Crispy Pork Belly (VIDEO)
This cantonese-style Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk) is perfect for a special occasion or to celebrate the New Year! The crispy skin and juicy, fatty pork belly are a perfect combination that everyone will enjoy!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb pork belly skin-on
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp white pepper
- 1/2 tbsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine plus 2 tsp as needed to form a paste
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 egg white beaten
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Pat your skin on pork belly dry and poke holes all across the skin of the pork. Ensure that the holes only puncture the skin and do not go all the way through the meat.
- To the meat side, use a knife to make 1/2" cuts lengthwise across the pork belly. In a small bowl, combine salt, white pepper, five spice powder, sugar, and shaoxing wine to make a paste. Evenly spread the paste on the meat side of the pork and crevices ensuring not to touch the skin.
- Place the punctured and marinated pork on a piece of foil and create a foil boat wrapping the pork, leaving the skin exposed. Place in the fridge for 24 hours (48 hours for best results) to help the skin further dry out.
- Once the skin is dry, mix together salt and a beaten egg white. Brush the skin with a layer of white vinegar, then evenly layer the salt/egg mixture directly on the skin.
- Bake at 300F for 30 minutes, then remove the salt from the skin and brush off any excess salt. At this point the skin should be softened. Poke more holes throughout the skin.
- Bake at 450F for 30-45 minutes or until the skin has puffed up. If any edges are starting to burn, place a small piece of foil to cover to get the skin as evenly crisp as possible. If needed, place pork under broiler for a few minutes to speed up the blistering process (watch carefully to ensure skin does not burn). Enjoy!
Video
Notes
A note on ingredient substitutions - While I usually try my best to provide ingredient substitutions, for Crispy Pork Belly, I do not recommend using anything other than what I have listed. See recipe card for full list of ingredients and measurements.
pork belly, skin-on - Go to your butcher and ask for a boneless, center cut, skin-on pork belly. (A center cut pork belly will be the most even and symmetrical piece, which should have an even proportion of skin and meat.) Ask for a piece that has a thin layer of white fat in between the meat sections. I have found that this results in the most optimal end proportion of meat to fat.
distilled white vinegar - Distilled white vinegar is a key ingredient! It helps soften the pork belly skin and removes any odors. (I have seen other recipes use baking soda but I prefer the results from white vinegar.)
24-48 hours before cooking: You must plan at least 24 hours ahead for this recipe, as drying the pork belly in the refrigerator for 24 hours (48 hours is best) is required for best results. (Drying the pork belly helps reduce moisture, which is key for a super crispy skin.) If you don't have the time, make my Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly instead!
Preparation tips
- Use a sharp knife or piercing tool to poke holes in the skin only - don't poke so deep that you pierce the meat! Poking holes into the pork belly skin allows the fat to render out more easily, which will 'fry' the skin in the air fryer and help it puff up.
- Moisture is the enemy of crispy pork belly skin, so be thorough when patting dry the skin with paper towels. Make sure it is as dry as possible.
- The salt will help draw moisture out of the pork belly skin, which will also help the skin crisp up. 1 cup of kosher salt may look like too much but trust me - it is the appropriate amount!
Nutrition
Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 75g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 35g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
