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–+ servings
Sliced char siu pieces straight from the air fryer.
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

This is the easiest, mess-free way to make Air Fryer Char Siu or Hong Kong-Style BBQ Pork. Authentic ingredients, modern cooking method. So sweet, sticky, and savoury!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Marinating Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 287kcal
Author: Kelly (Garlic All Day)

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pork butt or pork shoulder
  • ¾ cup char siu sauce you can use a storebought brand like Lee Kum Kee, or make your own (use the full amount of the sauce recipe below)
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maltose

Char Siu Sauce

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rose rice wine or Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons five spice powder
  • 5 drops red food colouring *can sub with ¼ teaspoon ground red yeast rice, or 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • Cut the 2 pounds pork butt or pork shoulder into 3 to 4 chunks.
  • Combine all of the char siu sauce ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl: ¾ cup char siu sauce, 1 tablespoon honey or maltose, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon rose rice wine or Shaoxing wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 cloves fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons five spice powder, 5 drops red food colouring. (Or squeeze in bottled char siu sauce, if using storebought.)
  • Massage the char siu sauce into the pork. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 8 hours or up to two days (48 hours).
  • When ready to roast the char siu, preheat air fryer to 400 °F.
  • Line the air fryer with parchment paper. Place the pork chunks in the air fryer (you might have to cook in batches if you have a small air fryer). Air fry for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, add honey or maltose to the remaining marinade to make a basting sauce. Flip and baste pork every 5 minutes.
  • Remove cooked char siu from the air fryer and rest for 10 minutes, then thinly slice.

Notes

  1. Some recipes recommend poking holes in the meat with a fork to help it absorb the marinade. This didn't have any impact on the flavour in my experience.
  2. You can line the air fryer tray with a sheet of parchment paper to catch the pork drippings—makes for an easier clean up.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg