would you be able to freeze the meat in the marinade for later?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      June 20, 2021 at 11:30 pm

      I haven’t tried that! I almost always freeze cooked leftovers.

      Reply
  53. She'll G says

    July 11, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    This looks awesome and I love the ingredients for this… I just have one question. Is there a substitute I can use for the fish sauce? My husband has a seafood allergy (mild but we still try to stay away) and I would love to make this for him. Also, is fish sauce traditionally used in the marinades? Asking so I can make sure he doesn’t eat any if we order out.

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      August 5, 2021 at 8:16 pm

      Fish sauce is not traditionally in Char Siu marinade. You can leave it out if your husband is allergic.

      Reply
  54. Nikki says

    October 19, 2021 at 1:58 pm

    I would love to try this recipe as I have tried – unsuccessfully, 2 other recipes. As another reader posted (but I didn’t see a response), I can’t have tomato paste, they wondered if tamarind would work – any thoughts on this or another substitute?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      October 19, 2021 at 3:20 pm

      I’m not sure! I haven’t tried tamarind or other alternatives.

      Reply
  55. Leanne says

    February 2, 2022 at 5:44 pm

    5 stars
    I have been a follower for years (from my early Whole30 days) but I have never made a recipe until now. I prepared both the Char Sui and the Fried Cauliflower Rice to celebrate the Lunar New Year. AMAZING. Although maybe a little time consuming, it was easy to make with staple items in the house (except the 5 spice)! I also feel like this recipe can easily feed a crowd (or a large family). The leftovers are going into Singapore Noodles tonight as we continue the celebrations. Squash is already in the oven!

    Happy New Year and thank you for giving this gift of delicious food!

    Reply
  56. Patti S says

    February 7, 2022 at 2:40 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last night and everyone ate it (even the picky kids)! I can’t wait to try the singapore noodles with the leftovers this week. I couldn’t find boneless pork shoulder so had to use boneless top loin so parts were a little dryer. I may make some extra marinade for dipping (the kids wanted more sauce). Next time if I can’t find it, I’ll look for the boneless thick ribs instead. The flavor was amazing, as well as the aroma while it was cooking!

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      February 7, 2022 at 11:06 pm

      Pork boneless country ribs work great for char siu!

      Reply
  57. Anne Rodkin says

    February 23, 2022 at 10:48 pm

    5 stars
    OMG! I think I’ve gone to Char Siu heaven.

    I used pork shoulder steaks, so gave a little less time because they were kind of thin.

    Now please excuse me. Char Siu is calling and I’m hungry

    Michelle, you are a genius

    Reply

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