Product Snapshot – Lee Kum Kee Char Sui Sauce

Char Sui Sauce (Chinese barbecue) is well known for its honey-sweet, savoury flavour and is one of many ready-to-use marinades created by Lee Kum Kee food company in Hong Kong. Its a reliable and flavourful way to achieving easy Cantonese-style BBQ at home, without the need for restaurant equipment or authentic ingredients if not available.

Flavour Breakdown:

• Sweetness: Derived from sugar and honey
• Umami: Comes from fermented soybean paste and soy sauce
• Aromatic Spices: Garlic, five-spice hints, star anise undertones (though not always listed on the label)
• Smokey Caramel: Develops when roasted or grilled

These flavours create a complex combination of sweet, salty and savoury – the main reason this sauce is popular and become a favourite in any household or restaurant.

If needed however, the sauce can be adjusted to suit individual taste:

• Too sweet – Add soy sauce, oyster sauce or black vinegar
• Want more heat – Add chilli oil, sriracha, or fresh chilli
• Want more depth – Mix in hoisin, five-spice powder or garlic paste

Cooking Tips:

• Marinate time:
  • Minimum 30 minutes, but for a deeper flavour its best to leave overnight
• Meats that work well:
  • Pork shoulder (traditional)
  • Pork belly (rich and fatty)
  • Pork loin or chops (leaner)
  • Chicken thighs or wings (for variation)
  • Tofu (for vegetarians – coat and bake/fry)
• Methods:
  • Oven roasting is the easiest method, and roughly takes 35 minutes to cook
  • Can be done in the Air Fryer – would just need flipping halfway through and can take around 20 minutes
  • Another method can be on the BBQ/grill, searing the meat over a high heat to lock in the juices
• Serving suggestions:
  • Char Siu can be paired with a variety of products, including steamed jasmine rice, noodles, bao buns or stir-fried Chinese greens

Recipe Idea – Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork):

Ingredients:

• 500-700g of pork shoulder or pork neck (boneless)
• 5-6 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Char Siu Sauce
• 1 tbsp honey (for glazing – optional but recommended)
• 1 tsp soy sauce (optional – balances sweetness)

Preparation:

1. 1. Slice the Pork:
   • Cut pork into thick strips, around 2 inches wide, to ensure even cooking and good marinade absorption.
2. 2. Marinate:
   • In a bowl or zip lock bag add the pork, pour in the Lee Kum Kee Sauce, add soy sauce, massage well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cooking Methods:

• A. Oven-Roasted (Classic)
  • 1. Preheat oven to 200*C / 390*F
  • 2. Line a baking tray with foil and place a rack over it
  • 3. Arrange pork strips on rack (reserve leftover marinade)
  • 4. Roast for 25 minutes
  • 5. Remove and baste with leftover marinade
  • 6. Return to oven for another 10-15 minutes, until slightly charred and caramalized
  • 7. For extra glaze – brush with honey and broil for 2-3 minutes at the end
• B. Air Fryer (Faster and Crispy)
  • 1. Preheat air fryer to 180*C / 350*F
  • 2. Place marinated pork in basket (not overcrowded)
  • 3. Air fry for 15 minutes, flip halfway
  • 4. Brush with honey or more sauce, then cook 5-7 more minutes
  • 5. Optional: Raise temp to 200*C / 400*F for the last 2 minutes to caramelize
• C. Grill/BBQ (Authentic Flavour)
  • 1. Preheat grill to medium-high
  • 2. Grill pork over indirect heat for 20-25 minutes, turning and basting
  • 3. Move over direct heat for final 2-3 minutes to char edges

Serving Ideas:

Once cooked, serve the meat with either jasmine or egg-fried rice, Chinese greens or stir-fired noodles.

Interested? You can buy Lee Kum Kee Char Sui Sauce direct from us – just click here!