One thing the world needs more of is gluten free Char Siu pork (it’s sometimes called Chinese BBQ pork too). Mark’s recipe is also low FODMAP and dairy free!
But it’s not just the world that needs more of it. More specifically, my gluten free Singapore noodles recipe needs it too! Mark really delivered on this one, so I convinced him to share his top secret gluten free Char Siu pork recipe with you guys…
Char Siu pork is Mark’s ultimate fave Chinese food. He used to go to Malaysia every couple of years since he was born to visit his Mum’s family and I’m told he basically survived on Char Siu pork.
(as a fussy kid he didn’t like seafood from then up until he was about 20!)
To this day, he will still devour several Char Siu buns without restraint and who can blame him? Now that I’ve tried some for the first time in 10 years… I already want some more!
Side note: who wants us to make gluten free Char Siu buns?! Ok better not get sidetracked here, where were we?
Ok, it looks good, but what is it exactly? Well as I mentioned, it’s sometimes known as Chinese BBQ pork too, which pretty much is what it says on the tin.
Char Siu pork is sweet, it’s sticky and it has this deep, rich marinade that makes it absolutely irresistible. It’s so incredibly flavoursome that you could honestly just serve it up with boiled rice and some pak choi.
But I haven’t even mentioned the actual pork yet! Oh, it’s just so gosh darn tender, soft and one pork fillet goes such a long way.
It’s actually a really healthy cut as there’s next to no fat on there. I just can’t say enough good things about it, really! You’ll commonly find it in Char Siu buns or in Singapore noodles, but you really can eat it with anything.
When I was trying to create an authentic gluten free Singapore noodles recipe, Char Siu had to be in there. I mean, what is a Singapore noodles recipe without it?!
It’s that eclectic mix of prawns, Char Siu, peppers and egg that makes it sososo good for me! Lose any of those and it might as well be a different dish.
But I’m really proud of how that dish turned out and thanks to this recipe by Mark, it honestly tastes exactly like what you’d get from your local takeaway.
(apart from the fact that you can probably eat this one!)
Mark assures me that this is such an easy recipe to make, because all you have to do is make a marinade, leave your pork to marinate and then cook it. It really isn’t that much bother!
Plus, he’s used ingredients that are all super-easy to find in the supermarket. Of course, Char Siu usually has a distinctive red hue to it and in place of red bean paste, we just added a few teaspoons of red food colouring.
It’s not totally necessary to add the colouring if you’re making this just for yourself, but if you’re making this to impress or for friends and family, the colour definitely makes all the difference. For some reason, it just feels like it tastes better – trust me on this one!
Looking for more of Mark’s gluten free Chinese takeaway recipes? Check out this blog post here:10 gluten free Chinese takeaway recipes you won’t believe you can eat.
Anyway, I’ll hand you over to Mark for his gluten free Char Siu pork recipe…
Gluten Free Char Siu Pork Recipe (low FODMAP, dairy free)
Who knew that gluten free Char Siu pork could be made so easily at home and be low FODMAP too? This recipe is so simple, authentic and easy to make at home.
SERVINGS: 3
Ingredients
- 330g pork fillet aka pork tenderloin
For the marinade
- 2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1.5 tbsp black treacle
- 1.5 tbsp light brown sugar
- 4 tsp red food colouring
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp five spice
- 1/2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
- pinch of black pepper
Instructions
Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl and mix until consistent and smooth.
Place your pork fillet into a dish and cover in the marinade. Flip it over a few times to make sure it's well covered.
Place in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours, but ideally overnight. Trust me, the longer you leave it, the better it will be. If you can, take it out of the fridge periodically to spoon more marinade on top of the pork.
Preheat your oven to 200c. Take your marinated pork fillet out of the dish and place into a new oven-proof dish. Spoon more marinade on top and dispose of any leftover marinade.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes at 200c, then turn it down to 170c for the remaining 20-25 minutes.
Remove it from the oven. If you have a digital cooking thermometer, the internal temperature of the pork should be 65c. The best way of checking if it's cooked otherwise is to just cut it in half. If there's no pink in the middle then it's done.
Serve it up in Singapore noodles, chopped up in stir fries or fried rice. Enjoy!
Thanks for reading how to make Mark’s gluten free Char Siu pork recipe!If you make it, I’d love to see how it turns out. So absolutely make sure that you send me a pic using my social media links below…
Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by leaving a comment below or on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram!
Thanks for reading,
Becky xxx
Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!
Gluten-Free Recipe
FAQs
Traditional char siu pork is marinated in a sauce made with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, sugar, wine, five spice powder, and red food coloring or red bean curd—almost all the ingredients are no bueno if you're paleo and gluten-free.
Is Char Siu pork the same as BBQ pork? ›
Char siu (Chinese: 叉燒; Cantonese Yale: chāsīu) is a Cantonese-style of barbecued pork. Originating in Guangdong, it is eaten with rice, used as an ingredient for noodle dishes or in stir fries, and as a filling for chasiu baau or pineapple buns.
Is Lee Kum Kee Char Siu sauce gluten-free? ›
Contains Soy, Wheat, Gluten.
What can you substitute for Char Siu sauce? ›
Hoisin sauce
The original sauce uses fermented soybean paste which is quite tricky to find. I cannot always find it, so instead, I use hoisin sauce which is more widely available. Hoisin sauce adds a kick of umami and a subtle tanginess. You can use store-bought or follow my recipe to make your own hoisin sauce.
