Spicy Stir-Fried Green Beans

Quick and easy green beans that will knock your socks off? Yep, you’ve found ‘em, friends! These stir-fried green beans are gingery, garlicky, and spicy, and we couldn’t stop eating them straight from the pan.
They come together with 9 simple ingredien…

Spicy Stir-Fried Green Beans

Quick and easy green beans that will knock your socks off? Yep, you’ve found ‘em, friends! These stir-fried green beans are gingery, garlicky, and spicy, and we couldn’t stop eating them straight from the pan.

They come together with 9 simple ingredients in 20 minutes and are delicious paired with grains and protein for a satisfying, plant-based meal.

Spicy Stir-Fried Green Beans from Minimalist Baker →

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers (Quick Marinating!)

Dry, flavorless chicken and lengthy marinating times? Those are things of the past, friends. These quick-marinating grilled teriyaki chicken skewers are incredibly flavorful and bursting with umami and salty-sweet perfection!
We love these satisfying s…

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers (Quick Marinating!)

Dry, flavorless chicken and lengthy marinating times? Those are things of the past, friends. These quick-marinating grilled teriyaki chicken skewers are incredibly flavorful and bursting with umami and salty-sweet perfection!

We love these satisfying skewers with noodle salads, stir-fries, grilled veggies, or served simply with rice and steamed broccoli! Bonus? They come together quickly with 9 ingredients you probably have around. Let us show you how it’s done! 

How to Make Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

These flavor-filled skewers start with a quick teriyaki-inspired marinade made with tamari (or soy sauce), coconut sugar, garlic powder, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil.

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers (Quick Marinating!) from Minimalist Baker →

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Skewers

Is it even summertime without a skewer?! We think not. These teriyaki tofu skewers are full of savory sweet goodness, and when grilled, they develop a subtly crusty exterior and perfectly smoky taste. It’s safe to say this recipe’s a winner, frie…

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Skewers

Is it even summertime without a skewer?! We think not. These teriyaki tofu skewers are full of savory sweet goodness, and when grilled, they develop a subtly crusty exterior and perfectly smoky taste. It’s safe to say this recipe’s a winner, friends! 

We love these skewers alongside a cold sesame noodle salad or stir-fry for a protein-packed, plant-based summer meal! Just 9 ingredients required for these super flavorful tofu skewers.

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Skewers from Minimalist Baker →

Creamy Sesame Noodle Salad (30 Minutes!)

When the weather is hot, we find ourselves craving cooling, satisfying meals that come together fast. Enter this 30-minute Creamy Sesame Noodle Salad! It’s fresh, saucy, filling, SO flavorful, and delicious served warm or cold.
We love it for picnics i…

Creamy Sesame Noodle Salad (30 Minutes!)

When the weather is hot, we find ourselves craving cooling, satisfying meals that come together fast. Enter this 30-minute Creamy Sesame Noodle Salad! It’s fresh, saucy, filling, SO flavorful, and delicious served warm or cold.

We love it for picnics in the park, as a side dish for BBQs, or as part of a summer meal. Make it a meal by pairing with tempeh or grilled tofu or chicken skewers (recipes coming soon!).

Creamy Sesame Noodle Salad (30 Minutes!) from Minimalist Baker →

Fresh Spring Rolls

FRESH SPRING ROLLSFresh spring rolls might be one of my favorite things to eat ever! I love everything about them – the freshness, the filling versatility, the general healthful nature, and how easy they are to make! Our fresh spring rolls recipe…

FRESH SPRING ROLLS
Fresh spring rolls might be one of my favorite things to eat ever! I love everything about them – the freshness, the filling versatility, the general healthful nature, and how easy they are to make! Our fresh spring rolls recipe today is vegan, gluten-free (can also use…

Lemon Ginger Jasmine Iced Tea

On hot days, nothing hits the spot quite like iced tea. So today we’re bringing you an easy, refreshing iced tea recipe to quench your thirst all summer long! Featuring jasmine green tea, fresh ginger, lemon, and a touch of maple syrup, it’s subtly swe…

Lemon Ginger Jasmine Iced Tea

On hot days, nothing hits the spot quite like iced tea. So today we’re bringing you an easy, refreshing iced tea recipe to quench your thirst all summer long! Featuring jasmine green tea, fresh ginger, lemon, and a touch of maple syrup, it’s subtly sweet, a little spicy, and gently energizing

Enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up or make a larger batch for picnics or BBQs. Just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes required.

