Char Siu with Clif Family Solar Grown™ Cacao Honey Spread
Recipe By Executive Chef John McConnell
Yields 8 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs boneless pork shoulder (ideally a fatty piece)
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp salt
1 tsp five spice powder
¼ tsp white pepper
½ tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (substitute sake if unavailable)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Hoisin
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
3 Tbsp Clif Family Solar Grown™ Cacao Honey
1 Tbsp hot water
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients except for the pork in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and cool. Reserve a small amount of the sauce to baste the pork as it cooks.
Cut the pork into 2”-3” thick long strips. (Leave any fat on the pork as it will render as it cooks and add flavor).
Place the pork strips in a large bowl and coat evenly with the BBQ sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 450° F.
Use a roasting pan with a wire rack, fill the pan about halfway with water. This is to add moisture to the air in the oven and catch any drippings and prevent burning. Place the marinated pork strips on the rack above the pan of water and place in the oven to roast.
After about 10 minutes, flip the pork and baste with some of the reserved marinade. Continue to roast another 5 minutes.
After the skin has caramelized, baste with remaining reserved marinade and drop oven temperature to 250 F. Add additional water to the pan if it looks like it is drying out.
Roast for another hour, checking every 15 minutes or so to ensure it isn’t burning. If burning begins, baste with the collected juices in the water pan.
Remove from oven and baste one last time with any remaining sauce. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Slice into ¼” thick pieces against the grain and serve with steamed rice if desired.
Pair with a glass of Clif Family Napa Valley Petite Sirah.