Char Siu, a beloved Cantonese dish with deep roots in Chinese culinary traditions, takes on a fresh twist in this recipe featuring
Clif Family's Solar Grown™ Cacao Honey Spread. The sweet and savory blend of honey and cacao adds a rich depth of flavor to the tender, caramelized pork, bringing an irresistible touch of Napa Valley to a classic favorite. Whether you're planning a cozy dinner or a weekend feast, this dish is sure to be a hit at the table.
Char Siu with Clif Family Cacao Honey Spread
Recipe by Clif Family Culinary Team
Yields 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs boneless pork shoulder (ideally a fatty piece)
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp five spice powder
¼ tsp white pepper
½ tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (substitute sake if unavailable)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Hoisin
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
3 Tbsp
Clif Family Solar Grown™ Cacao Honey
1 Tbsp hot water
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients except for the pork in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve a small amount of the sauce to baste the pork as it cooks.
Cut the pork into 2”-3” thick long strips. (Leave any fat on the pork as it will render as it cooks and add flavor).
Place the pork strips in a large bowl and coat evenly with the BBQ sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 450° F.
Use a roasting pan with a wire rack, fill the pan about halfway with water. This is to add moisture to the air in the oven and catch any drippings and prevent burning. Place the marinated pork strips on the rack above the pan of water and place in the oven to roast.
After about 10 minutes, flip the pork and baste with some of the reserved marinade. Continue to roast another 5 minutes.
After the skin has caramelized, baste with remaining reserved marinade and drop oven temperature to 250 F. Add additional water to the pan if it looks like it is drying out.
Roast for another hour, checking every 15 minutes or so to ensure it isn’t burning. If burning begins, baste with the collected juices in the water pan.
Remove from oven and baste one last time with any remaining sauce. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Slice into ¼” thick pieces against the grain and serve with steamed rice if desired.
SUGGESTED WINE PAIRINGS:
Clif Family Croquet Vineyard Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
