烧味 （siū méi in Cantonese, shāo wèi in Mandarin) is the general term for Cantonese-style barbequed meat. Originating in Guangdong Province and Hong Kong, its character-by-character translation is “roast flavor”; the most common forms of Siu Mei include Char Siu (叉烧), Siu Yuk (烤肉), and Siu Ngap (烧鸭), respectively: roast pork, roasted crispy pork belly, and roast duck.
Siu mei is immensely popular in Hong Kong, but also throughout China as well. According to 文汇报, a Hong Kong-based newspaper, Hong Kong people eat as much as 66, 233 tons of siu mei a year. That’s approximately 146 million pounds! Additionally, a survey found that average Hong Kong inhabitants eat siu mei once every 3-4 days.
So, what’s the hype? The various types of meat (e.g., duck, chicken, pork) are roasted in a rotisserie oven or in spits over an open fire, creating a mouth-watering savory aroma unique only to the barbecued meats. In a perfect bite, the shiny, honey-crusted layer of red skin closes perfectly decadent, juicy meat, paired with the white rice and side dish of blanched napa cabbage.
You’ll come across several siu mei shops in Flushing and especially in Chinatown, where the custom is to hang the meats from metal racks, on display for all the passerby and customers, who usually order by pound or half a pound. Upon order, the barbeque masters swiftly, expertly chop the meat into slices with a whack of the blade on the wooden board.
Siu mei meats are truly appetizing and delectable, and I hope you all get to try them soon.
Sources:
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/105643/Spill-the-beans-on-dining-habits
https://www.asianfoodtrail.com/tag/siu-mei/
This looks very delicious! i will look forward to trying this next time i have the chance!
This article was very informative and it made my mouth water. I will most surely want to try these one day.
This was a very interesting article. I have seen the meats hung from the metal racks before, and it is always interesting to gaze at the food when walking by,. III did not know that the customers usually order a full pound of the meat. I liked your description of the meat cutters, and it was interesting to see how they can chop the meat up so quickly with a sharp blade. I will be sure to try this again the next time I am in Flushing or Chinatown.
I really enjoyed reading this article! Sui Mei is one of the many things that my grandparents would bring in almost every time that they stop by Flushing and come over to my house. Seeing those pictures included in the article were very familiar. I remember seeing the meat hanging from the metal racks and the loud chopping coming from inside the restaurant when I went to Chinatown and Flushing.
I loved the article. I like going to Queens with my family and buying Siu Mei. I liked learning about the foods.
I haven’t been to Chinatown since COVID-19 reached New York. When the pandemic is over, I’ll definitely go back and try siu mei. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the article! I love enjoying Sui Mei: its crunch and flavor are simply unique to this awesome dish.
Guangzhou has a place that sells siu mei for nearly 40 years, and they are getting better and better. I’d highly recommend you try theirs if you are going to visit Guangzhou.
Wow! What an amazing writer you are! Siu mei looks delicious, I wish I could eat some right now. Next time I have the chance, I will definitely try some. Thanks for sharing!
这篇文章非常的不错。我非常的喜欢吃最后的照片，叉烧肉。这种菜非常的方便快捷。如果没有时间做荤菜，就买一些。
我喜欢广东的烤肉，特别是烤鸭
This was a very interesting article. I didn’t know that in China people buy meat by the pound. I liked your description of the meat cutters, and it was interesting to see how they can chop the meat up so quickly with a sharp blade. I will be sure to try this again the next time I am in Flushing or Chinatown.
You really hit the nail on the head with this article! Before reading this article, I had always had this meat as a child, yet I had no clue what it was called or the background around it. I didn’t even know how the meat was prepared or made. I’m happy that I know what the name is and what it means now! Keep up the good work Josephine!
广东的烧肉都很好吃！ 叉烧，烧鸭还有脆皮五花肉。 这是中国古代传下来的手艺，在人们的生活中必不可少。我非常喜欢吃这些食物。
I’ve tried siu mei before, particularly in Flushing, and your description of it makes it sound especially appetizing. It’s amazing how Hong Kong people eat 146 million pounds of it a year. Your description of how the meat is hung from racks in shops makes me really miss seeing siu mei on display in Flushing and Chinatown.
Kinda reminds me of Peking Duck. The one that they are similar is that they are slow-roasted and marinated. I’ve tried these types of meats before. They were so tender and juicy!