Roasted Crispy Pork Belly

Today, I'm going to make a delicious dish using pork belly. It's called Roasted Crispy Pork Belly, and it has a crispy texture and a savory flavor. The preparation is simple, making it perfect for gatherings and sharing with friends. The experience is truly amazing.

3 Reviews
3 Comments
POSTED:22/07/2024
Level:Medium
Yield:2-3 servings
Total:9 hr 10 min
(includes chilling time)
Active:10 min

Whenever we talk about Roasted Crispy Pork Belly, the most common questions are how to make the pork belly crispy and how to roast it to perfection so that the fat becomes very tender and the meat is juicy. Below, I'll share some essential knowledge about Roasted Crispy Pork Belly to help you create this delicious dish more effectively:


1. What is Roasted Crispy Pork Belly?

Roasted Crispy Pork Belly is a delicious and enticing traditional Chinese dish. It's typically made using pork belly with distinct layers of fat and meat, providing a rich and juicy texture. This simple home-style dish features a crispy skin and tender meat, making it savory and delightful. It's now popular in many countries and regions, especially in China, where Roasted Crispy Pork Belly has become a trendy dish in numerous cities.


2. Is it necessary to use pork belly?

In principle, yes. As the name Roasted Crispy Pork Belly suggests, the main ingredient is pork belly. In my opinion, pork belly is the best choice for this dish because it has a thick skin and a balanced distribution of fat and lean meat. After roasting, it ensures that the meat is neither too dry nor too greasy.


3. How to Choose the Perfect Pork Belly?

Choosing the right pork belly is a crucial step towards making the perfect Roasted Crispy Pork Belly. Here are some tips to keep in mind when selecting pork belly:

To ensure the best taste, always buy fresh pork belly. Fresh pork belly retains more nutrients and moisture, resulting in better texture and flavor.

Pay attention to the ratio of fat to lean meat. While it's important to choose pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, the lean meat should be slightly more than the fat. This balance prevents the dish from being too greasy. However, make sure the lean meat isn't too much more than the fat; a ratio where the lean meat is about one-third more than the fat is ideal. This way, the Roasted Crispy Pork Belly won't turn out too dry.


4. Pork Belly Marinade

Marinating the pork belly is essential to achieve a delicious flavor. I use common Chinese seasonings for the marinade, such as cooking wine (or dry sherry or mirin), five-spice powder, salt, and white pepper. These ingredients infuse the pork belly with a subtle and delightful taste.


5. Is Roasted Crispy Pork Belly the Same as Barbecue?

Many people think that Roasted Crispy Pork Belly and barbecue pork belly are the same, but they are actually quite different.

Although both Roasted Crispy Pork Belly and barbecue are common meat cooking methods and share some similarities, they differ in cooking techniques, ingredient choices, and final presentation. Roasted Crispy Pork Belly refers to a specific cooking method where pork belly is specially prepared to achieve a crispy outer skin while maintaining a tender and juicy interior.

On the other hand, barbecue is a broader term that refers to meat dishes cooked by grilling. Barbecue can include various types of meat and cooking methods, such as Korean barbecue and Japanese barbecue, which may use different seasonings and cooking equipment.


6. What to Pair with Roasted Crispy Pork Belly?

Before serving Roasted Crispy Pork Belly, it's best to cut it into small pieces for easier consumption. Considering that Roasted Crispy Pork Belly can be quite rich, I usually recommend pairing it with lettuce, which is my favorite combination. Dipping it in a homemade sauce enhances the flavor wonderfully. You can also pair it with cucumbers, carrots, or any other refreshing foods you like to balance the richness.


I believe you now have a good understanding of how to make delicious Roasted Crispy Pork Belly. Let's get started and make it together!

INGREDIENTS

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • 500g Pork Belly

ACCESSORIES

  • 2g Chili Powder
  • 2 Scallions
  • 2 tablespoons Barbecue Sauce
  • 3 slices Ginger

SEASONINGS

  • 10ml White Vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons Cooking Wine
  • 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 2g Cumin Powder
  • 2g Pepper Powder
  • 30g Coarse Salt

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

First, prepare all the necessary ingredients.

Prepare necessary ingredients.

STEP 2

Blanch the Pork Belly: Fill a pot with water and add 2 scallions and 3 slices of ginger. Clean the 500g pork belly and place it in the pot with cold water. Add 3 tablespoons of cooking wine and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Tip:

This step, called "blanching," helps remove the pork belly's gamey odor.