Lemon Ginger Jasmine Iced Tea from Minimalist Baker →

How to Cook Millet (Perfect Every Time!)

While the Instant Pot is our go-to for preparing millet, it’s certainly not the only way to get perfect millet every time! Today we’re sharing how to cook FLUFFY millet on the stovetop with just 1 pot and 30 minutes required.
Enjoy this protein-packed…

How to Cook Millet (Perfect Every Time!)

While the Instant Pot is our go-to for preparing millet, it’s certainly not the only way to get perfect millet every time! Today we’re sharing how to cook FLUFFY millet on the stovetop with just 1 pot and 30 minutes required.

Enjoy this protein-packed, gluten-free whole grain in stir-fries, bowls, salads, cakes, and beyond!

What is Millet?

Millet is a gluten-free grain that comes from a plant in the grass family.

How to Cook Millet (Perfect Every Time!) from Minimalist Baker →

Spicy Garlic Edamame (The Ultimate Appetizer!)

Restaurant quality edamame at home? Yes, please! Say goodbye to bland and flavorless beans because this Spicy Garlic Edamame is salty-sweet perfection. The sticky sauce clings beautifully to each pod for savory flavor in every bite! 
This edamame …

Spicy Garlic Edamame (The Ultimate Appetizer!)

Restaurant quality edamame at home? Yes, please! Say goodbye to bland and flavorless beans because this Spicy Garlic Edamame is salty-sweet perfection. The sticky sauce clings beautifully to each pod for savory flavor in every bite! 

This edamame is the perfect protein-packed appetizer or side for stir-fries, noodles, and beyond! Just 8 ingredients and 30 minutes required. Let us show you how it’s done!

Spicy Garlic Edamame (The Ultimate Appetizer!) from Minimalist Baker →

Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

One of my favorite things to eat is Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork). I remember when I was a kid, heading down to chinatown with my parents a few times a year. We went to specifically pick up a huge tray of char siu pork and peking duck from our favorite spot, to enjoy with relatives. It was always a special occasion sort of thing for my family and my love for Chinese BBQ pork…

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The post Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Char siu pork on a cutting board.

One of my favorite things to eat is Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork). I remember when I was a kid, heading down to chinatown with my parents a few times a year. We went to specifically pick up a huge tray of char siu pork and peking duck from our favorite spot, to enjoy with relatives. It was always a special occasion sort of thing for my family and my love for Chinese BBQ pork started then and never left.

Not only is char siu incredibly delicious, but it’s surprisingly easy to make at home! I love making a double batch and enjoying half over a few days incorporated into few different dishes like fried rice and noodles, then mincing up the rest to stuff into bao buns then freeze. It’s the best snack or quick lunch on the go ever!

What Does Char Siu Mean?

The Chinese words Char siu literally translate to “fork roasted”. This refers to the traditional method of roasting (or barbecuing) skewered strips of meat. Pork is the most common protein used, so when ‘char siu’ is mentioned it’s usually assumed to be pork, unless otherwise noted.

Our homemade version doesn’t involve skewering the strips of pork. We also don’t use an open flame In our recipe. Even still, we think the results are as close as you can get to restaurant style Chinese bbq pork with easy to find ingredients and basic cooking equipment!

Char siu sliced on a cutting board.

