I’m likely the last person to lecture or write about healthy cooking, mis amigos, and since I’m still kicking – soon in the seniors’ rehab pool – this month’s culinary carnage involves that staple of so many international diets, pork.
Yes, this deliciously fatty, hammy, “other white meat” downright tasty stuff is otherwise known as pig! Do I think this particular protein has sinister LDL undertones and that all cardiologists keep it in a deck of cholesterol “death cards?” Sure, but it tastes so damn good.
In this stack of chance, the ace of spades is played by “Double-Smoked Bacon,” the queen of hearts is “Mammy the Sugar-Glazed Hammy” and the role of jack of diamonds goes to “Badass Chicharron.” This cast of characters runs from dumplings, chops, cracklin’ and charred roasts. Say a prayer and pass the Crestor.
(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
A variety of sauces and spices go into the marinade, but the red dye is key.
When making this dish, the key element is patience and time. The cut pork shoulder should sit for at least 36 hours in a red-staining marinate. It’s the only time I like to add food coloring – love that crimson hue! The spices, salts and sugars (brown and honey) also infuse and saturate the meat. This is nowhere near an option, but instead, absolutely necessary.
For my happy taste buds, the most delectable part of char siu – that’s Chinese BBQ to you – is its burnt caramelized edges. I remember that chef Gordon Ramsay hit a few sour notes when the other cooks in the kitchen misused the word “caramelization.” Wikipedia defines it as a “process of browning of sugar used extensively in cooking for the resulting rich, butter-like flavor and brown color.”
Naturally, there ain’t no sugar in pork, my dears. So, technically speaking, the meat browns, it does not caramelize. But since our marinade has sugars, when heated correctly, they perform the act of caramelization. These burnt sugars paired with soy sauce yumminess give the final dish that mystical “sweet yet salty” magic!
(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
A raw lineup of ingredients.
Over the years, I think several hundred billion Chinese chefs followed the right path to cook with pork. You may also find that this marinade and roasting technique may be applied to other foods, such as lamb, chicken or a fatty fish like cod, which makes me reminisce for that Nobu black cod recipe. For veggie lovers, you could even try this with cauliflower. But whatever foodstuff you choose to anoint, the real test of skill is knowing when to repeat the glazing procedure.
Onward, my kitchen comrades, and please do go gently into that good night armed with this recipe for classic char siu that’s a prime candidate for repeat performances. The leftovers will likely find you on your couch, bingeing Netflix while trying to avoid messing up the remote with your sticky, saucy fingers. And if you find later that a few crunchy red tidbits have landed on your shirt, then Grasshopper – that’s when you’ll really be smellin’ what I’m tellin’.
CHEF SID’S PORKY CHAR SIU
Serves: 4
Prep time: About 30-35 minutes plus 36-48 hours marinating time
(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
Sublimely saturated pork ready for roastin’.
INGREDIENTS
· 1/2 cup light soy sauce
· 1/2 cup brown sugar
· 1/2 cup good honey (FYI, I always end up adding more)
· 1/3 cup ketchup
· 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
· 2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
· 1/3 cup Chinese rice wine
· 1/4 cup oyster sauce
· Red food coloring
· 1 3-pound pork shoulder, sliced in rough strips about 2″ thick – don’t trim off too much fat!
(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
Roasting on a rack is a must for optimum “caramelization.”
· 4 servings white rice
· 4 servings steamed snow pea pods
PREPARATION
· To make marinade, mix first nine ingredients together in bowl; set aside.
· Add deep cuts to areas of pork strips but do not slice through; this creates more surface areas for charring.
· Place strips into heavy-duty resealable baggie and pour in marinade; place in fridge to marinate, taking care to ensure strips are well-covered, 36-48 hours; flip baggie several times to ensure every bit of meat gets thoroughly saturated.
· To cook your meat, preheat oven to 350º F.
(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
Reduce marinade on low and slow to make it nice and thick.
· Remove meat from baggie and drain, reserving marinade, then place on wire rack over parchment-lined baking sheet – this is very important!! One must make room for air to circulate beneath the meat in order to achieve that crispy, glazed goodness.
· Place rack in oven and roast meat 15 minutes.
· In small pot over low heat to avoid caramelization, cook and reduce reserved marinade until it resembles a thick, BBQ sauce-like texture; remove from heat and set aside.
· Remove rack from oven, generously glaze meat on all sides with reduced marinate and roast another 15 minutes.
· Remove rack from oven, collect pan drippings and blend into marinate glaze mixture, glaze meat again and roast at 425º F for an additional 5 minutes to finish off that charred, caramelization effect.
· Remove meat from oven and let sit 5 minutes. If you have a crème brûlée torch give your savory strips a few blasts before serving.
· Serve over white rice with steamed snow pea pods.
Note: Don’t nobody want to make themselves sick, so use a meat thermometer to ensure your pork is safely cooked through.
Sid Hoeltzell is an award-winning Miami-based commercial food and beverage photographer and former “MasterChef” contestant. He has completed more than 450 commissioned works for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, teaches food photography seminars and is a preferred fine art photographer for Christie’s, Sotheby’s and private collections
Sid Hoeltzell
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(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
First glaze done, second one comin’!
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(SID HOELTZELL @ MIAMI 2024)
Burnt edges of caramelized sugars – that’s where the flavor lives in this recipe.