Chinese Crispy Pork Belly Recipe
Time to get crackling!
What is special about this Chinese crispy pork belly recipe?
Imagine juicy, flavourful pork belly with a crispy crackling so good, it’s like biting into golden pork candy! This Chinese crispy pork belly recipe brings together tender meat and that signature crunch in every bite. The hoisin based sauce gives an irresistible rich, sweet flavour.
Serve with sweet chilli sauce to really complement the flavours. You can use store-bought or the chef’s homemade sweet chilli recipe. The chef served it with this easy Stir Fried Bok Choy with Hoisin Sauce.
You’ll love it if…
… you want a foolproof method of making melt-in-the-mouth tender pork with a perfectly crunchy crackling. This Crispy Pork Belly Recipe has a few steps but it’s not difficult to do and it’s absolutely worth it – the results are flawless.
Remember the cereal mascots Snap, Crackle and Pop? Well this Chinese crispy pork belly could have their own mascots – those mascots would coincidentally also be called Snap, Crackle and Pop, and they would also coincidentally be tiny elves in varying headgear – but pork belly elves, because that distinction is important.
This is the best pork belly you will ever eat. Hands down. It’s pork crack. I woke up thinking about it. I almost did a Nigella and raided the fridge in the middle of the night. It is so crunchy, so crackly, so delicious the you’ll be licking your fingers at the end. The textures are to die for, tender, juicy and crunchy. The hoisin marinade seeps through the fatty pork and gives a rich sweet flavour.
While this recipe is technical, it’s not difficult. And it is 100% worth it. The cooking technique is inspired by Hong Kong style crispy pork and it gives flawless results every time.
Fun Fact : when the cereal mascots Snap, Crackle and Pop characters were created in 1932, there was a lesser known fourth mascot called Pow. But this pork belly doesn’t need redundant elves, it sells itself really.
Gather the Ingredients
Parboil the Pork Belly
In a large pan of shallow boiling water place the pork belly slab, skin side down. Don’t submerge the pork belly entirely, just the skin side. Cook for 8 minutes.
Remove from the water, lay it skin side up, with a sharp knife scrape the surface of the skin to remove any residual hair. With the tip of a sharp knife or a metal skewer stab the skin in as many spots as you can, covering the entire surface. The skewer should pierce through only the layer of skin.
Salt the Meat
Cover the skin side of the pork belly liberally with 1 cup of salt. This will draw out all the excess moisture from the skin and help create an even better crackling.
Leave the pork belly with salt crust in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours. When ready, scrape off all the salt from the skin.
Mix the marinade ingredients together. Lay the pork belly with the skin side down on a dry paper towel. Score the meat lightly in a criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife.
Massage in the marinade into the pork belly on the meaty side (not the skin side),
Brush the Skin Side with Vinegar and Bake
Brush the surface of the skin with 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Place foil containers with the pork belly in a large baking dish. Cook for 40 minutes.
Put the pork belly in a preheated oven at 160℃ (320℉) for 40 minutes.
Take out the pork belly. Turn the heat up to 200℃ (390℉). Brush the surface of the skin with oil and return it back to the oven for another 15 – 20 minutes, or until a golden brown crackling is formed.
Once you see the crackling formed, take the pork out and carefully cut the sides of the foil packet, to drain out the oil.
Serve and Enjoy!
Let the pork belly rest for 10 minutes for the crackling to set, before cutting into it. Cut into slices or pieces of your liking.
Serve with a generous drizzle of sweet chilli sauce, store-bought or try the chef’s recipe for homemade sweet chilli sauce here.
For what to serve with Chinese Crispy Pork Belly go here.
- This recipe has a number of steps but they’re straightforward and don’t require a lot of equipment or fancy ingredients. Most of the steps ensure that the crackling comes out perfect every time, so I really recommend following all of them.
- Spend some time on piercing the skin with a skewer or sharp knife after the boiling stage. The more micro perforations, the better the crackling will turn out.
- This technique also works without the hoisin marinade. Just add garlic salt and pepper to the meat at the marinade stage to make a German style crackling pork.
