Cantonese Crispy Pork Belly Recipe

This irresistible Cantonese Crispy Pork Belly is known for its golden, crackly skin and juicy, flavorful meat. The key lies in a few time-tested techniques: blanching to remove gamey flavors, marinating the meat side only, and applying a special vinegar-salt mix to the skin. With patience and precision, you can achieve restaurant-quality results right in your own kitchen!

Cantonese Crispy Pork Belly Recipe

Serving: 4 to 6
Prep time: 15 minutes (plus overnight drying)
Cook time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the pork belly:
2 pounds pork belly
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of baking soda
Handful of coarse salt
Dash of water

Marinade:
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon five-spice powder

Cantonese Crispy Pork Belly Instructions

1. Clean and boil the pork:

• Clean the pork belly and remove any hair by plucking or searing with a torch.
• Place the pork belly in water and boil for 5 minutes to remove its gamey taste and blood.

2. Pierce and marinate:

• Use skewers or a fork to thoroughly pierce the skin to help it release moisture and crisp up later.
• In a bowl, mix Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar, and five-spice powder. Brush this marinade on the meat side only.

3. Prepare the skin:

• Seal the pork with foil, leaving the skin exposed.
• In another bowl, combine salt, rice vinegar, and baking soda. Brush onto the skin.
• Place the pork belly uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry.

4. Roast the pork belly:

• Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
• Mix a handful of coarse salt with a dash of water to make clumps, then pack this over the pork skin.
• Line your roasting pan with foil and place the pork belly on a rack above it.
• Roast for 40 minutes.

5. Crisp the skin:

• Remove pork from the oven and brush off the salt crust.
• Use skewers again to pierce additional holes in the skin.
• Set oven to broil and broil for 20 minutes until the skin is blistered and crispy.

Tips & notes

• Drying the pork belly skin thoroughly overnight is essential for crispy results.
• The vinegar and baking soda combo helps the skin puff and flake beautifully.
• Keep an eye on the pork during the broil stage—it can go from golden to burnt quickly.