Sweet, smoky, and packed with bold Chinese barbecue flavor, this Char Siu-Style Pork Tenderloin is an easy way to bring restaurant-quality flavor right to your kitchen. Inspired by the classic Cantonese char siu, this recipe features tender pork soaked in a rich marinade made with honey, hoisin, warm five-spice, garlic, and a touch of molasses for that signature caramelized glaze. Cooked quickly on a griddle until deeply browned and juicy, the pork is sliced and served over fluffy white rice with fresh cucumber, chives, and sesame seeds for a simple but satisfying meal. Perfect for weeknights or special dinners, this dish delivers big flavor.
Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus marinating time)
Cook Time: 20 – 30 minutes
Servings: 2 – 3
Ingredients
- 1 whole pork tenderloin
- Char siu marinade (see recipe below)
- Avocado oil, for cooking
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Chopped chives, for garnish
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Sliced cucumber, for serving
Instructions
Marinate the Pork
- Place the pork tenderloin in a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade, reserving ¼ cup for finishing. Massage the pork through the bag to coat it evenly and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the Wildfire Griddle
- Set to low heat and preheat for 15 minutes.
Prepare the Pork
- Remove the tenderloin from the marinade and pat it dry and drizzle lightly with avocado oil.
Cook the Pork
- Place the tenderloin on the griddle and cook for 10 to 15 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and cooked through.
Slice and Serve
- Remove the pork from the griddle and let it rest briefly.
- Slice the tenderloin.
- Serve over warm rice, topped with chopped chives and sesame seeds.
- Add sliced cucumber on the side.
- Drizzle some of the reserved marinade over the sliced pork.
Finish
- Garnish with additional sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Char Siu Marinade
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Yield: Enough for 1 or 2 pork tenderloins, plus reserved finishing sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons ground white pepper
- 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
Instructions
Combine the Marinade
- In a bowl, whisk together honey, hoisin, molasses, rice vinegar, sesame oil, white pepper, five-spice, paprika, salt, and garlic until fully combined.
Use or Store
- Use immediately to marinate the pork.
- Reserve ¼ cup for finishing.