How to Make Our Easy Char Siu Pork Recipe

Ingredients

Char siu ingredients on a kitchen counter.

Process

  1. Pour honey, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, brown sugar, oyster sauce, Chinese five spice, sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper into a saucepan and stir together.
  2. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Char Siu glaze in a pot for the recipe.
Char Siu glaze in a pot simmered together.
  1. Set aside 6 tablespoons marinade.
  2. Season pork shoulder strips with salt and remaining white pepper.
Char siu marinade reserved in a bowl.
Char siu with white pepper on top.
  1. Place seasoned pork strips in are-sealable plastic bag, pour remaining cooled marinade over pork, and shake bag around to ensure pork pieces are fully covered.
  2. Remove as much air from bag as possible, seal and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Char siu in a plastic bag with marinade.
Char siu marinated in a plastic bag.
  1. Preheat oven to 425˚F. Remove pork strips from marinade and place onto a baking sheet covered in foil, with a wire cooling rack on top (sprayed with cooking spray), spacing pieces about 1 inch apart. Baste pork with reserved marinade/char siu sauce.
  2. Roast pork for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 375˚F and continue to roast for an additional 25 to 30 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches between 145˚F and 160˚F.). Generously baste with marinade every 15 minutes.
Char siu pork on a baking sheet.
Char siu with marindae baking.
  1. Once pork has reached its internal temperature remove from oven and glaze once more. Transfer pork to broiler and broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until pork caramelizes. Remove pork from heat.
Char siu with marinade on top baking right out of the oven.
  1. Transfer to cutting board and rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Slice char siu pork and serve.
Char Siu on a cutting board.

Air Fryer Instructions

  1. Marinate pork as recipe states.
  2. Lightly grease the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place marinated pork strips into an air fryer, 1/2 inch apart.
  3. Preheat the air fryer to 400˚F and air fry for 16 minutes, stopping every 4 minutes to flip and baste with remaining marinade.
  4. Transfer pork strips to a cutting board and slice. 

Tips and Tricks for Success

  • Don’t skimp on the marinating time! The pork needs sufficient time to marinate, to really impart all the delicious flavor associated with char siu pork. We think a minimum of 12 hours is very important to really get the flavor and texture you’re looking for, but 24 hours is better if you have the time!
  • Use a wire rack (inserted into a rimmed baking sheet) while roasting! This ensures even roasting.
  • Spray your wire rack with cooking spray or generously brush with oil. This will help to prevent the pork strips from sticking to rack (from the sugar).
  • Line the rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, before inserting the wire rack. This will make the cleanup much easier from the marinade/basting liquid that drips from the pork onto the baking sheet.

How to Get the Subtle Red Color

Traditionally the red color of char siu pork comes from fermented red bean curd. Not only does it impart the red color, but it also adds a really nice salty, umami flavor to the pork! We left it out of our recipe because it’s not the easiest ingredient to find, but if you have it on hand or are interested in using it in this recipe here’s how:

  1. First, reduce the amout of soy sauce used to 1 tablespoon.
  2. Mash 1 ounce of bean curd and 2 tablespoons of the sauce together into a rough paste.
  3. Stir paste together with the other sauce ingredients and make the recipe as written.

The more modern way to color the pork is to add a few drops of red food coloring into the marinade. We don’t love this method, since you’re just altering the color, but if you really want the red color without incorporating fermented red bean curd, then this will do it!

What to Serve with Chinese BBQ Pork

One of my favorite things about char siu is how well it tastes in a variety of dishes. Some of our favorite serving suggestions are:

  • Garlic Noodles or Chow Mein – either sliced and served on top or chopped and tossed together.
  • In fried rice – diced and tossed into the rice over high heat for an amazing flavor!
  • In a banh mi sandwich! – thinly sliced and stuffed into a French baguette with pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro leaves, sliced cucumbers, and sliced jalapeño.
  • Simply sliced and served over steamed rice with some stir-fried vegetables on the side.
  • Stuffed into bao buns with cilantro leaves and sliced cucumbers. Love and Lemons has a great recipe for steamed bao buns on her site!
Char siu on a cutting board.

