Char Siu in the Air Fryer
Sticky Chinese barbecue pork with hoisin, honey and five-spice — easy in the air fryer. Char Siu turns out juicy inside with a dark, caramelised surface, and it is perfect for lunch, noodles or wraps.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Brush
- 1 Meat thermometer
Ingredients
Meat
- 800 g pork neck fillet In one piece
Marinade
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp dry sherry Or Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 clove garlic Finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger Finely grated
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice
- 1 tsp sesame oil
0.5 tsp salt
Glaze
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp water Hot
To serve
- 2 pcs spring onions Thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 1 tsp sesame seeds Toasted
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut 800 g pork neck fillet into 3-4 long strips about 5 cm thick. Even strips give you both even roasting and plenty of surface for the glaze.
- Mix 3 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp oyster sauce and 1 tbsp dry sherry in a mixing bowl. Stir in 2 clove garlic, 1 tsp fresh ginger, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice, 1 tsp sesame oil and 0.5 tsp salt until the marinade is smooth and dark.
- Turn the meat thoroughly in the marinade so that every side is coated. Cover the bowl and leave the meat to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours — ideally overnight if you have the time.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 180 °C fan.
- Let any excess marinade drip off the meat, then place the strips in the basket in a single layer with a little space between them. Roast them for 18 minutes at 180 °C, and turn the meat after 9 minutes.
- Mix 2 tbsp honey with 1 tsp water, and brush the meat on all sides. Turn the air fryer up to 200 °C and give the strips 6 minutes more — brush again after 3 minutes so the glaze caramelises without burning.
- Check the core temperature in the thickest strip with a meat thermometer — it should read 70 °C. If it is a little short, give the meat 2-3 minutes at a time at 200 °C.
Serving
- Leave the meat to rest for 5 minutes, then cut it into thin slices across the grain. Sprinkle with 2 pcs spring onions and 1 tsp sesame seeds, and serve straight away.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
Cut the meat into strips rather than roasting it in one large piece. That gives you far more surface for the glaze and halves the roasting time. The honey glaze only goes on right at the end — if the sugar goes in too early, it burns before the meat is cooked through. Variation:
Pork neck can be swapped for pork tenderloin if you want a leaner version. Turn the time down to 12-14 minutes at 180 °C, and keep an eye on the core temperature so the meat does not dry out. Serving:
Serve with steamed rice and quick-pickled cucumber, or use the slices in bao buns, a noodle salad or a wrap for your packed lunch. Portion size:
If your air fryer is on the smaller side, you can cook the dish in two batches. The strips need to lie in a single layer to caramelise evenly.
Cut the meat into strips rather than roasting it in one large piece. That gives you far more surface for the glaze and halves the roasting time. The honey glaze only goes on right at the end — if the sugar goes in too early, it burns before the meat is cooked through. Variation:
Pork neck can be swapped for pork tenderloin if you want a leaner version. Turn the time down to 12-14 minutes at 180 °C, and keep an eye on the core temperature so the meat does not dry out. Serving:
Serve with steamed rice and quick-pickled cucumber, or use the slices in bao buns, a noodle salad or a wrap for your packed lunch. Portion size:
If your air fryer is on the smaller side, you can cook the dish in two batches. The strips need to lie in a single layer to caramelise evenly.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 42gFat: 30gSaturated fat: 11gPolyunsaturated fat: 3.5gMonounsaturated fat: 13gTrans fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 1450mgPotassium: 700mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2.2mgNet carbohydrates: 21g
