Air Fryer Char Siu (Thit Xa Xiu) - Chinese BBQ Pork

Air frying Char Siu is the tastiest and easiest method. Bring the taste of Chinese BBQ Pork to your dinner table. You won't believe how easy it is.

I've had Cantonese Char Siu, also known as Thit Xa Xiu in Vietnamese, hundreds of times in my life.  Growing up near Monterey Park, California, we were lucky to live close to so many restaurants that specialized in Chinese BBQ such as Char Siu, Roast Duck and Roast Pig. 

I have many fond memories of the excitement we had as we cracked open the bag of Chinese BBQ for dinner.

After visiting Hong Kong, I realized the Char Siu there is seriously next level.  And it isn’t just delicious from a particular restaurant.  Stall after stall serving up Chinese BBQ incomparable to anything you can find here in the U.S.

Since I don’t have the luxury of visiting Hong Kong very often, I set out to get my Cantonese Char Siu fix at home.  Surprisingly, it's pretty easy and the ingredients are not hard to find.

We don’t own a true Char Siu oven but we found the broiler function on any oven works just fine. What works even better is our not so secret appliance, an air fryer!

We currently use the Instant Pot Air Fryer and it's one of the best investments we've ever made. It does a great job of charring caramelized bits on the edges while keeping the meat juicy and tender.

How to Make Air Fryer Char Siu (Xa Xiu)

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl. Cut a 2 pound boneless pork butt (also known as pork shoulder or Boston butt) into strips 3 inches wide.

This is the best cut of pork to use for Air Fryer Char Siu. It's got the perfect amount of fat to meat ratio. Anything leaner and the Char Siu will be too dry.

Coat each piece of pork in the marinade and allow it to marinate at least overnight, but 2-3 days is better so that the flavor fully penetrates the meat. Patience is key. Trust me, it's worth the wait!

Place strips of the fully marinated pork on an air fryer rack spaced apart. Air fry at 400°F for about 6 minutes. In the meantime, make a glaze with equal parts of honey and water, about 1 tablespoon each.

Once the pork develops some charred bits, flip the meat over and caramelize the other side. This will take another 6 minutes.

At this point it should look similar to the photo below, slightly cooked with some charred edges.

After the initial 12 minutes on high heat, baste the pork with the honey glaze on all sides. Turn the temperature down to 300°F and air fry for another 20-30 minutes. Flip the pork halfway through cooking and apply another coat of glaze.

The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your pork. The photo below shows what it looks like after flipping the Char Siu over and applying a second coat of glaze.

Check the internal temperature of the thickest part of your Char Siu with an instant-read thermometer. It's ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

Remove the meat from the air fryer and cover it with foil. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute. And there you have it!

Ways to use Char Siu (Xa Xiu)

Two pounds of Char Siu is a good portion for my family. It makes enough for a meal, while leaving a bit extra for some of my favorite leftover meals, such as Char Siu Fried Rice and Char Siu Chow Mein.

All you need to do is cut it up into small pieces and add it to your favorite fried rice or chow mein recipe.

There are so many ways to use Thit Xa Xiu, you can easily double up the recipe, which I often do. How about Char Siu in a sandwich? Banh Mi Xa Xiu for lunch anyone? Yes, please!

Or chop it up finely and mix in some flavorings to make Char Siu Bao (Xa Xiu Bao). Add a few slices to egg noodle soup. The possibilities are endless!

If you love Hong Kong style BBQ, definitely try out our Air Fryer Char Siu recipe. You might also like our Air Fryer Pork Belly Recipe. You'll never go back to buying Char Siu again - unless you’re in Hong Kong.