The ultimate guide to perfectly done Cantonese crispy pork belly with oven at home. Crispy pork belly is one of my favorite Cantonese dishes for the years in Guangdong province. Each time when I have a chance to enjoy Guangdong cuisine, this crispy pork belly is one of my choices.
After I learn how to make crispy pork belly from a Cantonese friends at home several years ago. I am always trying to find ways and information for a better result and trying to understand how every step works. And this is my ultimate guide.
Cook’s Note
This is the most simplified version for home cooking. I will introduce some extra steps if you want to bring this to the next level.
1.Choose the right part of pork| you should use pork belly to make crispy pork belly.
2.Poke as many holes as possible on the rind. The fat oil produced in the roasting process need ways to come out. Why we need oil coming through the holes? Because hot oil brings hot temperature, which can keep the rind something like gently deep-fried for a quite long time.
3.Applying baking soda or white vinegar can help to soften the skin and thus making the crispy pork belly even fluffy. But the remaining flavor of baking soda may bring some bitter taste to the skin. So the best solution is to set the pork for 30 minutes and then wash the skin before air-drying. I did not include this step in this recipe since it is not quite necessary for me.
4.The salt layer can help to absorb water and keep the skin dry. Cover a layer of sea salt on the surface can help to absorb the water released in the early of the roasting and keep the rind dry.
5.Marinating the pork belly for a longer time, at least overnight. We are roasting a large piece. During the marinating time, do not cover the pork belly with plastic wrapper. Place it in a large bowl and let it dry in the fridge.
You will need
- 1000g pork belly with beautiful layers
- 2 small chunks of ginger
- 2 scallions
- 1 tbsp. cooking wine
- 6-10 Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
Marinating
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp. Chinese five spice
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. white pepper
Roasting
- sea salt to cover the meat
- white vinegar for brushing
Instructions
Place the pork belly in a large pot (rind site down) with clean water, add cooking wine, scallion, ginger and sichuan peppercorn. Continue cook for 3 minutes after boiling.
Transfer the pork out and pat dry the water. Then pork as many as possible holes on the rind. Back and forth and repeat several times. This is the most important step. After the hard pork process, apply a small pinch of salt on the rind.
Cut two shallow lines on the pork (only the lean part, not deep to touch the fat) and then sprinkle the dry rub evenly.
Wrap the pork belly with foil wrappers and place in fridge overnight.Uncovered please, we need the rind to be dry before roasting.
Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Brush a thin layer of vinegar and spread salt evenly to form a protecting layer. Roast for 50 minutes.
Remove the salt and place the pork belly on the middle rack. Remember to use a tray to catch the dropping oils. Turn your oven to upper fire mode and turn up the temperature to 220 degree C.
Continue roasting for 20 to 25 minutes until the skin is well crackled. Let the pork belly stay in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly cooled down. Transfer out and cut into small bites.
Cutting tips: place the skin side down. Cut the meat part firstly and then press the knife to break the crispy rinds.
How to serve
You can serve this with sugar, mustard sauce or Thai sweet and chili sauce. But not too many cubes each time. I would suggest 2 cubes for each individual. I make three strips this time and serve only 1 strip one meal. We have very similar dish in Western China, where the pork belly rind is deep-fried for crackling. Mixed chili peppers are used to remove the oily.
Other pork belly recipes
- Pork belly can be used in stir-fry recipes: twice cooked pork belly
- Pork belly can be roasted: Roasted pork belly with honey
- Pork belly can be red braised: red-braised pork belly.
Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
Ingredients
- 1000 g pork belly with beautiful layers
- 2 small chunks of ginger
- 2 scallions
- 1 tbsp. cooking wine
- 6-10 Sichuan peppercorns ,optional
Marinating
- 1.5 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. Chinese five spice
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. white pepper
Roasting
- sea salt to cover the meat
- white vinegar for brushing
Instructions
- Place the pork belly in a large pot with clean water, add cooking wine, scallion, ginger and sichuan peppercorn. Continue cook for 3 minutes after boiling.
- Transfer the pork out and pat dry the water. Then pork as many holes on the rind. Back and forth and repeat several times. This is the most important step.
