Crispy Roasted Pork Belly -

Crispy Roasted Pork Belly

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Keyword: crispy, pork belly, port, roast

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 1 15

Marinate Time: 1

Total Time: 1 1 25

Servings:

Calories: 1531kcal

Crackling, crispy pork skin with a juicy, flavourful five-spice pork belly perfectly roasted in the oven to celebrate Lunar New Year.

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Equipment

Ingredients

2½ pounds Pork Belly bone in (or boneless)
1 Tablespoon shao hsing rice cooking wine
2 teaspoon sea salt

Marinade

½ cup yellow onion (1/2 large onion) diced
2 teaspoon garlic (4 cloves) minced
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon five spice powder
2 Tablespoons shao hsing rice cooking wine
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon ground white pepper (optional) or ground black pepper

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Instructions

Clean & Poke the Skin: Rinse the pork belly under cold water. Use a knife to carefully scrape the skin to remove any impurities, then pat the entire cut of meat completely dry with paper towels. Using a sharp wooden skewer, poke holes evenly across the skin (be careful not to pierce through the fat layer into the meat).
Clean the Skin & Salt: Dip the corner of a paper towel into 1 Tablespoon of Shao Hsing wine and wipe it over the poked pork skin to clean it. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly across the surface of the skin.
Mix the Marinade: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the diced yellow onion, minced garlic, brown sugar, five-spice powder, Shao Hsing wine, soy sauce, and ground white pepper (if using).
Build the Foil Boat & Marinate: Place the pork belly on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Wrap the foil up tightly around the sides of the meat to create a "boat," leaving the top skin completely exposed. Carefully pour the marinade down the sides of the foil boat (do not let it touch the skin) and gently massage the sides so it covers the meat.
Dry the Skin (Overnight): Place the foil boat into a baking dish. Put it in the refrigerator, completely uncovered, for at least 12 hours (24 hours is best for the crispiest result). The cold air will dry out the skin.
The First Roast (Low Heat): Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Place the baking dish (with the pork still in its foil boat) on the lower-middle rack. Roast for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F–145°F.
Blister the Skin (High Heat): Increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Roast the pork belly for an additional 30 - 45 minutes, or until the skin is bubbly, golden brown, and crispy.
Rest & Serve: Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Slice and serve hot! Use Hoisin and Sriracha as your dipping sauces to add more depth of flavour.

Video

Notes

Work with Cold Pork: When it is time to poke holes in the skin, work with the pork straight out of the fridge. The solid, cold fat holds the skin taut, making it much easier to pierce with your skewer!

What is Shao Hsing (Shaoxing) wine?

Shao Hsing is a traditional Chinese rice cooking wine made from fermented glutinous rice. It is heavily used in Asian cuisine to add depth, aroma, and complexity to marinades and sauces. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it with dry sherry or a dry Japanese sake.

Why did my pork skin turn hard and chewy instead of crispy?

This usually happens for two reasons: Either the skin wasn't dried out enough in the fridge, or you pierced the skin too deeply and hit the meat. If meat juices seep up through the holes while baking, they will cause the skin to turn leathery instead of blistering into a crispy crackling. During the initial roast, use a paper towel to wipe excess moisture off the skin.

Can I make this in an air fryer?

Yes! The air fryer makes incredible pork belly. After the 24-hour fridge-drying process, you can cook smaller slabs of pork belly in the air fryer at 350°F for 30 minutes, then bump the heat to 400°F for 10 minutes to blister the skin.

Nutrition