Chinese Grilled Char Siu Pork Skewers with Honey-Hoisin Glaze

Whisk the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, garlic, five-spice, ginger and sesame oil into a glossy marinade.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp honey, plus more for brushing
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Whisk the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, garlic, five-spice, ginger and sesame oil into a glossy marinade.
2. Toss the pork cubes in two-thirds of the marinade, cover, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight; reserve the rest for glazing.
3. Soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes, then thread on the marinated pork.
4. Heat a grill to medium and oil the grates; grill the skewers, turning, until lightly charred on all sides, about 10 minutes.
5. Brush the skewers with the reserved marinade loosened with a little extra honey, and grill a few minutes more until lacquered and sticky.
6. Watch closely at the end, as the sugars catch quickly over open flame and you want char, not burn.
7. Slide the pork off the skewers or serve on them, showered with green onion and toasted sesame seeds.
8. Char siu, literally fork-roasted, is the glistening red barbecue pork that hangs in the windows of Cantonese roast-meat shops from Guangzhou to Chinatowns the world over. Threading it onto skewers for the grill captures that same caramelized, five-spice-scented edge in a shareable cookout form, the kind of sweet-savory bite that disappears off the platter before the main course is even ready.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 330 kcal
• Protein: 26g
• Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 18g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 15g
• Sodium: 740mg