Chinese · main
Char Siu (叉烧)
Char Siu (叉烧) reads umami 9.1, sweetness 7.8 and richness 6.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese main, about 2 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 7.8 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 1.7 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.0 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 7.6 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 9.1 · Sweetness 7.8 · Richness 6.6 · Salinity 5.5 · Floral 4.1 · Nutty 3.4 · Funk & Ferment 3.0 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Sourness 1.7 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Heat 0.9 · Bitterness 0.9 · Earthy 0.6
What's in it (10)
- 2 lbs pork shoulder
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 tbsp red fermented tofu
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Time & effort: about 2 hr 30 min (15 min active) · effort: medium
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 268.6 kcal, 14.8 g protein, 20 g fat, 6.8 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Marinate pork strips in the combined sauces, five-spice, and red tofu overnight.
- Roast on a rack at medium-high heat, brushing with a honey glaze twice during cooking, until caramelized and slightly charred at the edges.
- Rest and slice thinly before serving.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Bolo de Fubá Cremoso — Brazilian
- Char Siu Pork Tenderloin — Chinese · Cantonese
- Kiriboshi Daikon no Nimono (Simmered Dried Daikon Strips) — Japanese
- Chikuzenni (Simmered Chicken and Root Vegetables) — Japanese
- Sticky Gochujang-Honey Chicken Thighs — Korean
Keep reading: what umami, sweetness, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.