Recipe: Chinese BBQ Pork (using red food coloring)

CHINESE BBQ PORK

1/3 cup sugar
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp dry sherry
1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder or 1/8 tsp each: ground allspice and crushed anise seed
1 clove garlic
4 drops red food coloring
3 pork tenderloins (2 lbs total)
TO SERVE:
prepared Chinese hot mustard
toasted sesame seeds*

TO MARINATE THE PORK:
In a 7x12-inch baking dish, stir together sugar, soy sauce, sherry, Chinese five spice, garlic and red food coloring. Lay pork in dish and rotate pieces to coat with marinade. Cover meat and chill at least 1 or up to 2 days; turn pork in marinade several times.

WHEN READY TO COOK:
On the fire grate in a barbecue with a lid, ignite about 40 charcoal briquettes. When they are covered with grey ash (about 30 minutes), bank half on each side of the grate and put a foil or metal drip pan in the center. Position grill 4 to 6 inches above the coals.

Meanwhile, lift pork from marinade; set aside. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer 2-3 minutes. Reserve for basting.

Fold the pork and tie thin ends underneath so each tenderloin is evenly thick. Place pork on grill over the coals and quickly brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes total. Then set meat over drip pan. Put lid on BBQ, and open dampers. Cook pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reaches 155 to 160 degrees F, 30 to 40 minutes. Baste often with marinade.

Cut pork into thin slices. Serve with sesame sees to sprinkle over meat. Offer Chinese hot mustard alongside.

*TO MAKE TOASTED SESAME SEEDS:
Pour 2 to 3 tb sesame seeds into a 7 to 8-inch frying pan. Shake often 0over medium heat, until seeds are golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Use warm or cool; store airtight at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

Servings: 4
Source: Sunset Magazine, March 1987