Air Fryer Char Siu Pork (空气炸锅叉烧肉)
An easy air fryer char siu pork recipe that takes no time to put together and yields a flavorful BBQ pork that has a glossy sticky glaze just like the one from the restaurant. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make the dish gluten-free, use a gluten free oyster sauce. Replace the Shaoxing wine with dry sherry, and use tamari to replace soy sauce.
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (1 kg) pork shoulder , cut into 2” (5 cm) thick strips (or pork butt)
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 clove garlic , grated (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 to 20 drops red food coloring (Optional) (Footnote 1)
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons maltose (or honey) (Footnote 2)
Instructions
Marinating
- Slice the pork along the grain into strips that are about 1.5” (4 cm) thick.
- In a large bowl combine the marinade ingredients. Stir to mix well. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the marinade to a small bowl and store in the fridge to use later to make the glaze.
- Transfer the pork to a large ziplock bag. Pour the rest of the marinade into the bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Massage the bag a few times so the pork pieces are covered evenly with the sauce. Transfer to the fridge and marinate overnight (highly recommended), or for at least 6 hours.
Prepare the Glaze
- Microwave the maltose for 20 seconds or so, until the top loosens. Do NOT touch the maltose with your fingers. It will be very hot once heated. Grease your tablespoon with a thin layer of oil. Transfer 3 tablespoons of maltose into the 3 tablespoons of the marinade you reserved earlier, and 2 teaspoons of hot water (*Footnote 1). Stir to mix well. If the maltose is still very thick and hard to mix, you can microwave the glaze for 20 to 30 seconds and stir again.
Air frying
- Line the air fryer tray with parchment paper for easy cleaning. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the pork to the air fryer basket with space in between the pieces. Cook in batches if needed. Brush the pork with a thin layer of the glaze. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for a total of 12 to 16 minutes. Flip the pork every 3 to 4 minutes (*Footnote 3), and brush both sides with glaze every time you flip. Once done cooking, the pork should have a nice shiny sticky glaze throughout, and some of the edges charred slightly. Repeat the cooking process with the rest of the pork. Transfer the cooked char siu to a plate to cool slightly before slicing.
- Serve the pork hot over rice or noodles as a main dish, or at room temperature as a cold appetizer.
Storage & other uses
- You can use leftover char siu to make char siu fried noodles, char siu fried rice, and char siu buns (baked buns or steamed buns).
- To store the char siu, place it in a sealed container or bag and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- Use 10 drops of food coloring for a darker looking appearance. If you prefer a very red color, use 20 drops.
- If you use honey instead of maltose, skip the 2 teaspoons of water added to the glaze.
- The cooking time will depend on your air fryer. My air fryer is quite powerful and needs less time than many to cook the pork and set the glaze. So I flip and glaze the pork every 3 minutes. To judge when to flip the pork, the glaze you brushed earlier should be mostly set, sticky, and not runny.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.9g, Protein: 21.2g, Fat: 19.5g, Saturated Fat: 7.1g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 203mg, Potassium: 315mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 2.3g, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg