East Court & Mike’s BBQ

How a Chinese Barbecue Master Has Been Roasting Whole Pigs for 30 Years | Eater

"At this popular Toronto barbecue shop, chef-owner Jack Tsoi has spent 20–30 years perfecting the labor-intensive craft of Chinese-style roast pig, turning out as many as ten whole pigs a day. He and his apprentice Clarence Kwan follow a meticulous process—balancing shoulder and ham when butchering, boiling the meat to shrink the skin, drying and salting it overnight, torching off hairs, hanging the carcass on a retractable beam, then carefully sliding it in and out of the oven during the first half hour to manage bubbling and charring and to poke and brush the skin—before allowing the remainder of the roast to bake uninterrupted. Finishing requires expert chopping, producing a satisfying crunch as the knife slices through crispy skin and juicy meat. The finished product is served to lunch- and dinner-time crowds over rice, in sweet-and-sour sauce, or as char siu, and is prized for its even, crispy skin and juicy interior." - Terri Ciccone