Amazing Chinese crispy pork belly
A super crunchy crackling top with tender meat, this Chinese crispy pork belly recipe is so simple and you'll get perfect Chinese pork every single time.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2lbs) of pork belly
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced in half
- 2 teaspoons of five spice powder
- sea salt for layer
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c.
- Get a large baking tray and fill the tray with a 1/3 of water. Then place a rack on top. The water is there to catch the fat and oil that will be released from the pork when cooking.
- Get the pork belly, and rub the five spice powder into the flesh of the pork.
- Using a small knife, make horizontal slits into the sides of the pork belly. Insert the slices of the garlic into the meat. Turn the pork belly over and using a kitchen towel, you want to pat dry the skin of the pork belly as much as possible.
- Place the pork belly on the rack.
- Get your salt and liberally layer the top of the pork belly skin with salt, so that every part of the skin is covered.
- Place the pork belly at the top of the oven and roast for 1 hour.
- Bake until a salt crust forms, the salt should be hardened. And you will easily be able to peel it away and discard it. So remove the pork belly from the oven and then take the salt crust off.
- If the water has evaporated in the baking tray, add some more.
- Turn the heat up of the oven to 220°c. Then place the pork belly back in the oven and bake for a further 40-45 minutes. The skin will really crisp up and harden. Once done, remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.
- You'll need to use a very sharp knife or meat cleaver. Flip the pork belly over flesh side up. Cut into small bite-sized squares and serve warm with some chilli sauce.
Notes
My grandma's most important tip: The secret to perfect crackling is patience with the drying process. Don't rush this step. The drier the skin before cooking, the crispier your crackling will be.
Why the two-stage roasting works: The first low-temperature roast renders the fat and cooks the meat. The second high-temperature roast is purely for creating that glass-like crackling. Both stages are essential.
Traditional serving style: In Chinese cooking, pork belly is usually served as part of a larger spread with multiple dishes. Everyone shares from the centre of the table. It's delicious eaten this way with rice and other dishes.
Nutrition
Calories: 458kcal