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Char Siu Pork or Chinese BBQ Tenderloin

Char siu pork tenderloin or Chinese BBQ pork is a delicious and simple dish to cook, marinating overnight maximises flavour before roasting.

Cooking the dish is exceptionally quick and it takes just 12-15 minutes, it can also be cooked in an air fryer or on a BBQ!

Char siu pork tenderloin, or Chinese BBQ pork served with broccoli stir fry and chilli.

Chinese BBQ Pork Fillet

The name char siu translates as fork roasting and it belies the origins of this recipe, it is also sometimes called Chinese red pork.

I have two versions of char sui pork, the first is my slow cooker char siu ribs, these take all day to cook.

This one cooks much quicker and it is my “date night” version of this classic recipe. I’ve also got a super simple take on “Chinese BBQ” in the form of some char siu chicken legs, which are delicious!

It is also super simple to make, so long as you can mix ingredients together and have an oven, air fryer or BBQ then you are good to go!

Roast off the pork in a hot oven, no searing, for 12-15 minutes and then let it rest. Seriously it is that simple and the air fryer and BBQ versions are equally easy!

Pork Tenderloin comes from the same part of the pig as a fillet of beef comes from in a cow.

Just like beef fillet, pork fillet is exceptionally tender and really benefits from quick and simple cooking.

It is also really versatile, I make everything from eurocentric bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and pork medallions to using it in my pork stroganoff as well as a wonderful sweet and sour pork tenderloin roast.

It even appears in my special fried rice recipe!

Using the fillet makes char siu pork a really achievable quick midweek dinner so long as you plan ahead with the marinade.

Overhead char siu pork tenderloin, or Chinese BBQ pork served with broccoli stir fry.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to cook this recipe?

I’m not sure that there is a “best” anything in the kitchen… however, if I was offering my thoughts on my favourite way I would say the BBQ.

But for practical purposes, this more often than not gets cooked in the oven. I find the fierce heat and the fan of the air fryer, do not give results I like as much.

What temperature should pork be cooked to?

I like my tenderloin medium-rare to medium but you should have yours as you like it.

Anyone who tells you how you should eat your meat should not be trusted to tell you how to cook!

Internal temperatures for pork when served are as follows.

  • Medium-Rare: 63-65°C or 145-150°F
  • Medium: 65-68°C or 150-155°F
  • Medium-Well: 68-71°C or 155-160°F
  • Well: 71°C+ or 160°F+

How do I use a meat thermometer?

It is a simple case of sticking the probe into the middle of the piece of meat and waiting for the reading to settle.

I use a digital thermometer as they give a quick reading. I use an OXO soft grips branded thermometer, but there many on the market that all perform fairly similarly.

Do I have to add Tabasco sauce?

No not at all, this is very much a wee personal flourish and recognises my love of a bit of spice.

Is pork loin the same as pork tenderloin?

No. They are fundamentally different cuts of meat that require completely different cooking.

This marinade will be perfectly fine to make char siu pork loin. However, you will need to recalculate the cooking times.

Close up char siu pork tenderloin, or Chinese BBQ pork served with broccoli stir fry.

Serving Suggestions

The images here show my Chinese-inspired char siu pork tenderloin with stir fried broccoli.

But it also works really well with stir fried noodles.

This quick mushroom and spinach stir fry or mushroom chow mein would be great too!

If you are planning to serve this as part of a multi-course meal then pickles are also a good lighter choice.

Quick pickled daikon or pickled cucumber would both work really well. They both take around 20 minutes which means the timing is perfect too!

Char siu pork tenderloin, or Chinese BBQ pork served with broccoli and chilli.

Equipment Used

I tend not to recommend specific brands of equipment unless I think that it will make a material difference to a recipe. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Oven, Air Fryer or BBQ, depending on your chosen cooking method for this char siu pork fillet.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • Baking tray, if oven roasting.
  • Meat thermometer.
  • Sealable bag for marinating.
  • Tin foil.
  • Sharp kitchen knife.
  • Chopping board.
Char siu pork tenderloin, or Chinese BBQ pork served with broccoli and chilli.
Yield: 2 Servings

Char Siu Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinade Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

Char Siu pork is a classic Chinese recipe, in this version I marinate pork tenderloin or fillet overnight and roast it quickly in the oven!

Ingredients

  • 350g (12oz) Pork Tenderloin or Fillet
  • 2 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Rice Wine
  • 1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 20g (1 Tbsp) Honey
  • 1 Tsp Chinese Five Spice
  • ½ Tsp Tabasco Sauce

Instructions

  1. Trim the pork tenderloin or pork fillet of any sinew or silverskin.
  2. Mix all of the ingredients with the exception of the pork into a large sealable bag and then add the pork, seal the bag and massage in the marinade.
  3. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 4 hours, overnight is better.
  4. Remove the pork from the fridge an hour before cooking.

How to cook in the oven:

  1. Place the pork on a roasting tray.
  2. Cook at 220°C or 450°F for 12-15 minutes or until the pork reaches the desired internal temperature.
  3. Remove from the oven and rest under foil for 5 minutes.
  4. Check that the pork is cooked to your liking with a meat thermometer before serving.

How to cook in an air fryer:

  1. Cut the pork fillet in half, do not be tempted to bend it, you will not get and even cook on the glaze.
  2. Cook at 200°C or 400°F in a preheated air fryer for 8-10 minutes.
  3. Remove and rest for 5 minutes before carving.
  4. Check that the pork is cooked to your liking with a meat thermometer before serving.

How to cook on the grill or BBQ:

  1. Set up your BBQ with both direct and indirect heat sections and get it fiercely hot.
  2. Sear the marinated pork over the direct heat section for 10-30 seconds on each side.
  3. Move to the indirect heat section, close the lid and cook for 8-12 minutes.
  4. Check that the pork is cooked to your liking with a meat thermometer before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

2

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 348Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 935mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 47g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Joanna

Monday 3rd of January 2022

Hi Brian Absolutely delighted to have stumbled across the CharSiu Pork fillet recipe....oh yes just what i was looking for :-)

One question, and sorry if i appear like an obvious dimwit...its 350g of fillet for two covers...ok...but i cant fathom the right number of slices per portion - we love our pork cooked the same as you ie med rare to the low side of medium - is the picture showing three slices the one portion?

As I said sorry if i have overlooked something...cant wai to give this a try with some wok fried noodles, thanks in advance for your answer

Joanna

Brian Jones

Tuesday 4th of January 2022

Yup 350g for two this is about the size of a small tenderloin once trimmed up. You can go a little larger if you want and not impact the cooking time too much, I cook it whole and then cut into 6 slices for serving :)

Enjoy

Brian

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