Sweet, salty and a little spicy, these Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sliders with Chinese BBQ Pork are a party lover’s dream. Grilled pork tenderloin lacquered with a char siu sauce and paired with grilled pineapple, this is a hawaiian roll slider recipe you’ll want to make all summer long!
Happy Memorial Day.. the official kick off to the summer season! Which means…. grilling! Burgers, steaks, chops, chicken… take your pick. But today, I have something a little different for you… a riff on the classic Char Siu Pork – Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sliders with Chinese BBQ Pork.
For the record, let me state that this is not an authentic of char siu pork sauce. There is no red bean curd, or sugar, shaoxing wine or the thick soy sauce that is commonly used in the classic chinese bbq pork and the glaze won’t get dark or overly sticky like a true char siu sauce does.
Ingredients for these Hawaiian Roll Sliders with Chinese BBQ Pork:
- Pork tenderloin
- ketchup
- hoisin sauce
- sesame oil
- ginger
- garlic
- soy sauce
- fresh pineapple
How to Make the Chinese BBQ Pork:
There’s no marinating, no fussing – it’s just a simple char siu sauce that you slather on the pork tenderloin a few minutes before you take it off the grill. Once off the grill, the tenderloins are sliced thin and paired with slices of grilled pineapple and slid into a Hawaiian bread roll and topped with a little fresh cilantro. Here’s a hint – slice across the top of the roll versus cutting the rolls in half horizontally.It makes building and eating these sandwiches much, much easier – especially if you are serving them to a crowd!
Speaking of crowds, these Hawaiian sweet roll sliders are the perfect summer party food. I have made and served this hawaiian sweet roll slider recipe at a couple of parties – for between 50 and 60 people and let me tell you, slitting the rolls across the top makes them a snap to assemble. Just don’t hold the roll in your hand while you’re slicing! They were so easy, so pretty and sooo good, they’ve become one of my summer “go to’s” – and what better way to start off the summer grilling season than with this riff on traditional Chinese bbq pork!
If you liked this recipe, you might be interested in…
- Ras El Hanout Pork Skewers
- Juicy and Tender Pulled Pork Tacos
- Tex Mex Slow Cooker Tostadas
- Chicken Green Chile Sliders
Hawaiian Sweet Roll Sliders with Chinese BBQ Pork
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 fresh pineapple cut, cored and cut into ½ inch slices
- 1 large bunch of cilantro stemmed
- 1 pckg. 24 count King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls, sliced diagonally across the top.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.
- Pre heat the grill to medium heat (400 degrees). On cooler side of the grill, place the pork tenderloins. Cover the grill. Grill for 4 minutes. Lift the cover and turn the tenderloins. Continue to grill the tenderloins until the internal temperature reaches about 135 degrees – about 20 minutes. Using a brush, brush the pork with ½ cup of the glaze, reserving the rest for serving. Cook, uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pork reaches 145 degrees. Remove pork to a cutting board and let rest. While pork is resting, lay the pineapple slices on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes and turn, cooking for another three minutes. Remove pineapple from the grill.
- Slice the tenderloin into ½ inch slices. Place a slice of pork in each roll with a slice of grilled pineapple. Tuck in a cilantro sprig. Serve with the remaining glaze.
That roll slicing method is GENIUS. And these look amazing. I always wish I would stock my pantry with those more authentic Asian ingredients, but somehow I never quite make it all the way over to the big city to shop at the actual Asian grocery stores. Still planning on it, but glad to have great alternatives like this in the meantime!
Hi Nicole!! The roll slicing is definitely a game changer – honestly makes eating these kind of sandwiches while standing up sooo much easier!!! I know exactly what you mean – I sometimes think the shopping part is the hardest!!!!