Siu Yuk (Crispy Pork Belly) Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

• 1(2-pound) slab skin-on pork belly
• 1tablespoon Shaoxing wine
• 2scallions, tied into a knot
• 1(2-inch) piece fresh ginger, unpeeled and sliced
• 1dried star anise (optional)
• 1teaspoon whole black peppercorns (optional)
• ½tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• ½teaspoon five-spice powder
• ¼teaspoon ground white pepper
• ¼teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
• ½teaspoon white vinegar
• English mustard, to taste

Preparation

1. Step

   1

   In a large pot, combine the pork belly with enough water to cover it by 1 inch. Add the Shaoxing wine, scallions, ginger, star anise (if using) and whole black peppercorns (if using); bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat is soft and tender, about 1 hour. Poke the meat (not the skin) with a chopstick; the juices should run clear. Take it out of the pot and let it cool down.

2. Step

   2

   In a small bowl, combine ½ tablespoon of the fine sea salt with the five-spice powder, white pepper and ground ginger (if using). When the pork belly is cool enough to handle, flip the pork belly over so that the skin faces down. Rub the seasoning all over the flesh side, leaving the skin unseasoned.

3. Step

   3

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   Make a tray out of aluminum foil, just large enough to hold the pork belly, and place the pork belly inside, skin side up, making sure all four sides of the meat are completely covered with the foil. Only the skin of the pork belly should be exposed. WIth a meat tenderizer tool or a sharp fork, poke multiple shallow holes all over the skin of the pork, making sure not to puncture too deeply into the meat below. Brush the skin with the white vinegar. Sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons of the salt on top.

4. Step

   4

   Let the pork rest in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least 18 hours and up to 24 hours. This will dry out the skin even further.

5. Step

   5

   Take the pork belly out and let it come to room temperature, about 1 hour. The skin needs to be completely dry and leathery. If it’s not, blot it gently with a paper towel and blow it dry with a hair dryer.

6. Step

   6

   Heat the broiler to its highest setting. If you don’t have a broiler, heat the oven to 450 degrees, preferably with the oven fan on.

7. Step

   7

   Place the pork belly still nestled in its aluminum foil tray (this ensures that the meat doesn’t overcook) on a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet to catch any drippings. If you’re using a broiler, cook the pork belly on the middle rack. If you’re not using a broiler, cook the belly on the second-to-top rack. Roast until the skin begins to crisp up and bubble, 15 to 30 minutes if using a broiler and 40 to 50 minutes if just using the oven. Keep an eye on the skin to make sure it does not burn. If parts of the skin begin to get too dark, rotate the pork in the oven so that it cooks more evenly.

8. Step

   8

   Take the pork belly out of the oven and remove it from its aluminum foil tray. Let it cool down completely before cutting into it, about 1 hour. Flip the pork belly over, skin side down, and slice into 1-inch pieces. Serve immediately, with English mustard as a dipping sauce.