Ibérico Cha Siu

Cha Siu, also commonly written char siu, is a Cantonese-style barbecue pork dish with a glossy glaze, caramelized edges, and the perfect balance of sweet, savory, charred, and juicy. While classic versions often use Pork Collar or Pork Belly, it’s also a great dish for experimenting with Ibérico cuts like Pluma, Abanico, or in this case, Presa! Each brings something a little different, but all have the marbling and tenderness that make Cha Siu especially flavorful.

Ingredients

• 1 Campo Grande Ibérico Presa
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/2 teaspoon ground star anise
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
• 1 tablespoon mashed nam yu (optional)

Preparation

1. Prep the pork: Trim any excess silver skin from the pork, but leave some fat on the outside — this is key for caramelization and a sticky crust on the grill.
   
2. Make the marinade: Start with the five-spice backbone, a classic base in many Chinese dishes which is cinnamon, fennel seed, clove, star anise, and Sichuan pepper. Then build out the sauce with hoisin, oyster sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. If you can find it, add nam yu (red fermented bean curd), which gives cha siu its signature depth of flavor and red color without relying on dye. Whisk everything together until smooth. Pour over the pork and coat well before marinating.
3. Marinate: The marinade is what gives Cha Siu its signature sweet-savory depth, but timing matters just as much as what goes into it. You want enough time for the pork to absorb flavor, but not so long that it starts to over-cure and lose the tenderness that makes Ibérico so special. Vacuum-seal the pork for about 3 hours to speed things up, or marinate it in the fridge for 8 to 10 hours.
4. Grill: Grill for a few minutes per side, depending on thickness, until the outside is charred and caramelized and the inside stays juicy. This is where the magic happens: the sugars in the marinade caramelize as the fat renders, creating that classic glossy, lightly sticky crust
5. Optional lacquer finish: After grilling, dip the pork back into the marinade and pop it in the oven for a few minutes. It’s a small extra step, but it gives the pork a deeper lacquer, more shine, and that just-right restaurant finish.
6. Rest and slice: Let the pork rest for 5 minutes, then slice against the grain for the most tender bite.