Chinese Barbecue Marinade

Transform your dishes into bold and flavorful masterpieces with this authentic Chinese Barbecue Marinade, perfect for creating irresistible char siu-style meats at home. Bursting with the savory richness of hoisin and soy sauce, balanced by the sweetness of honey and brown sugar, this marinade is elevated with aromatic five-spice powder, fresh ginger, and garlic for a perfectly layered taste. A touch of Chinese rice wine adds depth, while a dash of optional red food coloring delivers the signature crimson hue of traditional Chinese barbecue. Ready in just 10 minutes, this versatile marinade is ideal for pork, chicken, or beef, and works best when the meat is left to soak up the irresistible flavors overnight. Perfect for grilling, roasting, or baking, this marinade will transport your taste buds straight to the heart of Chinese cuisine.

Nutriscore Rating: 44/100

Prep Time:10 mins

Cook Time:0 mins

Total Time:10 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing wine)
• 1.5 tablespoons Honey
• 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
• 0.5 teaspoon Five-spice powder
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger
• 3 drops Red food coloring (optional)

Directions

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, honey, brown sugar, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and five-spice powder.

Step 2

Peel and finely mince the garlic cloves, then add them to the bowl.

Step 3

Peel and grate the fresh ginger using a microplane or fine grater and add it to the mixture.

Step 4

If desired, stir in three drops of red food coloring to achieve the characteristic reddish hue of char siu.

Step 5

Whisk the ingredients together until the marinade is smooth and the sugar has dissolved.

Step 6

Use the marinade immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Step 7

To use, pour the marinade over your choice of meat, ensuring it is evenly coated. Allow the meat to marinate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, for the best flavor penetration before cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(191.2g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	419.5

Total Fat 15.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 2.3g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6.7g
Cholesterol 1.4mg	0%
Sodium 2374.4mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 64.3g	0%
Dietary Fiber 2.4g	0%
Total Sugars 47.9g
Protein 5.7g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 62.6mg	0%
Iron 1.7mg	0%
Potassium 252.0mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 33.8%

Protein: 5.4%

Carbs: 60.8%