- After the hard pork process, apply a small pinch of salt on the rind.
- Cut two shallow lines on the pork (only the lean part, not deep to touch the fat) and then sprinkle the dry rub evenly.
- Wrap the pork belly with foil wrappers and place in fridge overnight.Uncovered please, we need the rind to be dry before roasting.
- Pre-heat oven to 180 degree C. Brush a thin layer of vinegar and spread salt evenly to form a protecting layer. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove the salt and place the pork belly on the middle rack. Remember to use a tray to catch the dropping oils. Use upper fire only at the temperature of 220 degree C, and roast until the rind is golden brown and well crackled.
- Let the pork belly stay in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly cooled down. Transfer out and cut into small bites.
- Cutting tips: when cutting the pork belly, place the skin side down. Cut the meat part firstly and then press the knife to break the crispy rinds.
Nutrition
Hi, I tried your receipe as I have others which are similar.. crackle is cooked to perfection, taste is on point however the pork it self turns out to be a little chewy (but still looks moist)
What do you think I an doing wrong, is it undercooked?
I would love to know, as I need to master your receipe pls.
Kind regards
Joe
Joe,
In that case, I suggest you blanching the pork for a longer time next time. Possibly is because the pig is a little bit old.
I have made this about 4 times now. I finally got a 16 lb. Pork Belly and cut in different sizes for just us, or for family. I do leave it for 3 days uncovered before cooking it though. It is so crispy and delicious!! We absolutely love it!! One time my husband and I were suppose to have it for dinner, and we ate all but one little square. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Janice,
I know how good it is, haha. One of the best ways of eating pork belly. Happy to know it turn out good. Happy cooking and eating.
I’ve made this about 4 times. I finally bought a 16 pound Pork Belly and froze it in different sizes to be used just for the two of us and with guests. I made this for dinner one time and we picked at it til there was only one small piece left at dinner time. It is absolutely delicious!!
wow, that’s really a large batch.
Hi, I am going to try out your receipe. I have a nearly 2 kg joint of pork belly with ribs in. I suppose I need to cook it at 180 o c for longer than 50 minutes – how long would you suggest, Elaine? The 2nd cooking at 240 o C for 1/2 hour – would not the meat burn or dry out?
Thank you,
Krishna,
If you want to make a large batch, I cannot estimate the right time, but you can watch the pork very carefully and check from time to time. I suggest roast the pork belly in the first around about 70mins and then watch very carefully in the second cooking. Longer cooking time makes the pork belly a little bit soft but not dried out. Watch very carefully to avoid burning.
Thank you, Elaine. Shall let you know how it turns out. Trial and error, is the way to learn.
Krishna
I make this about once a week and still haven’t tired of it!! I have got Pork Belly at a few different stores but it’s never as good as the Pork Belly I get from the Asian Market. This is a perefect recipe!!!!
Thank you, Jan. That’s a wonderful feedback for me.
This is by far the best recipe for making the ultimate crispy pork belly… HOWEVER!
On a whim I tried marinating a hunk of pork belly in kimchi for a couple weeks before making this.
The subtle flavors in the pork are amazing!
I then used that kimchi to make a kimchi stew as a side dish. (mostly because I didn’t trust eating it raw after 2 weeks of interacting with the pork)
Thank you Russell for this lovely comment.
I make this at least every other week. It’s honestly my favorite meat!! This is the best recipe I have found. We sometimes just snack on it all day or I brush it with some Rice Wine Vinegar and Soy Sauce and make Pork Belly Tacos. Thank you for this recipe.
OOPS!! That’s for the slaw, The glaze for tacos is Hoisin, Brown Sugar, and Soy Sauce.
Please advise when to marinate, before or FTER THE BOILING IN WATER?
After.
What is ‘upper fire only’ in an oven please?
Use top fire and turn off bottom fire. You can find a top line on the oven operation board.
I think “top fire” in an electric oven means ” broiler”. “Bottom fire” would be the roasting/baking element. The same designations would pertain to gas stoves as well .
How do I make rice?