Air Fryer Char Siu
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Air Fryer Char Siu – you may not know how to say it – but you’re gonna wanna eat it. If you want the juiciest, most tender pork – coated in a sweet sticky glaze – THIS IS IT! Char Siu is a Chinese BBQ pork – it’s easy to make and has so much FLAVOR!
What You Will ❤️ About Pork Char Siu
- Teeeennnnnder! You won’t find a more tender piece of pork. The juice just ooze out of it. I couldn’t stop eating it!
- Easy! Marinade overnight and then air fry – that’s it! Serve with rice and broccoli and you’re done!
- Versatile! You can eat this delicious roast pork on it’s own, over rice, in a noodle bowl, in a bun, in bibimbap and more! Just make it!
Ingredients for Pork Char Siu
This is a Cantonese dish that is served in many Asian countries and everybody has their own little spin on it – so you can too! Because some of these ingredients aren’t used very often – I added in substitutes for things you might already have to help out.
- Pork Butt – you can also use Pork Loin, Pork Shoulder or Pork Belly. I bought a 7 lb pork butt and cut off a 2.5 pound chunk and used it for this recipe. I would not use a pork tenderloin as it is a bit too lean.
- Hoisin Sauce – This is made of fermented bean paste and has a salty & tangy taste. You could swap out a Korean BBQ Sauce or a Teriyaki Sauce.
- Oyster Sauce – similar to soy sauce but thicker and sweeter. You can use Soy Sauce or Fish Sauce in it’s place.
- Dry Sherry – I have Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry because it goes in my Pumpkin Pie recipe. But you can sub out Shaoxing wine, Chinese cooking wine or Mirin Rice wine.
- Soy Sauce – No sub ideas here – we all have soy sauce! Woohoo!
- Honey – You could swap out with brown sugar if you like
- Garlic – Normally, I admit to using Jar-lic – but not today! This is a full-on Asian recipe and we need big ol’ garlic cloves.
- Chinese Five-Spice Powder – This contains Chinese cinnamon (which I use and LOVE), star anise, cloves, Sichuan pepper corn and fennel seeds. If you don’t have it or can’t find it – Allspice is probably your best bet for a sub.
- Red Food Coloring – ok – controversial and completely unnecessary – but the dish is usually very pink or red. You can also use beet juice for a more natural “food coloring”. The red color traditionally comes from red fermented bean curds – but I don’t really keep those on hand.
This recipe was made using the Paula Deen Air Fryer.
How to Serve Char Siu
As mentioned, this dish is served in many Asian countries and it’s so yum!
- Inside a Bun – steamed buns are one of my favorite appetizers and you can use this pork char siu as a filling! Here’s a bun recipe you can use to start your journey!
- Over Soup Noodles – we all love ramen noodles – you can use this delicious pork as a topping!
- With Rice – steam broccoli and serve the pork and broccoli over jasmine rice – delicious!
- BiBimBap – oh how I wish I had the patience to make this dish as it’s one of my favorites – and it’s so good topped with char siu!
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How to make Air Fryer Char Siu recipe
Char Siu is a pretty simple dish to make. You want to be sure to marinate overnight and then it takes about 20 minutes in the air fryer. But oh it is SOOOO worth it!
- Marinating
- Slice the pork along the grain into 2 chunks that are about 2×4” thick.
- In a ziplock bag, combine the marinade ingredients. Seal bag removing most of air and mix well. Transfer 1/4 cup of the marinade to a small bowl and store in the fridge to use later to make the glaze.
- Add pieces of pork to ziplock 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 at least overnight.
- Prepare the Glaze
- Whisk together honey and reserved marinade. If mixture is super thick, microwave for 20 seconds or so, until the mixture loosens and whisk lightly.
3. Air frying
- Transfer the pork to the air fryer basket in a single layer with space between the pieces. Cook in batches if needed. Brush the pork with a thin layer of the glaze.
- Air fry at 400°F for a total of 20 minutes. Flipping the pork every 5 minutes and brush both sides with glaze every time you flip. Glaze should be set and sticky before you flip.
- Use an instant read thermometer and check the internal temperature of the thickest part. The Char Siu is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. The timing will vary depending on the thickness of your pork.
- Transfer the cooked char siu to a plate to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve the pork hot over rice or noodles as a main dish, or at room temperature as a cold appetizer.
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
How do you store and reheat leftover char siu?
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can freeze up to three months. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute.
Could you make this with chicken?
Yes!!! Boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast would be amazing!!!!!
Best Air Fryer Accessories
Here’s my ultimate list of best air fryer accessories – whether you have a basket- or oven-style appliance! I’ve also included a price guide as well as my favorite recipes for those accessories.
What to serve with Char Siu
More Air Fryer Pork Recipes
Air Fryer Char Siu
Air Fryer Char Siu – you may not know how to say it – but you're gonna wanna eat it. If you want the juiciest, most tender pork – coated in a sweet sticky glaze – THIS IS IT! Char Siu is a Chinese BBQ pork – it's easy to make and has so much FLAVOR!
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Ingredients
- 2 lb pork butt
Marinade
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp dry sherry alts: shaoxing wine, Chinese cooking wine or Mirin rice wine
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 10 drops red food coloring OPTIONAL
Glaze
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup marinade
Instructions
Marinating
- Slice the pork along the grain into 2 chunks that are about 2×4” thick.2 lb pork butt
- In a large ziplock bag, combine the marinade ingredients. Seal bag and mix well. Transfer 1/4 cup of the marinade to a small bowl and store in the fridge to use later to make the glaze.2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp dry sherry, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp Chinese five spice, 10 drops red food coloring
- Add pork pieces to large ziplock 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 at least overnight.
Prepare the Glaze
- Whisk together honey and reserved marinade. If mixture is super thick, microwave for 20 seconds or so, until the mixture loosens and whisk lightly.2 tbsp honey, 1/4 cup marinade
Air Frying
- Line the air fryer tray with parchment paper for easy cleaning.
- Transfer the pork to the air fryer basket in a single layer with space between the pieces. Cook in batches if needed. Brush the pork with a thin layer of the glaze.
- Air fry at 400°F for a total of 20 minutes. Flipping the pork every 5 minutes and brush both sides with glaze every time you flip. Glaze should be set and sticky before you flip.
- Use an instant read thermometer and check the internal temperature of the thickest part. The Char Siu is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. The timing will vary depending on the thickness of your pork.
- Transfer the cooked char siu to a plate to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve the pork hot over rice or noodles as a main dish, or at room temperature as a cold appetizer.
Notes
**We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Serving: 0.33lbCalories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 30gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 871mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
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