# Chinese BBQ (Pork - Chicken - Duck)



## Steph78 (Jun 7, 2012)

Hi Everybody, 
Its my first post here, I wasn't sure in which category should I post this.
I have a problem: 
I love Chinese BBQ, I know what sauce / marinade to use to cook the meat (char siew)
But here my problem, if you go to a Chinese BBQ takeaway or restaurant, you can see they dip the meat in some dark sauce before cut the meat....
I have tried everything I can't find what's that sauce 
Is anyone can help me here??? )) 
Thank you so much !!


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## Steph78 (Jun 7, 2012)

I mean also when the dish is ready; Meat / rice / pok choi....
They put that famous sauce on the dish.....


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## Andy M. (Jun 7, 2012)

Ask the restaurant.


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## Steph78 (Jun 7, 2012)

Good point, Im not leaving in that place anymore, so that's why I m trying to make my own....


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## CharlieD (Jun 7, 2012)

Each restaurant has it's own sauce, it is impossible to know what they did in that particular place. Have you tried a new restaurant? Maybe they have something simular? Tell that you have allergies and need to know what is in the sauce.


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## GotGarlic (Jun 7, 2012)

According to the website Rasa Malaysia, the char siu is marinated in 2/3 of the sauce recipe and basted with the remainder as it's grilled. Maybe this is what the restaurant cooks are dipping it in.

BBQ Pork Recipe (Char Siu/Char Siew/蜜汁叉烧)


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## Steph78 (Jun 7, 2012)

First thanks guys for your answers, actually I knew It was a very common sauce in Chinese BBQ restaurant, I have traveling all around the world and it looks like a traditional things...Now I'm back to France and can't find that kind of place close to my house...Here a video of what I m talking about if any luck someone know...
Chinese BBQ Restaurant - BBQ Rice - YouTube


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## Dawgluver (Jun 7, 2012)

CharlieD said:
			
		

> Each restaurant has it's own sauce, it is impossible to know what they did in that particular place. Have you tried a new restaurant? Maybe they have something simular? Tell that you have allergies and need to know what is in the sauce.



Charlie, that is brilliant.  Sneaky, but brilliant.  I'm going to use your idea!  Thanks!

Welcome to DC, Steph!


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## CWS4322 (Jun 7, 2012)

Welcome to DC, Steph. I can't help you, but I think Charlie's suggestion is brilliant. I have allergies but I haven't asked "general" question, I've asked specific ingredient questions, e.g., are there nuts in the sauce? Which nuts? Are there pine nuts in any of the dishes, could you please confirm with the chef...I'm going back to the place that has that marinated eggplant I love and try that line!!!


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 7, 2012)

CharlieD said:


> Each restaurant has it's own sauce, it is impossible to know what they did in that particular place. Have you tried a new restaurant? Maybe they have something simular? Tell that you have allergies and need to know what is in the sauce.


I don't see any need to tell lies. I think a customer has a right to know in general terms what is in something they're purchasing. The restaurant should be willing to describe the main ingredients although expecting a complete recipe with itemized ingredients, amounts and method is unrealistic and unreasonable.

I think it's reasonable to expect to be told the main 3-4 ingredients, just because people have a right to know what they're eating. Any good restaurant should be willing to do this to keep customers satisfied.

In any restaurant I frequent I always ask a few ingredient questions before ordering food. I've always found the waiter or waitress was willing to answer my questions, or even ask the chef and return with the answer. I've sometimes kept notes and asked different questions on different visits, and eventually developed my own copycat recipes.

Restaurants are not threatened by home cooking enthusiasts. Even if you copied an item perfectly you'd still want to return to the restaurant for other good food, or when you don't feel like cooking and want it to just be served.


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## Andy M. (Jun 7, 2012)

CharlieD said:


> ...Tell that you have allergies and need to know what is in the sauce.



Restaurants are already on to this lie.  They will ask, "What are you allergic to?"


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## powerplantop (Jun 8, 2012)

This is how I do mine (I do not use food coloring) 

Char Siu / Chinese barbecued pork - YouTube


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## CharlieD (Jun 8, 2012)

CWS,  I came up with that line after fiasco with trying to figure out the eggplant recipe, after I called them. 

But, I bet Andy might be right. It really depends on the owner, the dish. But hey we have to try. In fact if Andy is right then Greg's idea of simply asking for ingredients would not work, they will not tell the ingredients.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 8, 2012)

I've always received a satisfactory answer when asking about ingredients. To be clear, I was asking about the main ingredients, not requesting a detailed full list, definitely not requesting amounts or method.


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## CharlieD (Jun 8, 2012)

well, sometimes people want more than just main ingedients.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 8, 2012)

Well good luck to them. I think it's rude to expect a restaurant to give you a cookbook style version of a full recipe, and I would be embarrassed to ask.

