In a small bowl, combine the dark brown sugar, soy sauce, Chinese five spice, garlic powder, & red food coloring (if using). Season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt & ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper. Whisk to combine well. Transfer ¼ of the marinade to a small airtight container or jar & reserve for basting the roasted pork.

Place the pork shoulder in a large airtight container or resealable plastic bag & pour the remaining ¾ of the char siu marinade over top. Toss to combine, coating the pork in the char siu marinade well. Cover/seal & transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours or up to 3 days. The longer you’re able to marinade, the more flavorful the char siu pork.

About 30 minutes before you’re ready to roast, pull the pork out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature for more even cooking. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, ensuring one oven rack is positioned in the center of the oven & a second oven rack is positioned directly under the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up as desired. Lightly spray a wire rack with cooking spray & set it in the baking sheet. Transfer the char siu marinated pork to the prepared wire rack, shaking off & discarding any excess marinade.

Place the pork in the preheated oven & roast 30 minutes, basting the pork every 15 minutes. To baste, whisk 1 tablespoon hot water into the reserved char siu sauce from Step 1, above. Use a pastry brush or silicone basting brush to generously brush the diluted char siu sauce all over the surface of the pork. The char siu is ready once it begins to caramelize around the edges & reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F, about 30 minutes.

Optional: Finish under the broiler: Preheat your oven’s broiler to its highest setting. Place the roasted char siu under the broiler. Broil 3-4 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the surface of the char siu pork is charred & caramelized as desired – be sure to keep a close eye on it as it broils, as things quickly transition from perfectly caramelized to burnt under the broiler.

Allow the roasted char siu to rest for a couple of minutes before slicing & serving. As far as everyday dinners go, my family likes to slice the char siu into ½-inch thick pieces & serve it over rice with a quick & easy veggie, like roasted broccoli or sautéed bok choy or cabbage. Roasted char siu is also amazing tucked into steamed buns, nestled in a bowl of ramen or saimin, or tossed into fried rice or stir fry – try our Hawaiian-Style Pork Chow Fun, one of my all-time favorite comfort food meals!