Chinese Roast Pork (Char Siu)

Sweet, delicious roast pork. Recipe adapted from my chef's version at culinary school. If you follow all the steps, it's the best char siu you'll ever have. I am usually "lazy" and use the marinade on a pork roast, then glaze it at the end.

• Ready In: 24 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 1/2 lbs.

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup  minced peeled ginger
• 2  tablespoons  minced peeled garlic
• 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
• 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  chinese rice wine or 1⁄4 cup dry sherry
• 1  tablespoon ketchup
• 1  tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1  teaspoon five-spice powder
• 2  lbs  pork shoulder, cut with grain into (1 1/2-inch x 1 1/2-inch x 10-inch)
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 2  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon  sesame oil

Directions

1. First day preparation:
2. To make the marinade, combine the first 8 ingredients in a freshly-sanitized plastic container just large enough to hold the pork snug - or - in a Ziploc plastic bag. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade for glaze. Add the pork, turn well to coat, and refrigerate at least 24 hours and not longer than 48 hours.
3. Second day preparation:
4. Preheat oven to 450°F Set a pan filled with 1" water on the bottom rack.
5. Combine the honey, 2 Tbs. soy, sesame oil, and 1/4 cup pork marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Set aside.
6. Place pork strips on broiler pan and put on rack above water pan. Roast 10 minutes.
7. Brush with 1/3 of the glaze, roast 10 minutes more, and then lower the heat to 350°F
8. Brush with half of remaining glaze and roast 10 minutes more.
9. Brush with remaining glaze and turn off oven. Remove from oven after 5 minutes and cool to room temperature on a rack (if using for Bao; otherwise, serve it up!).