Chashu (チャーシュー) is Japanese braised pork — named from the Cantonese char siu (叉燒, "fork-roasted"), though the Japanese version is quite different from the Cantonese original. Where char siu is red, sweet, and roasted, Japanese chashu is braised in a soy-forward liquid until deeply savory and falling-tender. The two share a name and a visual similarity; the flavor and technique diverged centuries ago.
Japanese chashu is most famous as the primary protein topping on tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu ramen. A bowl of ramen without chashu is technically complete; with two or three slices of properly made chashu, it becomes what it was designed to be.
The Cut
Pork belly (bara niku) is the preferred cut for chashu — it has the ideal fat-to-meat ratio for braising. The fat renders during the long braise, becoming gelatinous and silky rather than greasy. The meat stays moist because the surrounding fat bastes it continuously.
Pork shoulder (kata niku) is a leaner alternative — less rich but still good. It doesn't roll as cleanly (less fat holding the layers together), so either tie it without rolling or accept a more rustic slice.
Skinless vs skin-on: Skinless pork belly is much easier to work with. Skin-on chashu is technically possible but requires longer braising and the skin remains tough unless you spend additional time. Buy skinless if available.
Ingredients (serves 4-6 as a topping)
- 700-800g pork belly, skinless
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (adds color depth — optional but recommended)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 200ml water
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 piece ginger, 3-4 slices
For tying:
- Kitchen twine
Method
1. Roll and Tie
Lay the pork belly flat, skin side down. Roll it into a tight log, starting from one short end. Tie with kitchen twine at 2-3cm intervals — the roll should hold its shape without twine but the tying ensures even cooking and a clean swirl in the cross-section.
If the pork belly is too wide to roll into a compact log: cut it in half crosswise and make two smaller rolls.
2. Sear
Heat a wide, heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. No oil needed — the pork belly fat renders immediately.
Place the roll fat-side down. Sear without moving 3-4 minutes until deep golden brown. Roll and sear all sides, including the ends — 10-12 minutes total. The searing step is about color and Maillard flavor development; don't rush it.
Remove the pork roll. Drain any excess fat from the pot (leave about 1 tablespoon).
3. Braise
Return the pot to medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, dark soy, and sugar. Stir briefly. Add water. The liquid should come at least halfway up the pork roll — add more water if needed.
Add the pork roll back to the pot. The liquid should be at a very gentle simmer — tiny bubbles at the edge, not a hard boil.
Braise covered: 1.5-2 hours, turning the roll every 30 minutes so it braises evenly. The pork is done when a chopstick inserts easily with no resistance and the fat layers have turned translucent and gelatinous.
4. Rest and Chill
Remove the pork from the braising liquid. Let cool 30 minutes at room temperature.
Then — and this is critical — refrigerate the pork roll (still tied) in the braising liquid overnight, or at minimum 3-4 hours. During this time:
- The pork firms up, making clean slicing possible
- The fat sets completely
- The pork absorbs more flavor from the braising liquid as it cools
Trying to slice chashu while it's warm produces ragged, crumbling slices. Cold chashu slices cleanly.
5. Reduce the Braising Liquid
Return the braising liquid to the pot. Bring to a medium simmer and reduce until thickened and glossy — approximately 20-30 minutes. This becomes the tare (seasoning sauce) for brushing on the chashu and for adding to ramen broth. It's one of the most useful liquids in Japanese cooking.
Slicing
Remove kitchen twine. Slice the cold roll into 5-8mm rounds. The swirl of meat and fat should be clearly visible in the cross-section.
For ramen: Lay the cold slices on the bowl of hot ramen — the hot broth will gently warm them. Alternatively, torch the surface of the chashu slices just before serving for a caramelized, slightly charred finish that professional ramen shops use.
For katsudon-style rice bowl: Warm the slices in the reduced braising liquid for 2 minutes. Serve over rice.
For sandwiches: Cold chashu slices with Japanese mayonnaise, cucumber, and shredded nori on Japanese milk bread = one of the best sandwiches you can make.
Storage
Refrigerated (in braising liquid): 5-7 days. The liquid acts as a preserve.
Frozen: Slice first, freeze flat on a baking sheet, then transfer to bags. Frozen chashu keeps 3 months. Reheat in ramen broth or briefly in a pan.
The Braising Liquid as Tare
The reduced chashu braising liquid is too valuable to discard. Uses:
- Ramen tare: 1-2 tablespoons in each ramen bowl before adding broth. This is the soy tare that professional ramen shops use.
- Marinade: For chicken, for eggs (soy marinated eggs — ajitsuke tamago — are soft-boiled eggs marinated in this liquid for 4-12 hours)
- Gyudon broth: Dilute with dashi and add thinly sliced beef and onion for a quick gyudon
- Glaze: Brush reduced tare on chashu slices before torching
Ajitsuke tamago (seasoned soft-boiled eggs): Soft-boil eggs 6.5 minutes from boiling, peel immediately, submerge in the diluted braising liquid (1:1 liquid to water) for 4-12 hours. The eggs turn amber outside and have a jammy yolk — the second essential ramen topping, made from the same braising liquid as the chashu.
The Char Siu Comparison
The Cantonese original — char siu — uses a different set of flavorings: hoisin sauce, Chinese five-spice, honey, and red food coloring (or beet powder). The result is sweet, sticky, red-tinged, and usually roasted in a very hot oven rather than braised. The Japanese version removed the five-spice (which would clash with ramen broths), reduced the sweetness, added more soy depth, and switched to braising for the completely different texture. Same ancestry, different dish.
The full recipes live in the book.
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