Char Siu

jenovat · 26 Jan 2016 at 23:21

I tried making some char sui the other day, anyone know what they put in to give it that luscious red colour?

Raymond Lin · 26 Jan 2016 at 23:53

http://www.chinasichuanfood.com/char-siu-chinese-bbq-pork/

Or my mum says hoisin sauce with a bit of sugar mixed with some yellow bean paste.

Jimbeam3678 · 27 Jan 2016 at 08:26

Myself and my wife have played around with this and we both agree its easy and nearly as nice just to use a jar of Char Sui sauce from your local chinese supermarket.

With her been Taiwanese I leave it to her!

the_r_sole · 27 Jan 2016 at 12:51

I'm sure i had a recipe for this a while ago that used ketchup in the marinade! can't remember if there was anything else red in it

jenovat · 27 Jan 2016 at 23:15

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I mean it tasted frigging awesome (I cooked it sous vide at 62 deg C and turned out to be the most moist pork I've ever eaten) but it just didn't have the colouring I wanted.

However, I may just go for a jar of Char Sui seasoning next time

D.P. · 28 Jan 2016 at 12:18

jenovat said:
I tried making some char sui the other day, anyone know what they put in to give it that luscious red colour?

Yet he red colour comes from red food dye in a lot of cheap sauces.

jenovat · 29 Jan 2016 at 20:56

D.P. said:
Yet he red colour comes from red food dye in a lot of cheap sauces.

I wish this wasn't the case

Stovepipes · 30 Jan 2016 at 04:27

jenovat said:
I wish this wasn't the case

Why? Get the taste right and just omit it.

jenovat · 30 Jan 2016 at 13:32

Stovepipes said:
Why? Get the taste right and just omit it.

Because it looks a little anaemic without the colouring although I did manage to nail the taste. I'm sure there is a nicer way to develop that colour and present it better.

Stovepipes · 30 Jan 2016 at 15:00

jenovat said:
Because it looks a little anaemic without the colouring although I did manage to nail the taste. I'm sure there is a nicer way to develop that colour and present it better.

Fair enough, I don't worry about that too much, it's like when I first discovered smoked fish wasn't really that deep yellow you get in the Supermarket, I tend to like the natural colours.

That being said you can use Red bean curd or a natural food colouring.

jenovat · 31 Jan 2016 at 12:57

Stovepipes said:
Fair enough, I don't worry about that too much, it's like when I first discovered smoked fish wasn't really that deep yellow you get in the Supermarket, I tend to like the natural colours.

That being said you can use Red bean curd or a natural food colouring.

Red bean curd, I think you're onto a winner the Stovepipes.