Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Ingredients

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• ⅔ cup soy sauce
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• ½ cup honey
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• ½ cup Chinese rice wine (or sake or dry sherry)
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• ⅓ cup hoisin sauce
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• ⅓ cup ketchup
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• ⅓ cup brown sugar
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• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
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• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
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• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
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• ⅛ teaspoon pink curing salt (Optional)
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• 1 (3 pound) boneless pork butt (shoulder)
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• 1 teaspoon red food coloring, or as desired (Optional)
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• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
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Instructions

1. 1
   Place soy sauce, honey, rice wine, hoisin sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, five-spice powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and curing salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium-high. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.
2. 2
   Cut pork in half lengthwise. Cut each half again lengthwise forming 4 long, thick pieces of pork.
3. 3
   Transfer cooled sauce to a large mixing bowl. Stir in red food coloring. Place pork sections into sauce and coat each piece. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 12 hours.
4. 4
   Preheat grill for medium heat, 275 to 300 degrees F (135 to 150 degrees C) and lightly oil the grate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. 5
   Remove sections of pork from marinade and let excess drip off. Place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.
6. 6
   Transfer pork sections to grate over indirect heat on the prepared grill. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes. Brush with marinade; turn. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. Do not use any more marinade on cooked meat until after you boil it.
7. 7
   Place leftover marinade in a saucepan; bring to a boil; let simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Now you can use it to brush over the cooked pork.Chef John