Chinese Barbecue Sauce

Nutriscore Rating: 45/100

Elevate your cooking game with this rich and flavorful Chinese Barbecue Sauce, a perfect blend of sweet, savory, and aromatic ingredients. Made with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and oyster sauce as its base, this versatile sauce is enhanced with honey, brown sugar, and a hint of Chinese five-spice powder for an authentic blend of bold flavors. Fresh garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil add depth, while a touch of rice wine provides a subtle tangy complexity. For a traditional char siu-inspired hue, optional red food coloring can be added. This quick and easy recipe comes together in just 10 minutes and is perfect as a marinade, glaze, or dipping sauce for barbecued meats, stir-fries, or roasted vegetables. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to a week and bring bold, Cantonese-style flair to your meals.

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 5 min
• Cook Time: 5 min
• Total Time: 10 min
• Servings: 8 servings
• Difficulty: Medium

🥘 Ingredients

12 items

• 6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine (Shaoxing wine or dry sherry)
• 1 drop red food coloring (optional, for traditional red char siu appearance)
• 2 tablespoons water

📝 Instructions

7 steps

1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves.

2. Add Chinese five-spice powder, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, and rice wine to the bowl. Mix well to combine all flavors.

3. If using red food coloring for a more traditional look, add one drop and stir to evenly distribute.

4. Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. Add water to thin the sauce slightly and whisk to combine.

5. Cook the sauce over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy.

6. Remove the saucepan from heat and let the sauce cool completely. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.

7. Use immediately as a marinade or glaze, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving (37.5g)

Calories		74
% Daily Value*
Total Fat		2.2 g	3%
	Saturated Fat	0.3 g	2%
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.9 g
Cholesterol		0 mg	0%
Sodium		521 mg	23%
Total Carbohydrate		12.4 g	5%
	Dietary Fiber	0.5 g	2%
	Total Sugars	9.2 g
Protein		1.1 g	2%
Vitamin D		0.0 mcg	0%
Calcium		12 mg	1%
Iron		0.3 mg	2%
Potassium		51 mg	1%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 158 cal (26.8%%)

Protein: 34 cal (5.8%%)

Carbs: 397 cal (67.3%%)