Char Siu Hawaiian Style

[Jerod Broussard]

That is neat. I am partial to the Chinese food flavor.

They had some Shrimp Lo Mein at wal-mart that they no longer sell that the wife and I loved.

If you ever in Lake Charles, LA go to Wok D-Light.....best fried rice in the world, shrimp or pork, chinese fried shrimp each have 2 pounds batter....mack daddy.....

Have to try this one day.....did some country style ribs one day on the PBC....wowzer!!!

[Marauderer]

They were a little smokey. The next batch I will do exactly the same way but I will be installing some mods on my RecTec and will see what that does. If that doesn't help the following batch I will use the 18" pellet smoker tube with 100% hickory in it and evaluate that.

[_John_]

I don't blame you, it is very different living there than being a tourist, I went back to Oahu about 5 years ago and it was cool to see the sights, I probably won't go back without Pro Bowl tickets. We did go to the Big Island in May, totally different island, everything is almost the opposite of Oahu, I really liked it there. There are hotels and stuff in a couple of areas but outside of that it is just people doing what they do. Seeing the stars up near the observatory is like being on another planet, I would go again just for that view.

[Marauderer]

Unfortunately everything changes and not always for something better. My wife asked if I wnted to go back for a visit and I told her no, I wanted to remember it the way it was when we were there.

[_John_]

They don't use the pistol range any more, but the stables are still there. A lot of the area where the range was is now wild boar territory, somebody comes out of there with one every week or two.
I lived down at the barracks and miss it every day, can see from there what the weather is like in Waikiki; if it is raining in the south then North Shore is clear and vice versa. There are some tennis courts there now that are right on the edge of the mountain, one of the best views in all of the islands to me.

I was more of a Loco Moco fan myself, real health food. For anyone reading that doesn't know what that is, it's a burger with an over medium egg and brown gravy.

[Marauderer]

I used to go up there daily at noon to the pistol range. There was a Sgt Major that kept me in ammo and it was great. The view down on Pearl Harbor was stunning. And yes, not to many people knew about it.

[_John_]

Little known place called Camp Smith, in your time there was a gigantic cross you could see from anywhere on the southern side of the island. I was there 96-00 so i'm sure a few things changed!

[Marauderer]

John, would that have been Schofields Barracks? Yes, there were a lot of little shops and a hobby shop on the lower/bottom level. I was out there from 69-77.

[_John_]

Looking good! I was stationed out there myself up on the mountain. I ate at a lot of hole in the walls but never knew Ala Moana had a "bottom".

[Marauderer]

I lived in Hawaii for eight years and had a grand time over there. We lived on the Island of Oahu where Honolulu is. I have always liked Oriental food and while living in Hawaii learned that it is much more specific than just Oriental. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Hawaiian were the main styles you found around the island. I always liked Char Siu and have tried to duplicate it. There was a little Chopstick take out place in the bottom level of Ala Moana Shopping Center called "Patti's Chinese Kitchen" that had great food at very reasonable prices. In the front window they always had hanging Char Siu and BBQ Roasted Duck. I always ordered the Char Siu and this is how I have duplicated it.

First take a pork butt and cut it in one inch thick slices against the grain.




Then cut the slices especially in the fat area and make the slices so nothing is thicker than one inch.



This particular butt weighed in just under three lbs. I put about 1.5 lbs in a gallon baggie



I then added the magic rub that I learned about in Hawaii that is now available from Amazon.

Here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/NOH-Chinese-Ba...inese+Char+Siu



Do not follow the directions on the package. Sprinkle the whole bag of rub into the gallon baggie with the 1.5 lbs of cut pork. Close the bag and shake, knead, or whatever to get all the meat coated with the rub. Add the rest of the meat and another bag of rub and repeat to get everything covered thoroughly. Now work as much air as possible out of the bag and seal the bag and put in the fridge for 24-48 hrs.



Now in the past I have cooked on my Gasser usually on a low direct heat or in the oven at 275*F and when at an IT of 135*F put it under the broiler to get some carmelization on the ends with an end temp of 165*F. The end temp comes quickly as the meat is relatively then so watch it or it will get dry on you.

I am going to do it on my RecTec and finish on my gasser to get the final sear.

If you are a Char Siu Aficionado you are really going to like this. Enjoy!!