A twist on the classic Cantonese style Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) in the form of a burger. These Char Siu burgers are infused with aromatic Chinese five spice and garlic, smothered in a thick and sweet Char Siu sauce, then topped with fresh cilantro, carrots, and lettuce.
Happy National Burger Month! My blogger friends and I are sharing our unique burger creations all month long, led by Kita Roberts from Girl Carnivore.
This year, I'm sharing my Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) Burger recipe. This is my take on the famous Cantonese Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) ...in the form of a burger.
You may be familiar with the bright red Chinese BBQ Pork you can find in the refrigerator section in most supermarkets. The Cantonese version is slightly different - the marinade is a lot darker and sweeter, and features the incredible aroma of Chinese five spice and garlic.
These burger patties are infused with these classic Char Siu flavors, smothered in a thick and sweet Char Siu glaze, then topped with fresh cilantro, shredded carrots and lettuce.
How to Make Char Siew Burgers
Marinate 1 pound of ground pork in 1 tablespoon honey, 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, ½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 cloves garlic (finely minced), and 5 cilantro leaves (finely minced).
Mix well and allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
Divide the ground pork mixture into 4 equal parts and shape them into patties.
You can use a burger press for this task, or just use your fingers. It helps to rub some cooking oil onto your palms before handling the ground pork to prevent it from sticking to your palms and fingers.
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.
When the skillet is ready, gently place the burger patties in the skillet. Allow the burgers to sear for about 2 - 3 minutes before flipping them over and searing the other side for another 2 - 3 minutes.
Note: The cooking time for your burger patties will depend on the thickness of your burgers. To ensure your burgers are cooked all the way through, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be at 160° F.
Remove the burger patties from the skillet and set them aside.
In a small saucepan, prepare the sauce by combining 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder.
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Place the saucepan over medium-high heat.
In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Stir well till this mixture is smooth.
When the sauce starts to boil, pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. Stir until the sauce thickens, then set aside.
Now it's time to assemble the burgers! Build your Char Siu burger in this recommended sequence:
- Bottom burger bun
- Char Siu sauce*
- Shredded carrots
- Cilantro leaves
- Lettuce
- Top burger bun
* This sauce is so delicious that you might want to dunk the whole burger patty into the sauce before placing it on the burger and that's totally okay! A bit messy but so worth it!
Serve your Char Siu burgers with your favorite side dishes.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Cook the patties within 2 days, or store the patties in the freezer for up to 6 months. Use wax paper or parchment paper in between each patty so they don't stick to each other.
Cooked pork patties can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave on high for 1 minute.
Jumped straight here to the recipe? Please consider coming back to read the whole post when you have the time as I have included step-by-step instructions with photos.
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) Burger
Ingredients
Char Siu Burgers
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 5 cilantro leaves finely minced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Char Siu Sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Burger toppings
- 4 hamburger buns
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup cilantro leaves
- Lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Add honey, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, cornstarch, Chinese five spice powder, salt, minced garlic and minced cilantro to ground pork. Mix well and allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Divide the ground pork mixture into 4 equal parts and shape them into patties.
- Heat cooking oil over medium heat in a cast iron skillet. Sear burger patties for 2 - 3 minutes, then flip them over and sear for another 2 -3 minutes (see notes). Remove the burger patties from the skillet and set them aside.
- In a small saucepan, prepare the sauce by combining honey, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar and Chinese five spice powder. Place the saucepan over medium heat.
- Mix cornstarch with water in a small bowl. Stir well till this mixture is smooth. When the sauce starts to boil, pour this cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. Stir until the sauce thickens, then set aside.
- Build your Char Siu burger: Place the burger patty on the bottom hamburger bun, smear the sauce over the patty, then top with shredded carrots, cilantro leaves, lettuce, then the top burger bun.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for the classic Char Siu recipe? Click HERE for the recipe, or HERE for the Air Fryer version!
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