- You can use your favourite hot sauce or sriracha or even hoisin sauce instead of sweet chilli sauce.
Chinese Crispy Pork Belly
Equipment
- Oven
- Large pan for boiling
- Metal skewers or sharp knife
Ingredients
- 500 grams pork belly slab
- 1 cup of salt for drying the skin
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 heaped teaspoon black pepper powder
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil any variety
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce you can use store bought or the chef's recipe for homemade sweet chilli sauce here.
Instructions
- In a large pan of shallow boiling water place 500 grams pork belly slab, skin side down. Don’t submerge the pork belly entirely, just the skin side. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Remove from the water, lay it skin side up, with a sharp knife scrape the surface of the skin to remove any residual hair.
- With the tip of a sharp knife or a metal skewer stab the skin in as many spots as you can, covering the entire surface. The skewer should pierce through only the layer of skin, don't push the skewer through the entire slab. This helps create a better crackling, as the holes create micro-pores of boiling fat when it is cooked. The more the holes the better the crackling.
- Cover the skin side of the pork belly liberally with 1 cup of salt. You can compact the salt over the surface, but only cover the skin side. This will draw out all the excess moisture from the skin and help create an even better crackling.
- Leave the pork belly with salt crust in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours, uncovered or covered with a breathable fabric. Leave overnight for best results.
- When ready, scrape off all the salt from the skin. Use a dry paper towel to wipe off any excess salt.
- In a bowl mix together 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 heaped teaspoon black pepper powder, 1 teaspoon brown sugar or honey, 2 tablespoons cooking oil and 1 teaspoon salt. This will be the marinade for the pork belly.
- Lay the pork belly with the skin side down on a dry paper towel. Score the meat lightly in a criss cross pattern with a sharp knife. This allows the marinade to penetrate more deeply.
- Massage in the marinade into the pork belly on the meaty side (not the skin side), being careful not to get marinade on the skin of the pork.
- Put the pork belly skin side up on a piece of foil which is 3 inches larger than the pork belly. Fold over the edges of the foil to create a snug container for the pork. This helps contain all the juices and oil. Refer to the picture in the Step-by-Step Guide.
- Preheat the oven to 160℃ (320℉) Brush the surface of the skin with 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Place the foil containers with the pork belly in a large baking dish to contain any oil overflow. Put this in the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, take out the pork belly. Turn the heat up to 200℃ (390℉). Brush the surface of the skin with oil and return it back to the oven for another 15 – 20 minutes, or until a golden brown crackling is formed.
- Once you see the crackling formed, take the pork out and carefully cut the sides of the foil packet, to drain out the oil. You can do this on an oven rack over a large container.
- Let the pork belly rest for 10 minutes for the crackling to set, before cutting into it. Cut into slices or pieces of your liking.
- Serve with a generous drizzle of sweet chilli sauce, store-bought or try the chef's recipe for homemade sweet chilli sauce here.
Video
Notes
FAQ
What type of pork should I use for crispy pork belly?
Choose a piece of pork belly with an even layer of fat and meat. The fat renders during cooking, making the meat tender while creating a crispy, crackling skin.
How do I keep the skin crispy after cooking?
Let the pork belly rest uncovered on a wire rack after roasting. This prevents the skin from softening due to trapped steam or moisture.
What dishes pair well with crispy pork belly and sweet chilli sauce?
Serve crispy pork belly with steamed rice, stir-fried greens, or noodles. It also pairs well with pickled vegetables, Asian slaw, or bao buns. The chef served it with this easy Stir Fried Bok Choy with Hoisin Sauce for a balanced meal.
Can I use an air fryer to cook Chinese crispy pork belly?
Yes, you can! Follow the steps until the oven stage as mentioned in the recipe. Make sure the foil container/frame you’re placing the pork in can hold the oil that will run off. Preheat the air fryer, place the pork belly skin side up, and cook at high heat (200°C / 400°F) for 30-40 minutes, adjusting the time based on the thickness.
