Guangdong Province — Cantonese roasting tradition
The definitive Cantonese preparation: pork shoulder or pork collar (jowl) marinated in a mixture of hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, honey, five-spice, and red fermented tofu (nan ru) for the characteristic reddish colour, then roasted and glazed repeatedly until lacquered. The pork collar (jiu tou rou) is the restaurant-quality choice over shoulder.
Sweetly lacquered exterior giving way to juicy, slightly caramelised pork — the five-spice-honey-soy glaze is the signature; the fat in pork collar makes it tender despite high-heat roasting
{"Pork collar (pork neck/jowl butt — jiu tou rou) is preferred: fat marbled through the muscle gives the characteristic moist, slightly chewy texture","Marinate minimum 12 hours, up to 24 hours — deep colour requires time penetration","Roast on a rack at 220°C, basting with honey glaze every 10 minutes for caramelised exterior","Rest 10 minutes before slicing — juices redistribute, prevent immediate drying"}
{"Red fermented tofu (南乳 nan ru) is essential for authentic flavour and colour — available in glass jars in Chinese supermarkets","Honey for final glaze should be applied in last 5 minutes at high heat — creates the characteristic glossy, caramelised finish","Char siu fat: the rendered fat drippings in the roasting pan are gold — deglaze and use as sauce"}
{"Using lean pork loin — dries out and lacks the characteristic glossy fat","Red food colouring substitute for red fermented tofu (nan ru) — flavour profile is completely different","Not basting frequently enough during roasting — glaze needs multiple layers"}
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper — Fuchsia Dunlop; Every Grain of Rice — Fuchsia Dunlop