But yet... I have heard stories of people who successfully obtained recipes. If I were a restaurateur I would describe a recipe for customers in general terms and then politely tell them the details are a trade secret.


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## Andy M. (Jun 8, 2012)

Went to Pizzaria Uno for dinner one day and had a dish I really liked.  It was a cajun style alfredo-ish dish with andouille and shrimp.  I really liked it so I wrote to the company and asked for the recipe.  They sent it to me within a couple of weeks.  

Note:  I had asked for the recipe at the restaurant but was told they didn't have the recipe, the sauce came in a jar from the central kitchens.


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## CharlieD (Jun 8, 2012)

Greg, I think you are taking this whole recipe issue too seriously. I have written to some famous French chef I've heard about on TV, well, e-mailed, for a recipe and guy responded with in few days. Cannot remember what it was, or when, it was good 10-15 years ago. In our day in age it is rude not to share the recipe, because somewhere, somehow, somebody has it and will post it on internet one way or the other. It is silly to assume for any restaurateur today that he/she/they can keep “a trade secret”. It will only push the customers away when restaurant refuses to share it. On the other hand I will be happy to go back to the restaurant that was kind enough to share it. The state and government secrets are in the open let alone some marinade eggplant. Really. By the same taken the people who come here and ask for recipes could be considered rude. Let them read what we have posted and if a recipe is not there yet let them seat and wait till one of us decides to share such recipe. I doubt there is even a single recipe today that is absolute secret, and if there is, I am sure there is a way to obtain it.


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## Addie (Jun 8, 2012)

American Test Kitchen has a doable recipe for BBQ pork ribs that is similar to to the one in the first and second video. But we all know the problem with that site. You can get their video and write it down though without sending in for a subscription. Which is so very annoying.


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## Oldvine (Jun 8, 2012)

Well I do have allergies and have asked what's in a sauce.  Wish I had thought to do it when I wanted to know the recipe ingredients.  
I agree, home cooks can try, but rarely is a recipe exactly duplicated at home.  We go to a favorite steak place for steak even tho' some pretty good steaks have come off my stove and/or grill.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jun 8, 2012)

Addie said:


> American Test Kitchen has a doable recipe for BBQ pork ribs that is similar to to the one in the first and second video. But we all know the problem with that site. You can get their video and write it down though without sending in for a subscription. Which is so very annoying.


I think you could just visit your local public library and check out whichever ATK season book has the recipe, and then cook it at home, write it down, scan it...

AFAIK all ATK recipes eventually appear in their cookbooks. I've got at least one of them and I'll buy more as soon as I've cooked an appreciable amount of those in my current ATK cookbook.

I think they've got a pretty good show, and I like their cookbooks. I'll admit their online site is a bit sucky.



Oldvine said:


> Well I do have allergies and have asked what's in a sauce.  Wish I had thought to do it when I wanted to know the recipe ingredients.
> I agree, home cooks can try, but rarely is a recipe exactly duplicated at home.  We go to a favorite steak place for steak even tho' some pretty good steaks have come off my stove and/or grill.


If you can exactly duplicate a recipe from a commercial restaurant then you wonder what value they are adding, other than not needing to cook it yourself, and that's a value for probably 90% of everybody, or even to those of us who enjoy cooking.

Restaurants don't need to worry about amateur chefs such as ourselves. We home chefs are probably more likely to frequent restaurants than those who do not enjoy cooking. We are amateur chefs, but we are foodies even before that.


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## CraigC (Jun 9, 2012)

Greg Who Cooks said:


> Restaurants don't need to worry about amateur chefs such as ourselves. We home chefs are probably more likely to frequent restaurants than those who do not enjoy cooking. We are amateur chefs, but we are foodies even before that.


 
I disagree. We are more likely to have higher expectations regarding quality and service. Their worry should be us not returning. There are several places I have tried once, never to return. Granted, most are of the chain variety.


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## Addie (Jun 9, 2012)

CraigC said:


> I disagree. We are more likely to have higher expectations regarding quality and service. Their worry should be us not returning. There are several places I have tried once, never to return. Granted, most are of the chain variety.


 
I can think of two chains right off the top that I will never go back to. Applebee's. The first time I ordered an open faced roast beef sandwich. It came out with the roast beef just barely heated and the center was still frozen. At a different one later. The same thing. 

Chilli's. The plate came out heated and was so hot I got burnt. The waitress failed to mention that the plate was hot. When I called her over to show her the red mark, she got an attitude. I asked to see the manager. Another one with an attitude. No thanks. They will never see me darken their door again.

We have one here that is pretty much local. The 99 Pub. All their prices end in $.99. Service was one step below non-existent. Took 20 minutes for the waitress to notice us. Then 30 minutes for our meal. Can't tell you how long to get the check. Had to corner the manager to get it.  Left no tip. She really didn't deserve it. And it was two in the afternoon. Long after the lunch rush. 

Needless to say, I am not fond of chains.


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