Cantonese Oven-Roasted Char Siu Pork (6 Servings)

Cut 900g pork shoulder into long, even strips about 2.5cm thick, and prick both sides several times with a fork.

Mix 1 tbsp garlic salt, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp each oyster sauce and light soy, 1 tbsp hoisin, 2 tbsp red wine, 1 tbsp Shaoxing, and 1 tsp five-spice. Add one cube of red bean curd and 1/4 tsp food coloring if using.

Seal pork with the marinade, massage for two minutes and refrigerate for 6–8 hours or overnight. Do not exceed 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a deep roasting pan with foil, fit a rack and pour 1–2 tbsp water in the bottom.

Remove the pork from the marinade and arrange the strips separately on the rack. Discard all marinade that touched raw pork; wash hands, tongs and containers.

Roast for 15 minutes at 220°C and turn the strips with clean tongs. Check that drippings in the pan do not burn.

Roast for another 15 minutes. Mix 2 tbsp honey and 2 tsp water in a clean bowl to make glaze that has never touched raw pork.

Brush some clean glaze onto the pork and roast 10 minutes more. Raise oven to 230°C, brush remaining clean glaze and roast about five further minutes until glossy; lower heat if sugar begins to burn.

Regardless of timing, check the thickest piece reaches at least 74°C using a thermometer (a conservative fully cooked target). Continue roasting if needed and rest at least three minutes.

Rest about five more minutes, slice across the grain and serve six portions. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within two hours, use in 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C.