So what makes a good char siu?  1. The taste. it should be sweet, balanced with a certain degree of saltiness. It has to be sweet or else it is not char siu. The char siu must also have a good amount of smokiness resulting from the charcoal burnt caramelised sugar.  2. The Glaze. It is not a possibility, it is a necessity. The char siu MUST have that ultimate glossy charred sauce coating every bit of the meat. 3. The texture. Juicy and tender but at the same time not too oily.