Barbecuing Pork

Appears in
Chinese Technique
Chinese Technique

By Ken Hom

Published 1981

  • About
One of the great pleasures of barbecued meats is the crusty, tasty surface that results from direct exposure to the heat. The Chinese barbecue meats by hanging them in the oven. The fat drips off the meat into a pan of water at the bottom of the oven. The water serves two purposes: as a catchall for melting fat, and as a humidity-producing vehicle to prevent the meat from drying out.

Few Chinese homes have ovens, so barbecued pork is bought from stores that specialize in barbecuing, much as the French buy their pâtés and bread from charcuteries and boulangeries. Barbecued pork is a delicious appetizer and a common ingredient in soups, stir-fried dishes, and stuffings.