The other day, I mentioned how the pork sellers here were facing some kind of problem because the machine that they used for slaughtering broke down and everything had to be done manually. At that point in time, the news was going round via the Chinese newspapers that there might be a shortage of the meat so I went out right away to stock up on whatever I could lay my hands on and store it in my freezer.
I bought two bags of pork leg/trotters, half in each so the two together would be one complete leg and my missus cooked all of it already the other day. I also asked the lady at the shop to pick two slabs of pork belly that had less fat and a lot more lean and upon coming home, I packed them in two separate bags – they are still in the freezer.
We have cooked most of the chunks of lean meat available that morning. I do not know which part those cuts came from but they were very nice – not hard, not siap-siap unlike some lean meat that I had had the displeasure of eating.
When I checked the other morning, I found that there were two left so I marinated them in the char siew sauce…
…that I got from the roast meat stall when I bought the barbecued pork from there last month.
My colleague in one of my former schools used to make really nice char siew paos (steamed buns with barbecued meat filling) and she told me that she would just go to those stalls to buy the char siew sauce/oil to cook the filling.
I did not see them putting it in the plastic bag that day or I would have told them not to bother. Sometimes, I would use it for my fried rice but nobody in the house seemed to be crazy about it so most of the time, I would just throw it away. This time around, I thought I would try and make some char siew on my own with the lean meat that I had left.
My missus did make it once using that Uncle James’ char siew sauce…
…and it turned out to be very nice so she bought a few more packets to keep in the pantry and use when she feels the mood to cook that again. By the way, the herbs and spices for bak kut teh is also good, in case anybody is interested.
After a few hours, I placed the meat in the oven to cook for over an hour…
…just in time for our lunch that day. I had to turn the meat once or twice and brush it with the juices that came out of it.
It turned out great…
– very nice and tender. I sure enjoyed it but I think I would want it a bit more charred and siew-ed (burnt) so the next time around, I shall have to cook it a lot longer than just around one hour.
I guess the next time I buy anything from that roast meat stall, I shall happily accept the complimentary sauce that they give so I shall be able to cook more char siew on my own again.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I don’t think over here the seller will give us char siew sauce. No wastage eh. I never come across those packet char siew sauce on the shelves or maybe I am not observant enough. These days when shopping for grocery, just grab and go. Unlike last time, having sweet time, browsing through everything and anything.. 😊😊. Usually I use Lee Kum Kee BBQ sauce to do my char siew. No bad too. Prefer using 3 layer pork for my char siew to lean meat.
I am not into pork belly for char siew, just for siew yoke/roast meat. My missus has been buying pork belly for everything – she says the meat is nicer…but she patiently peels off all the fat, just eat the meat so much so that now, the mere sight of pork belly puts me off. I would go for lean meat, the cut that is not hard and so “siap siap”.
They do give the sauce here. If you eat there, they will pour the sauce all over the roast meat and serve. I do not like that so I would tell them not to do that. When you buy home, they give to you in little plastic bags.
I like pork belly for char siew. The fat makes the difference. Never try that sauce. Did try make char siew fee times using my flip pan.
Ya, would be great to use the flip pan or the air fryer. I just used our mini oven, easier to keep basking with the sauces.
I’ve gone off pork belly these days – see my reason in my reply to Irene’s comment. I guess that happens when one has too much of a good thing.
I make my own char siew sauce from scratch too.
Using an air fryer will give char the meat.
It does? I think my missus used that when she made her char siew that day. Very nice.
Does look pretty good to be honest.
Yes, it was good!
Interesting isn’t it when technology breaks down. All of a sudden the skills of the past become ever so important.
If one can still remember how to go about them.
Yum, Yum – it all looks so good
A bit salty – will have to work on it when we cook it again.