Sous Vide Char Siu Pork Tenderloin with Sticky Honey Glaze

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A weeknight-easy take on Cantonese barbecue pork: the tenderloin spends two hours in a 140°F water bath so it comes out edge-to-edge rosy and impossible to dry out, then gets a fast, hard sear with reduced hoisin-honey marinade brushed on for that lacquered, slightly charred char siu finish. Ten ingredients, mostly from the pantry door.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb pork tenderloin (1 large or 2 small), silverskin trimmed
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 3/4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Whisk the hoisin, soy sauce, honey, Shaoxing wine, five-spice, garlic and salt in a bowl. Pat the tenderloin dry, then rub it all over with about half the mixture; reserve the rest in the fridge for the glaze. Slide the pork into a zip-top freezer bag with the marinade clinging to it.
2. Set your immersion circulator to 140°F (60°C) in a large pot or container of water. Lower the bag in, letting the water press the air out through the top corner before sealing it fully (water displacement method), and clip the bag to the side so the pork stays submerged. Cook 2 hours (up to 3 hours is fine).
3. While the pork cooks, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons water and simmer over medium-low for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until it thickens to a brushable glaze. Set aside.
4. Lift the bag out and remove the pork, discarding the bag liquid. Pat the surface completely dry with paper towels — dry meat is the whole secret to a fast sear that doesn't overcook the inside.
5. Heat the oil in a cast-iron or heavy stainless skillet over high heat until just smoking. Sear the tenderloin 45 to 60 seconds per side, turning to hit all four faces, about 3 minutes total. Kill the heat, brush generously with the glaze, and roll the pork in the pan for 20 to 30 seconds so the glaze tightens and lightly chars.
6. Rest 5 minutes on a board, then slice into 1/2-inch coins. Brush with any remaining glaze and scatter with scallions.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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