More Delicious Pork Recipes You Will Love

Char Siu recipe sliced on a cutting board.
Print

Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

A delicious, savory, homemade Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) recipe that couldn't be easier! We love serving this thinly sliced over rice, noodles, in a sandwich, steamed in bao buns, the options are endless!
Course dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
marinating time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 228kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (pork butt), trimmed and cut along the grain into long strips
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Pour honey, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, brown sugar, oyster sauce, Chinese five spice, sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper into a saucepan and stir together.
  • Simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  • Set aside 6 tablespoons marinade into a small bowl.
  • Season pork shoulder strips with salt and remaining white pepper.
  • Place seasoned pork strips in are-sealable plastic bag, pour remaining cooled marinade over pork, and shake bag around to ensure pork pieces are fully covered.
  • Remove as much air from bag as possible, seal and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425˚F. Remove pork strips from refrigerator and marinade and place onto a baking sheet covered in foil, with a wire cooling rack on top (sprayed with cooking spray), spacing pieces about 1 inch apart.
  • Baste pork with reserved marinade.
  • Roast pork for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 375˚F and continue to roast for an additional 25 to 30minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches between 145˚F and 160˚F.), generously basting with marinade every 15 minutes.
  • 1.     Once pork has reached its internal temperature, glaze once more and broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes or until pork caramelizes. Remove pork from heat, transfer to cutting board and rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Slice and serve.

Notes

Tips and Tricks for Success
  • Don’t skimp on the marinating time! The pork needs sufficient time to marinate, to really impart all the delicious flavor associated with char siu pork. We think a minimum of 12 hours is very important to really get the flavor and texture you’re looking for, but 24 hours is better if you have the time!
  • Use a wire rack (inserted into a rimmed baking sheet) while roasting! This ensures even roasting.
  • Spray your wire rack with cooking spray or generously brush with oil. This will help to prevent the pork strips from sticking to rack (from the sugar).
  • Line the rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, before inserting the wire rack. This will make the cleanup much easier from the marinade/basting liquid that drips from the pork onto the baking sheet.
How to Get the Subtle Red Color
Traditionally the red color of char siu pork comes from fermented red bean curd. Not only does it impart the red color, but it also adds a really nice salty, umami flavor to the pork! We left it out of our recipe because it’s not the easiest ingredient to find, but if you have it on hand or are interested in using it in this recipe here’s how:
  1. First, reduce the amout of soy sauce used to 1 tablespoon.
  2. Mash 1 ounce of bean curd and 2 tablespoons of the sauce together into a rough paste.
  3. Stir paste together with the other sauce ingredients and make the recipe as written.
The more modern way to color the pork is to add a few drops of red food coloring into the marinade. We don’t love this method, since you’re just altering the color, but if you really want the red color without incorporating fermented red bean curd, then this will do it!

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 1137mg | Potassium: 483mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Easy Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) appeared first on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Crispy Baked Tofu with Italian Herbs

Crispy tofu that tastes like pizza? Count us in! After a few tests, we nailed this crumbled baked tofu featuring Italian herbs and garlic. It’s so crispy and flavor-packed that we couldn’t stop eating it right off the pan! Even tofu haters admitted it’…

Crispy Baked Tofu with Italian Herbs

Crispy tofu that tastes like pizza? Count us in! After a few tests, we nailed this crumbled baked tofu featuring Italian herbs and garlic. It’s so crispy and flavor-packed that we couldn’t stop eating it right off the pan! Even tofu haters admitted it’s good.

It’s an endlessly versatile, plant-based protein boost perfect for polenta, pasta, pizza, wraps (recipe coming soon), and beyond!

Crispy Baked Tofu with Italian Herbs from Minimalist Baker →