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Chinese BBQ Pork
It’s called Char Siu. (Pronounced “Char Sue”) But we know it as Chinese BBQ Pork, and it’s of the most popular items on a Chinese Restaurant menu. I never thought of making it at home—it seemed complicated and intimidating. But when I finally decided to give it a try, I quickly found it is neither. It’s a fun, simple dish that ends up tasting exactly like the restaurant version! While it seems as though there are a lot of ingredients, it’s mostly inexpensive bottles of things like soy sauce, molasses, honey, rice wine vinegar—all things you can keep in your refrigerator so you can make this dish many times, which, I think you will! As far as the steps, it’s basically whisking the marinade ingredients, pouring it over the pork, refrigerating it overnight and then cooking it up! It’s that simple. The most important step is making sure you buy pork shoulder, as tenderloin is too lean. Char Siu may be your new favorite!
Watch my How To Video for Chinese BBQ Pork here!
Chinese BBQ Pork
Asian Chicken Salad
I rarely throw out old cookbooks. On the contrary, the older and more well-worn they are, the better. But recently, I had to toss out a cookbook that I found at a garage sale only because it had completely fallen apart at the seams. It was from 1964 and simply called “Delicious Asian Recipes.” This tattered little book served its purpose though. Out of it came two of my favorite dressings. Both go splendidly with a refreshing and healthful chicken salad that’s perfect for spring and summer!
Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Citrus Soy Glaze
Some call the Pork Tenderloin the filet mignon of the pork because it’s so lean and tender. But if not cooked properly you can end up with a log of dry, flavorless pork. That’s why tenderloins are often brined or marinated ahead of time. Brining introduces moisture into the tenderloin, and marinating adds the flavor. But this recipe saves you that step. All of the wonderful savory flavors happen while the tenderloin is cooking. It has many of the ingredients you are used to with a pork tenderloin like garlic, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, orange juice, olive oil and of course, a light touch of fresh rosemary. But let’s go back to the garlic. For this recipe, the pork tenderloin gets 8 or 9 slices on the top, just enough to fit a piece of garlic sliced lengthwise. Then, the magic is made with the sauce that is poured over the tenderloin before it goes into the oven which turns into a rich, sweet and savory glaze when the tenderloin is done. How to tell if your pork tenderloin is cooked properly? This is where a meat thermometer comes in handy. The internal temperature should read between 145 and 150. If it’s cooked to 160, it becomes too dry with an off-putting chalky texture. If you don’t have a quick read meat thermometer, you can look for a slight hint of pale pink with the juices running clear. Remember, that while you’re letting the tenderloin rest (for at least 5-6 minutes) the pork will continue to cook a bit. That’s called carry-over cooking, and can trip up your timing when cooking a lean cut like the tenderloin. This week, try a little tenderloin!
Watch my How To Video for Pork Tenderloin with a Garlic Citrus Soy Glaze Here!