Is pork low in fodmap? ›
Pork. Meats and poultry are proteins and free from carbohydrates. Because FODMAPs consist only of carbohydrates, this means that meats and poultry have no FODMAPs. However, it is important to check the label for the addition of onions, garlic or other high FODMAP ingredients.
What Chinese food can celiacs eat? ›
- Chinese Dining: Gluten-Free.
- Steamed Chicken/Shrimp or Seafood: Chicken, shrimp, or seafood usually steamed with.
- Egg Drop Soup: Beaten eggs in boiled chicken broth with condiments (pepper, scallions)
- Fried Rice: White rice, egg, scallions, carrots, and usually meat, pork, or tofu.
All plain meats such as beef, lamb, pork, and poultry are naturally gluten free. Always read labels, especially on any type of processed meat product such as sausages, hotdogs, meatballs or meats that comes pre-seasoned with spice rubs or marinades.
What is char siu sauce made of? ›
How do you make char siu sauce? Our recipe for char siu marinade calls for garlic salt, brown sugar, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red wine, Shaoxing wine, red fermented bean curd, and five spice powder. Check the instructions above for specific amounts.
What is the difference between hoisin sauce and char siu sauce? ›
No they are not the same. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybeans mixed with garlic, chilli, sesame, Chinese spices and vinegar. Char siu sauce is a condiment made from hoisin sauce, sugar, Chinese five spice powder, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, garlic and often also food colouring.
What is the difference between Chinese char siu and Japanese char siu? ›
What is Chashu? Japanese have adapted the famous Chinese barbecued pork called Char Siu (叉燒) as chāshū (チャーシュー). Unlike the Chinese version which requires roasting over high heat, we prepare the meat by rolling it into a log and then braising it over low heat in a sauce seasoned with soy sauce, sake, and sugar.
Hoisin Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Fish Sauce and other Asian Sauces/Cooking Wines. This can be a bit trickier because it really depends on the brands for these sauces but the good news is you can now find both hoisin and oyster sauce in gluten-free form.
Can celiacs eat BBQ sauce? ›
Often with BBQ sauces and dry spice rubs, the answer is no, they are not gluten-free. Many sauces contain Worcestershire sauce, and this contains gluten. Certain flavors and sweeteners also contain the protein. Similarly, spices and rubs may have gluten flours and powders in their ingredients.
Why is hoisin sauce not gluten-free? ›
Traditional hoisin sauce recipes are gluten-free, but today most commercially available hoisin sauces are made with wheat, either to thicken the sauce or in added soy sauce. If you have celiac disease, only eat hoisin sauce labeled gluten-free.
What makes char siu pork pink? ›
4. Red food colouring – to make the pork red, like you get at the Chinese barbecue shop. This is optional. Authentic Char Siu uses red bean curd for colouring and a touch of flavour – it can be found at Asian stores, use about 2 tbsp of the liquid and no red food colouring.
What can be a substitute for BBQ sauce? ›
Hoisin Sauce
An excellent alternative to the barbecue sauce is this Asian sauce made from vinegar, honey, sesame paste, flour, chilies and soy sauce. Known for its texture and the thick glazed appearance like the BBQ sauce, the Chinese-inspired Hoisin sauce is excellent for the ones who love spicy baby ribs.
What is the difference between char siu and siu yuk? ›
Char siu is barbecued roast pork, whereas siu yuk is roasted crispy pork belly. Not only do they use different parts of the pig — my dad likes to use pork butt for char siu and pork belly for siu yuk — but they're also prepared differently and have varying flavor profiles and textures.
Can I eat pork if I have IBS? ›
Avoid sausage, bacon, pepperoni, salami, and marbled cuts of meat. Examples of lean meats you should add to your diet if you have IBS include white-meat chicken, white-meat turkey, and cuts of beef like sirloin and top round. Your doctor or nutritionist may also recommend eating pork, veal, duck, and fish.
Is Chinese food high FODMAP? ›
While a popular choice, Chinese cuisine can be high in fodmaps due to onion, garlic and polyols.
Are eggs bad for FODMAP? ›
Are Eggs Low Fodmap? Yes, eggs are considered a low FODMAP food and are generally well-tolerated by individuals on a low FODMAP diet. Eggs are a good source of protein and can be prepared in many ways, such as boiled, poached, fried, or baked.
Does Siu Mai have gluten? ›
Gluten Free: The only way to make these Sui Mai gluten free is to home make gluten free wrappers. The filling doesn't contain any gluten containing ingredients.
Dumplings (especially Chinese ones) are usually wrapped in a wheat dough. If you are gluten-free, be cautious; the dough used for making crystal shrimp dumplings (har gow) contains wheat starch in addition to tapioca flour. The batter used to make rice noodle rolls (cheong fun) sometimes contain wheat starch too.
Are Chinese pork ribs gluten-free? ›
Eating gluten-free you can often order ribs at restaurants, but any sticky Asian ribs wouldn't be an option because they would be made with regular soy sauce (which has wheat in it). So whenever you get a craving for some tender gluten free sticky Asian baby back ribs you can make them yourself!
Is Chinese pork sausage gluten-free? ›
Chinese sausages usually contain soy sauce, as well as baijiu or Shaoxing wine, so Chinese sausages are not usually gluten free, because both soy sauce and Shaoxing wine contain gluten. If the package lists 'rice wine', this could mean Shaoxing wine, which does include some wheat.
