Crispy Pork Belly - Asian Style

Cooking with Rich

2022-09-07T06:53:13+00:00

Crispy pork belly, particularly the Cantonese/Hong Kong style is just a wonderful eating experience. The juicy tender meat and crack and crumble of a wonderfully crispy skin all in one bite. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. I got hooked on it when we lived in Hong Kong and have been hardening my arteries with it ever since.

Although not the hardest recipe to make it does take a little time and planning, but the results are great and can be devoured as a snack, used as party hand around or just a great addition to a dinner party.

The key with this recipe is getting the pork belly skin as dry as possible. Although this can be done adequately over a couple of hours, the best option is to plan ahead and dry the skin overnight in the fridge using a healthy cover of salt on the skin side. And pierce the skin with as many holes as you can manage prior to covering in salt, best is to invest in a pork belly spike (or meat tenderising spike pictured below).

The other tip during the roasting process is to combine some rice vinegar/white vinegar with baking soda and a pinch of salt and basting the skin 2-3 times during the initial slow cook process. Both the vinegar and the baking soda help remove more moisture, and the baking soda will help attain that bubbled effect on the skin once the heat is turned up.

The dry rub in this recipe is not quite traditional but having tried quite a number of alternatives this works well as it adds a complexity to the meat. However as a simple alternative is to just use Chinese Five Spice and the result is more than acceptable.

I like to add the rub the day before also. Adding the rub to the meat side flipping and then adding the salt before letting sit in the fridge overnight. This ensures a deep flavour of spices in the meat. However for some this may be too intense, so adding the rub 30-45 minutes before roasting also works, basically as you remove the the pork belly from the fridge as you will need to let it come to room temperature anyway.

The cooking times are guides, as every time I make this it differs slightly depending on the weight and thickness of the pork belly.

So have a go and let me.

Crispy Pork Belly - Asian Style

Preparation: 15 mins, plus overnight | Cooking: 2-3 hours | Serves: | Skill Level: Easy/Medium

Ingredients

1kg pork belly skin on
1 cup salt

Dry Rub

1 tsp garlic slat
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dired thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp five spice
2 tsp brown sugar

Cooking Marinade

1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil

Method

*check tips and alternatives

Combine dry rub ingredients.
Ensure the pork belly is as dry as possible and using a pork belly spike or sharp pointed knife, make as many little wholes in the the pork skin as possible*
Flip over and score the meat side of the pork, about 5mm deep.
On the meat side only apply the dry rub, making sure it also gets into the scored areas. Make sure there is no rub on the skin side.
Flip over the pork, and apply evenly, the cup of salt to the skin side only.
Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours but over night is much better, uncovered.
Remove from the fridge and scrap the salt from the skin side of the pork belly and let come to room temperature.
Pre-heat your oven to 90-100℃ (~200-220℉)
Taking a large piece of aluminium foil create a tight tray/wrap around the base and sides of the pork belly, leaving the skin side exposed. This will help retain the moisture and place on a baking tray.
Mix vinegar, baking soda and salt, and baste over the skin, saving a little for an extra baste later. The vinegar will help remove any additional moisture and the baking soda will help the skin bubble.
Place in the middle of the oven and roast for approximately 1-1.5 hours depending on the size of the pork belly. You can baste again around half way through.
Remove from pork the oven and turn up the oven to 200℃.
Apply a layer of oil to the skin and place back in the oven for ~25-30 mins*.
When the skin is hard and crispy, remove for the oven and let the pork rest for 10-15 mins before chopping up and serving with a little mustard.

Tips & Alternatives

If you cook pork belly regularly invest in a pork belly spike (or spiked meat tenderiser), a spike tool with16-24 sharp spikes coming out the bottom (pictured in the image set).
The salting of the skin overnight is best as it help remove most of the moisture and assists the skin crisp up nicely.
I will use the dry rub overnight also, but this can be a little intense in flavour for some, so you can add the rub as soon as you remove the pork from the fridge and let is do its thing while you wait for the pork to come to room temperature.
For a slightly lighter Asian flavour simply use Chinese Five Spice rather than all the dry rub ingredients.
I will usually make up a batch of the rub and keep in an air tight container.
You can turn on the grill portion of the oven towards the end of the second cooking to speed up. Be cautious and watchful not to burn the skin too much. Tapping with the skin with the back of a spoon will help let you know when it is ready.
This is definitely best eaten once cooked, however you can keep the cooked pork for a couple of days in the fridge, but don't be surprised when the skin looses its crunch .. although it still tastes good.

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