Chefs' Recipes

Victor Liong's char siu-glazed leg ham

Lee Ho Fook chef Victor Liong's ham glaze delivers all the flavours of char siu pork you know and love with a side of Christmas cheer.

By Victor Liong
  • 35 mins preparation
  • 5 hrs cooking plus marinating
  • Serves 12 - 15
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Char siu-glazed leg ham
"I like to serve this ham with a retro rice salad, a potato salad or, for something different, buttered soft milk rolls, salted cucumber and Taiwanese pork floss," says Victor Liong of Lee Ho Fook in Melbourne.

Ingredients

  • 1 smoked leg ham (7kg-8kg), bone in, skin removed, fat very lightly scored
Char siu marinade
  • 100 gm caster sugar
  • 100 ml Shaoxing wine
  • 100 ml soy sauce
  • 75 ml dark soy sauce
  • 25 gm red fermented bean curd (see note)
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • ¼ tsp five-spice powder
Pineapple glaze
  • 300 ml pineapple juice
  • 200 gm honey
  • 2 cinnamon quills
  • 2 star anise

Method

  • 1
    For char siu marinade, blend ingredients and ¼ tsp salt in a blender until sugar dissolves.
  • 2
    Place ham in a large roasting pan and rub marinade all over. Marinate at room temperature for 4-5 hours, turning ham often to coat evenly.
  • 3
    For pineapple glaze, bring ingredients to the boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve, then brush all over ham.
  • 4
    Preheat oven to 150℃. Bake ham, basting occasionally with the glaze, until warmed through or internal temperature exceeds 65℃ (2½-3 hours). Increase oven to 200℃ and roast until glaze is caramelised and charred on the edges (35-45 minutes). Remove from oven and rest for 10 minutes.
  • 5
    Warm remaining glaze and brush over ham. Slice and serve with rolls, pickles and pork floss.

Notes

Pork floss and red fermented bean curd (preserved tofu coloured by fermented red rice) are available from select Chinese grocers.
Drink Suggestion: Fragrant hoppy Pacific Ale Drink suggestion by Max Allen