Blanch pork belly with scallions, ginger, cooking wine, and water to remove gamey odor.

STEP 3

Skim off any foam halfway through cooking; this improves the removal of gaminess.

Skim foam during cooking to reduce gaminess.

STEP 4

Cook the pork belly until a chopstick can easily pierce it. Remove and drain excess water. Use a knife or fork to prick small holes in the skin. This step is crucial for achieving crispy pork skin—don't skip it!

Cook pork belly till tender, drain, prick holes in skin for crispy texture.

STEP 5

Once the pork belly has been drained, cut it into small pieces. Be careful not to cut through the skin; keep the skin intact.

Cut drained pork belly into small pieces, maintaining intact skin.

STEP 6

After cutting the pork belly, soak it in 5ml of white vinegar for 10 minutes. Ensure the vinegar covers the skin.

Soak cut pork belly in 5ml white vinegar for 10 minutes covering the skin.

STEP 7

Prepare the dipping sauce: Take a bowl and add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce.

Make a savory dipping sauce with soy sauce and barbecue sauce.

STEP 8

Then add 2g of chili powder, 2g of pepper powder, and 2g of cumin powder. Mix well and set aside.

Tip:

Adjust the seasonings according to personal taste preferences.

Add chili, pepper, and cumin powders, adjusting to taste, in a tip.

STEP 9

After soaking the pork belly in white vinegar for 10 minutes, remove it and evenly spread the pre-prepared sauce over each piece, ensuring to cover the middle of each piece as well.

Soak pork belly in white vinegar, then spread sauce evenly on each piece.

STEP 10

Place the pork belly pieces skin-side down on aluminum foil. The skin does not need to be wrapped. Wrap the pork belly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for about 6 hours.

Wrap pork belly in foil and refrigerate for 6 hours.

STEP 11

After 6 hours in the refrigerator, remove the pork belly and spread white vinegar over it.

Refrigerate pork belly for 6 hours, then apply white vinegar.

STEP 12

Evenly spread 30g of coarse salt over the skin of the pork belly. If coarse salt is not available, fine salt can be used as a substitute. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius with both the upper and lower heating elements on. Bake for 30 minutes.

Season pork belly with salt and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

STEP 13

After 30 minutes, remove the pork belly from the oven and discard the coarse salt from the surface.

Remove pork belly from oven after 30 minutes; discard coarse salt.

STEP 14

Apply white vinegar evenly over the skin of the pork belly again. Reduce the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius with both the upper and lower heating elements on. Continue baking for another 40 minutes.

Instructions: Apply vinegar on pork, bake at 180°C with both heating elements for 40 minutes.

STEP 15

Once the baking time is up, remove the pork belly from the oven. Your delicious Roasted Crispy Pork Belly is now ready to serve.

Roasted Crispy Pork Belly recipe: bake, then serve hot.

Recipe analyzer

  • Recipes: Roasted Crispy Pork Belly
  • Main Ingredients:5
  • Servings per recipe:1
  • Servings size:573 g
Nutritional Summary of Recipe
Amount per 573 g= 1 serving(s)
  • Energy (calories):2669 kcal
    122%
  • Protein:47.92 g
    88%
  • Fat:265.66 g Why gray?
    547%
  • Carbohydrates:18.23 g
    7%
Calorie breakdown
  • Protein: 8%
    203 kcal
  • Fat: 90%
    2396 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 3%
    70 kcal
The chart shows the percentage of calories intake (energy) coming from the respective macronutrients (fats, protein and carbohydrates).
Omega 6 : Omega 3
1:1
20:1
11:1
Both fatty acids are essential, but nowadays the majority of western diets include excessive amounts of Omega 6 acid.

The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.

3 REVIEWS

Review
Your rating:
SizzleSprinkleSphereOctober 10, 2024

The roasted crispy pork belly turned out amazing—perfectly crispy and flavorful!
SavorySpectrumShowcaseSeptember 29, 2024

Can I use a different vinegar if I don’t have white vinegar?
reply:
October 01, 2024
Yes, you can use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar as substitutes. They will add a slightly different flavor but should work fine.
JessicaJuly 25, 2024

Can I bake with a different tool?
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