Recipes

Air Fryer Char Siu

Juicy Chinese BBQ Pork made in 20 minutesā€”30 minutes faster than the traditional oven method!

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15-18 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds (1.36 kg) boneless pork shoulder/pork butt (select a piece with some good fat on it)
  • Char Siu Marinade:
    • Ā¼ cup (60g) granulated white sugar
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • Ā½ teaspoon five spice powder
    • Ā¼ teaspoon white pepper
    • Ā½ teaspoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing wine
    • 1 tablespoon (15ml) soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon (15ml) hoisin sauce
    • 2 teaspoons molasses
    • ā…› teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
    • 3 cloves finely minced garlic
    • Ā¼ cup (60ml) hot water (plus 1 tablespoon/15ml)
    • 2 tablespoons (30g) maltose (or honey)

Notes

  • Prep time does not include overnight marinating time (at least 8 hours).
  • If using red food coloring, itā€™s optional for color.
  • Adjust cooking time based on pork size for optimal results.

Instructions

  1. Cut the pork into strips or chunks about 2 to 3 inches thick, keeping them as large as possible while fitting 2-3 pieces in your air fryer (about 9-10 ounces each). Do not trim excess fat.

  2. In a bowl, combine sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, sesame oil, wine, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, molasses, food coloring (if using), and garlic to make the marinade. Reserve about 2 tablespoons in a small container, cover, and refrigerate.

  3. Rub the pork with the remaining marinade in a large bowl or dish, cover, and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours.

  4. Remove the pork from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 2 hours.

  5. Add Ā¼ cup (60ml) of hot water to the air fryer basket, placing the rack on top. Arrange the pork pieces so they are not touching.

  6. Set the air fryer to 375Ā°F (190Ā°C). Depending on your air fryer model, you may need to let it warm up or adjust settings as necessary.

  7. Cook for a total of 15-18 minutes. Use 3 cooking intervals of 5-6 minutes each. For smaller pieces (6-7 ounces), reduce the last interval to 3 minutes, totaling 13-15 minutes.

  8. Combine the reserved marinade with 1 tablespoon (15ml) hot water and maltose. At each interval, brush the pork lightly with the marinade mixture, flip, and brush the other side. Reset the timer each time.

  9. Ensure the air fryer has enough hot water to prevent cooling down. Add more hot water if needed.

  10. Once cooked, slice the char siu and serve immediately. Enjoy your delicious Air Fryer Char Siu!