I think it's the five-spice powder that gives the roasted pork that signature Chinatown aroma and flavor. Red food color is optional.
Ingredients:
- 3-4 lb lean pork butt (meat should still have fat marbled throughout)
- 3 tbsp maltose syrup or corn syrup
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (dark soy)
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp Shao Hsing rice wine
- 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 6 drops red food coloring (optional)
- Cut the pork into 8-10 long strips. In a saucepan, combine all the marinade ingredients. Heat on low until the syrup and honey melt and the sauce is well mixed. Pour mixture over pork, making sure it is well coated. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight, turning the pork occasionally.
- When ready to roast, let the pork come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Put a rack in a roasting pan and add water to a depth of 1/4 inch. Remove pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Skewer the pork with wooden skewers to keep the strips from falling through the rack into the roasting pan (optional). Put the pork on the rack, leaving about 1 inch of space between the pieces.
- Roast at 425°F for 10 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 325°F and roast until meat registers 155°F on a meat thermometer. It will take about 20-30 minutes for thinner strips, longer for thicker pieces. Monitor the water level in the roasting pan to make stays at 1/4 inch depth. Halfway through roasting, turn the pork, and brush with the reserved marinade. If the pork is getting too charred on the outside, cover loosely with small pieces of aluminum foil.
- Carefully remove the pork from the pan and set on a cutting board to cool 10 minutes. Slice 1/4 inch thick and serve warm or at room temperature.
