Crispy Roast Pork Belly

Recipe: Crispy Roast Pork Belly 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 slab of skin-on pork belly (1.5 - 2 lbs)
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
• 1 tablespoon Shoaxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 cup or 8 oz rock salt for layering

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation 

1. Scrape pork belly skin with knife to remove impurities. Rinse and pat dry with paper towel. 

2. Use a skin pricker,  tip of knife, a sharp metal skewer, an ice pick or anything that is pointy and sharp to prick lots of holes in the skin. Avoid piercing too deep into the skin. 

3. Rub Shoaxing wine, Chinese five spice powder, salt and white pepper on the flesh side of the pork belly.  Be sure to evenly coat all flesh area with seasoning. Avoid getting seasoning on the skin side. 

4. Transfer pork belly to a plate with the skin side up. Dab skin dry with paper towel and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight up to 24 hours uncovered. 

Cooking Method

1. Remove pork belly from the refrigerator and dab skin dry with paper towel. With the skin side up, wrap foil around pork snugly by folding up all 4 sides to create an enclosed container leaving the skin side exposed. Make sure the sides are 2 inches higher than pork skin to hold rock salt in.

2. Transfer pork to a sheet pan then apply vinegar to the skin evenly.  Cover pork skin evenly with rock salt.

3. Roast in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C for 1hour. 

4. Remove pork from oven, unfold foil and remove rock salt from skin.  Scrape and clean off any remaining salt on the pork.  Discard salt.

 

5. Transfer pork back to the oven and broil on medium/high for 15 - 20 minutes or until skin becomes crispy and golden brown.  (See picture) Alternatively, you may roast at 465°F/240°C for another 35-40 minutes.

6. Remove pork from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes. 

7. Slice pork into 1/2 inch thickness when it is cool enough to handle. (See picture)

8. Serve with Hoisin sauce, chili sauce or yellow mustard if desired.