Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Marinate in maltose, hoisin, soy, and Chinese five-spice for at least 12 h. Maltose is the secret - it's a malt sugar that gives char siu its distinctive lacquered, sticky-sweet glaze. Honey is a passable substitute but maltose is the real thing. Find it at any Asian market.

Cook at 145°F for 6 h for the firm, sliceable texture that defines char siu. Lower temps make the pork too soft to crisp under high heat; higher temps cook out the marinade flavor. The 145°F mark is the modern restaurant standard.

Glaze and torch in three coats. After the bath, brush with reserved marinade, torch, brush again, torch again, brush a third time and torch. Each layer caramelizes onto the previous, building the deep mahogany color and the sticky-sweet exterior.

Use pork shoulder, not loin. Char siu needs fat to render under the high-heat finish, and pork shoulder has the right marbling. Loin is too lean and dries out fast. Shoulder also stands up to the strong marinade flavors better.

Anti-tip: don't slice the meat hot. Char siu should rest at room temperature for 15 min before slicing - the meat firms up enough to give you clean slices that show the pink interior and the lacquered edge. Hot slicing tears the meat.

Marinate overnight for maximum flavor - the long marination is traditional and important

Don't add marinade to sous vide bags - it makes pork too salty and prevents proper texture

Pat pork very dry before finishing - moisture prevents caramelization and char

This firmer texture is perfect for dicing into small cubes for fried rice or ramen

Still needs careful basting during finishing - the glaze is what makes char siu special

Holds together better for chopping and meal prep than tender 140°F version